AGTHX vs. IWF
AGTHX (American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A) and IWF (iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF) are both Large Cap Growth Equities funds. AGTHX is actively managed, while IWF is passively managed. Over the past 10 years, AGTHX returned 15.79%/yr vs 18.50%/yr for IWF. Their correlation of 0.94 suggests significant overlap in exposure. AGTHX charges 0.59%/yr vs 0.18%/yr for IWF.
Performance
AGTHX vs. IWF - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, AGTHX achieves a 6.60% return, which is significantly higher than IWF's 5.29% return. Over the past 10 years, AGTHX has underperformed IWF with an annualized return of 15.79%, while IWF has yielded a comparatively higher 18.50% annualized return.
AGTHX
- 1D
- 0.27%
- 1M
- 0.45%
- YTD
- 6.60%
- 6M
- 7.72%
- 1Y
- 21.49%
- 3Y*
- 22.87%
- 5Y*
- 11.31%
- 10Y*
- 15.79%
IWF
- 1D
- 2.35%
- 1M
- 0.08%
- YTD
- 5.29%
- 6M
- 6.31%
- 1Y
- 23.23%
- 3Y*
- 22.85%
- 5Y*
- 14.45%
- 10Y*
- 18.50%
AGTHX vs. IWF - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AGTHX American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A | 6.60% | 19.73% | 28.02% | 37.22% | -30.75% | 19.32% | 37.83% | 28.16% | -3.15% | 26.14% |
IWF iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF | 5.29% | 18.33% | 33.12% | 42.59% | -29.31% | 27.43% | 38.25% | 35.86% | -1.67% | 29.95% |
Correlation
The correlation between AGTHX and IWF is 0.92, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.92 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.93 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.95 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.95 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 26, 2000 | 0.94 |
The correlation between AGTHX and IWF has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.92 to 0.95 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
AGTHX vs. IWF — Risk / Return Rank
AGTHX
IWF
AGTHX vs. IWF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A (AGTHX) and iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (IWF). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| AGTHX | IWF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.20 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.25 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.23 | 1.26 | -0.03 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.46 | 1.43 | +0.03 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.60 | 4.72 | +0.88 |
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Drawdowns
AGTHX vs. IWF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AGTHX drawdown since its inception was -51.91%, smaller than the maximum IWF drawdown of -64.25%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AGTHX and IWF.
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Drawdown Indicators
| AGTHX | IWF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -51.91% | -64.25% | +12.34% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.76% | -16.27% | +2.51% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -21.57% | -23.36% | +1.79% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -36.38% | -32.72% | -3.66% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -36.38% | -32.72% | -3.66% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.49% | -3.34% | -0.15% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.19% | -22.06% | +12.87% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.59% | 4.94% | -1.35% |
Volatility
AGTHX vs. IWF - Volatility Comparison
American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A (AGTHX) has a higher volatility of 6.25% compared to iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (IWF) at 5.74%. This indicates that AGTHX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IWF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| AGTHX | IWF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.25% | 5.74% | +0.51% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.77% | 12.62% | +0.15% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 16.00% | 16.09% | -0.09% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.37% | 21.49% | -1.12% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.75% | 21.02% | -1.27% |
AGTHX vs. IWF - Expense Ratio Comparison
AGTHX has a 0.59% expense ratio, which is higher than IWF's 0.18% expense ratio.
Dividends
AGTHX vs. IWF - Dividend Comparison
AGTHX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.03%, more than IWF's 0.43% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AGTHX American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A | 10.03% | 10.69% | 8.99% | 7.40% | 4.05% | 8.18% | 4.30% | 7.15% | 11.99% | 7.03% | 6.61% | 8.87% |
IWF iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF | 0.43% | 0.36% | 0.46% | 0.67% | 0.91% | 0.49% | 0.66% | 0.99% | 1.27% | 1.10% | 1.43% | 1.37% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.92, AGTHX and IWF move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
AGTHX has higher volatility (6.25%) compared to IWF (5.74%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AGTHX dropped -51.91% vs IWF's -64.25%.
IWF currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.45 vs 1.26), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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