ASBAX vs. BFCAX
ASBAX (American Funds Short-Term Bond Fund of America) and BFCAX (American Funds Corporate Bond Fund) are both mutual funds - ASBAX is a Short-Term Bond fund managed by American Funds, while BFCAX is a Corporate Bonds fund managed by American Funds. Over the past 5 years, ASBAX returned 1.62%/yr vs -1.18%/yr for BFCAX. Their 0.58 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. ASBAX charges 0.66%/yr vs 0.70%/yr for BFCAX.
Performance
ASBAX vs. BFCAX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ASBAX achieves a 0.24% return, which is significantly higher than BFCAX's -1.33% return.
ASBAX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- -0.21%
- 6M
- -0.06%
- YTD
- 0.24%
- 1Y
- 2.47%
- 3Y*
- 4.00%
- 5Y*
- 1.62%
- 10Y*
- 1.57%
- ALL TIME*
- 1.63%
BFCAX
- 1D
- 0.22%
- 1M
- -1.81%
- 6M
- -1.57%
- YTD
- -1.33%
- 1Y
- 0.69%
- 3Y*
- 3.56%
- 5Y*
- -1.18%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 2.20%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
ASBAX vs. BFCAX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ASBAX American Funds Short-Term Bond Fund of America | 0.24% | 5.05% | 4.31% | 3.60% | -4.16% | -0.88% | 3.53% | 2.81% | 1.10% | 0.91% |
BFCAX American Funds Corporate Bond Fund | -1.33% | 6.67% | 1.71% | 6.85% | -16.51% | -2.15% | 13.05% | 13.21% | -2.50% | 5.61% |
Correlation
The correlation between ASBAX and BFCAX is 0.61, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.61 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.60 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.62 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 3, 2017 | 0.58 |
The correlation between ASBAX and BFCAX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.58 to 0.62 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
ASBAX vs. BFCAX — Risk / Return Rank
ASBAX
BFCAX
ASBAX vs. BFCAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds Short-Term Bond Fund of America (ASBAX) and American Funds Corporate Bond Fund (BFCAX). 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.
| ASBAX | BFCAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.01 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.86 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.33 | 1.08 | +0.26 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.19 | 0.62 | +1.57 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.39 | 1.52 | +5.88 |
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Drawdowns
ASBAX vs. BFCAX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ASBAX drawdown since its inception was -6.29%, smaller than the maximum BFCAX drawdown of -23.01%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ASBAX and BFCAX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ASBAX | BFCAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -6.29% | -23.01% | +16.72% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.24% | -3.11% | +1.87% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.24% | -5.68% | +4.44% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -6.03% | -22.55% | +16.52% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -6.29% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.44% | -6.54% | +6.10% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.68% | -6.44% | +5.76% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.37% | 1.27% | -0.90% |
Volatility
ASBAX vs. BFCAX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for American Funds Short-Term Bond Fund of America (ASBAX) is 0.48%, while American Funds Corporate Bond Fund (BFCAX) has a volatility of 1.15%. This indicates that ASBAX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BFCAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ASBAX | BFCAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.48% | 1.15% | -0.67% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.47% | 3.34% | -1.87% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.87% | 4.27% | -2.40% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.26% | 6.69% | -4.43% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 1.84% | 5.96% | -4.12% |
ASBAX vs. BFCAX - Expense Ratio Comparison
ASBAX has a 0.66% expense ratio, which is lower than BFCAX's 0.70% expense ratio.
Dividends
ASBAX vs. BFCAX - Dividend Comparison
ASBAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.42%, less than BFCAX's 3.90% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ASBAX American Funds Short-Term Bond Fund of America | 3.42% | 3.87% | 3.99% | 2.88% | 1.02% | 0.42% | 2.08% | 1.66% | 1.70% | 1.21% | 0.83% | 1.21% |
BFCAX American Funds Corporate Bond Fund | 3.90% | 4.20% | 4.06% | 2.82% | 1.95% | 1.50% | 4.43% | 3.44% | 2.63% | 2.68% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
ASBAX and BFCAX have a correlation of 0.61, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
BFCAX has higher volatility (1.15%) compared to ASBAX (0.48%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ASBAX dropped -6.29% vs BFCAX's -23.01%.
ASBAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.46 vs 0.45), 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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