BALCX vs. QQQ
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds American Balanced Fund Class C (BALCX) and Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ).
BALCX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Jul 26, 1975. QQQ is a passively managed fund by Invesco that tracks the performance of the NASDAQ-100 Index. It was launched on Mar 10, 1999.
Performance
BALCX vs. QQQ - Performance Comparison
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BALCX vs. QQQ - 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% |
QQQ Invesco QQQ ETF | -4.76% | 20.77% | 25.58% | 54.86% | -32.58% | 27.42% | 48.62% | 38.96% | -0.13% | 32.66% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BALCX achieves a -1.33% return, which is significantly higher than QQQ's -4.76% return. Over the past 10 years, BALCX has underperformed QQQ with an annualized return of 8.40%, while QQQ has yielded a comparatively higher 18.99% 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%
QQQ
- 1D
- 1.24%
- 1M
- -3.79%
- YTD
- -4.76%
- 6M
- -2.89%
- 1Y
- 24.21%
- 3Y*
- 22.83%
- 5Y*
- 13.16%
- 10Y*
- 18.99%
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BALCX vs. QQQ - Expense Ratio Comparison
BALCX has a 1.31% expense ratio, which is higher than QQQ's 0.18% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
BALCX vs. QQQ — Risk / Return Rank
BALCX
QQQ
BALCX vs. QQQ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds American Balanced Fund Class C (BALCX) and Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ). 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 | QQQ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.48 | 1.07 | +0.41 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.17 | 1.66 | +0.51 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.31 | 1.24 | +0.07 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.29 | 2.00 | +0.30 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.52 | 7.32 | +2.19 |
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 | QQQ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.48 | 1.07 | +0.41 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.72 | 0.59 | +0.13 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.79 | 0.86 | -0.06 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.58 | 0.38 | +0.21 |
Correlation
The correlation between BALCX and QQQ is 0.84, 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. QQQ - Dividend Comparison
BALCX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.69%, more than QQQ's 0.48% 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% |
QQQ Invesco QQQ ETF | 0.48% | 0.45% | 0.56% | 0.62% | 0.80% | 0.43% | 0.55% | 0.74% | 0.91% | 0.84% | 1.06% | 0.99% |
Drawdowns
BALCX vs. QQQ - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BALCX drawdown since its inception was -40.88%, smaller than the maximum QQQ drawdown of -82.97%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BALCX and QQQ.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BALCX | QQQ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -40.88% | -82.97% | +42.09% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.36% | -12.62% | +5.26% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -19.22% | -35.12% | +15.90% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -22.38% | -35.12% | +12.74% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -5.45% | -7.86% | +2.41% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.48% | -32.99% | +28.51% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.78% | 3.44% | -1.66% |
Volatility
BALCX vs. QQQ - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for American Funds American Balanced Fund Class C (BALCX) is 3.88%, while Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ) has a volatility of 6.61%. This indicates that BALCX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than QQQ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BALCX | QQQ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.88% | 6.61% | -2.73% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.96% | 12.82% | -5.86% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.19% | 22.70% | -11.51% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 10.44% | 22.38% | -11.94% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 10.62% | 22.25% | -11.63% |