BALCX vs. AWSHX
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds American Balanced Fund Class C (BALCX) and American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A (AWSHX).
BALCX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Jul 26, 1975. AWSHX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Jul 31, 1952.
Performance
BALCX vs. AWSHX - Performance Comparison
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BALCX vs. AWSHX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BALCX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class C | -1.33% | 17.58% | 14.00% | 12.97% | -12.77% | 14.87% | 10.06% | 17.66% | -4.09% | 14.02% |
AWSHX American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A | -3.17% | 17.20% | 19.02% | 17.21% | -8.45% | 28.44% | 7.69% | 24.86% | -6.16% | 20.03% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BALCX achieves a -1.33% return, which is significantly higher than AWSHX's -3.17% return. Over the past 10 years, BALCX has underperformed AWSHX with an annualized return of 8.40%, while AWSHX has yielded a comparatively higher 12.07% annualized return.
BALCX
- 1D
- 1.75%
- 1M
- -4.96%
- YTD
- -1.33%
- 6M
- 1.67%
- 1Y
- 16.04%
- 3Y*
- 13.35%
- 5Y*
- 7.46%
- 10Y*
- 8.40%
AWSHX
- 1D
- 2.21%
- 1M
- -5.85%
- YTD
- -3.17%
- 6M
- -1.40%
- 1Y
- 12.98%
- 3Y*
- 16.12%
- 5Y*
- 11.18%
- 10Y*
- 12.07%
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BALCX vs. AWSHX - Expense Ratio Comparison
BALCX has a 1.31% expense ratio, which is higher than AWSHX's 0.58% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
BALCX vs. AWSHX — Risk / Return Rank
BALCX
AWSHX
BALCX vs. AWSHX - 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 Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A (AWSHX). 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 | AWSHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.48 | 0.86 | +0.62 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.17 | 1.34 | +0.83 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.31 | 1.19 | +0.11 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.29 | 1.35 | +0.95 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.52 | 6.00 | +3.51 |
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 | AWSHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.48 | 0.86 | +0.62 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.72 | 0.80 | -0.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.79 | 0.74 | +0.05 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.58 | 0.62 | -0.04 |
Correlation
The correlation between BALCX and AWSHX 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
BALCX vs. AWSHX - Dividend Comparison
BALCX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.69%, less than AWSHX's 10.44% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BALCX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class C | 7.69% | 7.61% | 6.37% | 1.54% | 1.53% | 3.60% | 3.68% | 2.79% | 4.67% | 4.17% | 3.51% | 4.81% |
AWSHX American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A | 10.44% | 10.08% | 10.06% | 6.14% | 6.31% | 6.05% | 3.06% | 6.19% | 4.36% | 7.26% | 6.37% | 6.25% |
Drawdowns
BALCX vs. AWSHX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BALCX drawdown since its inception was -40.88%, smaller than the maximum AWSHX drawdown of -53.95%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BALCX and AWSHX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BALCX | AWSHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -40.88% | -53.95% | +13.07% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.36% | -10.37% | +3.01% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -19.22% | -18.64% | -0.58% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -22.38% | -34.65% | +12.27% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -5.45% | -6.35% | +0.90% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.48% | -6.43% | +1.95% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.78% | 2.32% | -0.54% |
Volatility
BALCX vs. AWSHX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for American Funds American Balanced Fund Class C (BALCX) is 3.88%, while American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A (AWSHX) has a volatility of 4.41%. This indicates that BALCX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than AWSHX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BALCX | AWSHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.88% | 4.41% | -0.53% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.96% | 8.28% | -1.32% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.19% | 15.30% | -4.11% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 10.44% | 14.12% | -3.68% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 10.62% | 16.33% | -5.71% |