AMBFX vs. CBALX
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds American Balanced Fund® Class F-2 (AMBFX) and Columbia Balanced Fund (CBALX).
AMBFX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Aug 5, 2008. CBALX is managed by Columbia. It was launched on Sep 30, 1991.
Performance
AMBFX vs. CBALX - Performance Comparison
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AMBFX vs. CBALX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AMBFX American Funds American Balanced Fund® Class F-2 | -2.82% | 18.67% | 15.25% | 13.81% | -11.93% | 16.00% | 11.06% | 19.45% | -2.69% | 14.85% |
CBALX Columbia Balanced Fund | -5.35% | 14.14% | 14.60% | 21.49% | -16.63% | 14.92% | 17.91% | 23.05% | -5.75% | 14.29% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, AMBFX achieves a -2.82% return, which is significantly higher than CBALX's -5.35% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with AMBFX having a 9.33% annualized return and CBALX not far behind at 8.95%.
AMBFX
- 1D
- -0.14%
- 1M
- -6.81%
- YTD
- -2.82%
- 6M
- 0.93%
- 1Y
- 15.54%
- 3Y*
- 13.72%
- 5Y*
- 8.28%
- 10Y*
- 9.33%
CBALX
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- -5.51%
- YTD
- -5.35%
- 6M
- -3.42%
- 1Y
- 9.86%
- 3Y*
- 12.18%
- 5Y*
- 6.79%
- 10Y*
- 8.95%
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AMBFX vs. CBALX - Expense Ratio Comparison
AMBFX has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is lower than CBALX's 0.67% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
AMBFX vs. CBALX — Risk / Return Rank
AMBFX
CBALX
AMBFX vs. CBALX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds American Balanced Fund® Class F-2 (AMBFX) and Columbia Balanced Fund (CBALX). 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.
| AMBFX | CBALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.45 | 0.88 | +0.57 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.12 | 1.31 | +0.81 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.30 | 1.19 | +0.11 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.03 | 1.13 | +0.90 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.67 | 4.82 | +3.85 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| AMBFX | CBALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.45 | 0.88 | +0.57 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.80 | 0.62 | +0.18 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.88 | 0.79 | +0.09 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.72 | 0.68 | +0.04 |
Correlation
The correlation between AMBFX and CBALX is 0.96, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
AMBFX vs. CBALX - Dividend Comparison
AMBFX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.75%, more than CBALX's 6.86% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AMBFX American Funds American Balanced Fund® Class F-2 | 8.75% | 8.47% | 7.40% | 2.20% | 2.52% | 4.50% | 4.56% | 4.19% | 6.20% | 4.85% | 4.46% | 5.81% |
CBALX Columbia Balanced Fund | 6.86% | 6.42% | 7.83% | 1.84% | 5.36% | 9.26% | 5.31% | 4.16% | 5.82% | 2.79% | 1.60% | 4.05% |
Drawdowns
AMBFX vs. CBALX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AMBFX drawdown since its inception was -35.05%, roughly equal to the maximum CBALX drawdown of -34.53%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AMBFX and CBALX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| AMBFX | CBALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -35.05% | -34.53% | -0.52% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.34% | -7.87% | +0.53% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.65% | -20.91% | +2.26% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -22.31% | -22.73% | +0.42% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.00% | -6.56% | -0.44% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.61% | -5.34% | +1.73% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.72% | 1.84% | -0.12% |
Volatility
AMBFX vs. CBALX - Volatility Comparison
American Funds American Balanced Fund® Class F-2 (AMBFX) and Columbia Balanced Fund (CBALX) have volatilities of 3.26% and 3.14%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| AMBFX | CBALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.26% | 3.14% | +0.12% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.73% | 6.15% | +0.58% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.10% | 11.45% | -0.35% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 10.42% | 11.05% | -0.63% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 10.62% | 11.30% | -0.68% |