ASTEX vs. ABALX
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds Short-Term Tax Exempt Bond Fund (ASTEX) and American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX).
ASTEX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Aug 6, 2009. ABALX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Jul 26, 1975.
Performance
ASTEX vs. ABALX - Performance Comparison
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ASTEX vs. ABALX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ASTEX American Funds Short-Term Tax Exempt Bond Fund | 0.02% | 5.34% | 2.46% | 2.91% | -3.25% | -0.29% | 2.91% | 3.26% | 0.94% | 1.63% |
ABALX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A | -2.86% | 18.45% | 14.63% | 13.65% | -12.13% | 15.75% | 10.85% | 18.60% | -3.35% | 14.69% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ASTEX achieves a 0.02% return, which is significantly higher than ABALX's -2.86% return. Over the past 10 years, ASTEX has underperformed ABALX with an annualized return of 1.50%, while ABALX has yielded a comparatively higher 8.98% annualized return.
ASTEX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- -1.28%
- YTD
- 0.02%
- 6M
- 0.65%
- 1Y
- 3.62%
- 3Y*
- 3.16%
- 5Y*
- 1.42%
- 10Y*
- 1.50%
ABALX
- 1D
- -0.14%
- 1M
- -6.82%
- YTD
- -2.86%
- 6M
- 0.85%
- 1Y
- 15.33%
- 3Y*
- 13.40%
- 5Y*
- 8.00%
- 10Y*
- 8.98%
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ASTEX vs. ABALX - Expense Ratio Comparison
ASTEX has a 0.53% expense ratio, which is lower than ABALX's 0.56% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
ASTEX vs. ABALX — Risk / Return Rank
ASTEX
ABALX
ASTEX vs. ABALX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds Short-Term Tax Exempt Bond Fund (ASTEX) and American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX). 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.
| ASTEX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 2.00 | 1.43 | +0.57 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 3.00 | 2.09 | +0.91 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.68 | 1.29 | +0.39 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.27 | 2.00 | +0.27 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.83 | 8.51 | +1.31 |
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
| ASTEX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.00 | 1.43 | +0.57 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.82 | 0.77 | +0.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.92 | 0.85 | +0.07 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.07 | 0.79 | +0.29 |
Correlation
The correlation between ASTEX and ABALX is 0.02, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.
Dividends
ASTEX vs. ABALX - Dividend Comparison
ASTEX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.76%, less than ABALX's 8.54% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ASTEX American Funds Short-Term Tax Exempt Bond Fund | 2.76% | 3.66% | 2.53% | 1.73% | 0.78% | 0.68% | 1.31% | 1.62% | 1.44% | 1.32% | 0.97% | 1.03% |
ABALX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A | 8.54% | 8.27% | 6.87% | 2.05% | 2.30% | 4.30% | 4.35% | 3.49% | 5.49% | 4.72% | 4.24% | 5.60% |
Drawdowns
ASTEX vs. ABALX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ASTEX drawdown since its inception was -5.73%, smaller than the maximum ABALX drawdown of -40.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ASTEX and ABALX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ASTEX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -5.73% | -40.20% | +34.47% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.90% | -7.33% | +5.43% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -5.62% | -18.76% | +13.14% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -5.73% | -22.34% | +16.61% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.28% | -7.03% | +5.75% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.70% | -3.86% | +3.16% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.44% | 1.73% | -1.29% |
Volatility
ASTEX vs. ABALX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for American Funds Short-Term Tax Exempt Bond Fund (ASTEX) is 0.49%, while American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX) has a volatility of 3.26%. This indicates that ASTEX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ABALX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ASTEX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.49% | 3.26% | -2.77% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.98% | 6.74% | -5.76% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.11% | 11.11% | -9.00% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 1.75% | 10.42% | -8.67% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 1.63% | 10.61% | -8.98% |