AOR vs. BALFX
AOR (iShares Core 60/40 Balanced Allocation ETF) and BALFX (American Funds American Balanced Fund) are both Diversified Portfolio funds. Over the past 10 years, AOR returned 8.67%/yr vs 10.07%/yr for BALFX. Their correlation of 0.91 suggests significant overlap in exposure. AOR charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.62%/yr for BALFX.
Performance
AOR vs. BALFX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, AOR achieves a 7.57% return, which is significantly lower than BALFX's 9.71% return. Over the past 10 years, AOR has underperformed BALFX with an annualized return of 8.67%, while BALFX has yielded a comparatively higher 10.07% annualized return.
AOR
- 1D
- -0.23%
- 1M
- 1.18%
- YTD
- 7.57%
- 6M
- 7.52%
- 1Y
- 19.17%
- 3Y*
- 14.04%
- 5Y*
- 7.08%
- 10Y*
- 8.67%
BALFX
- 1D
- 0.84%
- 1M
- 1.75%
- YTD
- 9.71%
- 6M
- 10.01%
- 1Y
- 23.77%
- 3Y*
- 16.83%
- 5Y*
- 9.88%
- 10Y*
- 10.07%
AOR vs. BALFX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AOR iShares Core 60/40 Balanced Allocation ETF | 7.57% | 16.44% | 10.68% | 15.75% | -15.64% | 11.19% | 11.42% | 18.91% | -5.82% | 15.80% |
BALFX American Funds American Balanced Fund | 9.71% | 18.40% | 14.91% | 13.62% | -12.19% | 15.69% | 10.81% | 18.50% | -3.54% | 14.63% |
Correlation
The correlation between AOR and BALFX is 0.94, 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 | 0.94 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.93 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.93 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.93 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 11, 2008 | 0.91 |
The correlation between AOR and BALFX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.91 to 0.94 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
AOR vs. BALFX — Risk / Return Rank
AOR
BALFX
AOR vs. BALFX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core 60/40 Balanced Allocation ETF (AOR) and American Funds American Balanced Fund (BALFX). 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.
| AOR | BALFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.41 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.51 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.41 | 1.49 | -0.08 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.90 | 3.37 | -0.47 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.45 | 14.93 | -2.47 |
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Drawdowns
AOR vs. BALFX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AOR drawdown since its inception was -24.44%, smaller than the maximum BALFX drawdown of -40.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AOR and BALFX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| AOR | BALFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -24.44% | -40.20% | +15.76% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -6.64% | -7.03% | +0.39% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -9.77% | -10.67% | +0.90% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.72% | -18.81% | -2.91% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -22.95% | -22.34% | -0.61% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.36% | -0.21% | -0.15% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.47% | -4.15% | +0.68% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.54% | 1.58% | -0.04% |
Volatility
AOR vs. BALFX - Volatility Comparison
iShares Core 60/40 Balanced Allocation ETF (AOR) and American Funds American Balanced Fund (BALFX) have volatilities of 3.39% and 3.43%, 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
| AOR | BALFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.39% | 3.43% | -0.04% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 7.40% | 7.34% | +0.06% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 8.89% | 9.20% | -0.31% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 10.63% | 10.56% | +0.07% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 10.70% | 10.70% | 0.00% |
AOR vs. BALFX - Expense Ratio Comparison
AOR has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than BALFX's 0.62% expense ratio.
Dividends
AOR vs. BALFX - Dividend Comparison
AOR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.46%, less than BALFX's 7.05% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AOR iShares Core 60/40 Balanced Allocation ETF | 2.46% | 2.55% | 2.66% | 2.50% | 2.12% | 1.64% | 1.89% | 2.56% | 2.49% | 4.51% | 2.16% | 2.12% |
BALFX American Funds American Balanced Fund | 7.05% | 8.22% | 7.14% | 2.02% | 2.24% | 4.24% | 4.31% | 3.44% | 5.30% | 4.66% | 4.18% | 5.54% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.94, AOR and BALFX 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.
BALFX has higher volatility (3.43%) compared to AOR (3.39%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AOR dropped -24.44% vs BALFX's -40.20%.
BALFX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.58 vs 2.17), 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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