BALCX vs. ABALX
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds American Balanced Fund Class C (BALCX) and American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX).
BALCX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Jul 26, 1975. ABALX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Jul 26, 1975.
Performance
BALCX vs. ABALX - Performance Comparison
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BALCX vs. ABALX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BALCX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class C | -3.02% | 17.58% | 14.00% | 12.97% | -12.77% | 14.87% | 10.06% | 17.66% | -4.09% | 14.02% |
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, BALCX achieves a -3.02% return, which is significantly lower than ABALX's -2.86% return. Over the past 10 years, BALCX has underperformed ABALX with an annualized return of 8.21%, while ABALX has yielded a comparatively higher 8.98% annualized return.
BALCX
- 1D
- -0.11%
- 1M
- -6.86%
- YTD
- -3.02%
- 6M
- 0.47%
- 1Y
- 14.48%
- 3Y*
- 12.70%
- 5Y*
- 7.28%
- 10Y*
- 8.21%
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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BALCX vs. ABALX - Expense Ratio Comparison
BALCX has a 1.31% expense ratio, which is higher than ABALX's 0.56% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
BALCX vs. ABALX — Risk / Return Rank
BALCX
ABALX
BALCX vs. ABALX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds American Balanced Fund Class C (BALCX) 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.
| BALCX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.35 | 1.43 | -0.08 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.98 | 2.09 | -0.11 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.28 | 1.29 | -0.02 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.88 | 2.00 | -0.12 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.95 | 8.51 | -0.57 |
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
| BALCX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.35 | 1.43 | -0.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.70 | 0.77 | -0.07 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.78 | 0.85 | -0.07 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.58 | 0.79 | -0.21 |
Correlation
The correlation between BALCX and ABALX is 1.00, 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
BALCX vs. ABALX - Dividend Comparison
BALCX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.83%, less than ABALX's 8.54% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BALCX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class C | 7.83% | 7.61% | 6.37% | 1.54% | 1.53% | 3.60% | 3.68% | 2.79% | 4.67% | 4.17% | 3.51% | 4.81% |
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
BALCX vs. ABALX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BALCX drawdown since its inception was -40.88%, roughly equal to the maximum ABALX drawdown of -40.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BALCX and ABALX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BALCX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -40.88% | -40.20% | -0.68% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.36% | -7.33% | -0.03% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -19.22% | -18.76% | -0.46% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -22.38% | -22.34% | -0.04% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.08% | -7.03% | -0.05% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.48% | -3.86% | -0.62% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.74% | 1.73% | +0.01% |
Volatility
BALCX vs. ABALX - Volatility Comparison
American Funds American Balanced Fund Class C (BALCX) and American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX) have volatilities of 3.28% and 3.26%, 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
| BALCX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.28% | 3.26% | +0.02% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.75% | 6.74% | +0.01% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.09% | 11.11% | -0.02% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 10.41% | 10.42% | -0.01% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 10.61% | 10.61% | 0.00% |