BALCX vs. VONG
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds American Balanced Fund Class C (BALCX) and Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF (VONG).
BALCX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Jul 26, 1975. VONG is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Russell 1000 Growth Index. It was launched on Sep 20, 2010.
Performance
BALCX vs. VONG - Performance Comparison
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BALCX vs. VONG - 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% |
VONG Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF | -8.97% | 18.45% | 33.20% | 42.67% | -29.18% | 27.60% | 38.30% | 36.06% | -1.53% | 30.05% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BALCX achieves a -1.33% return, which is significantly higher than VONG's -8.97% return. Over the past 10 years, BALCX has underperformed VONG with an annualized return of 8.40%, while VONG has yielded a comparatively higher 16.75% 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%
VONG
- 1D
- 0.91%
- 1M
- -4.62%
- YTD
- -8.97%
- 6M
- -8.47%
- 1Y
- 18.72%
- 3Y*
- 21.47%
- 5Y*
- 12.55%
- 10Y*
- 16.75%
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BALCX vs. VONG - Expense Ratio Comparison
BALCX has a 1.31% expense ratio, which is higher than VONG's 0.06% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
BALCX vs. VONG — Risk / Return Rank
BALCX
VONG
BALCX vs. VONG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds American Balanced Fund Class C (BALCX) and Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF (VONG). 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 | VONG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.48 | 0.84 | +0.64 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.17 | 1.36 | +0.82 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.31 | 1.19 | +0.11 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.29 | 1.22 | +1.07 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.52 | 4.16 | +5.36 |
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 | VONG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.48 | 0.84 | +0.64 |
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 | 0.81 | -0.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.58 | 0.84 | -0.26 |
Correlation
The correlation between BALCX and VONG is 0.88, 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. VONG - Dividend Comparison
BALCX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.69%, more than VONG's 0.50% 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% |
VONG Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF | 0.50% | 0.45% | 0.55% | 0.71% | 0.98% | 0.58% | 0.77% | 1.03% | 1.18% | 1.19% | 1.48% | 1.47% |
Drawdowns
BALCX vs. VONG - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BALCX drawdown since its inception was -40.88%, which is greater than VONG's maximum drawdown of -32.72%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BALCX and VONG.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BALCX | VONG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -40.88% | -32.72% | -8.16% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.36% | -16.23% | +8.87% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -19.22% | -32.72% | +13.50% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -22.38% | -32.72% | +10.34% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -5.45% | -12.29% | +6.84% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.48% | -4.90% | +0.42% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.78% | 4.78% | -3.00% |
Volatility
BALCX vs. VONG - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for American Funds American Balanced Fund Class C (BALCX) is 3.88%, while Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF (VONG) has a volatility of 6.81%. This indicates that BALCX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VONG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BALCX | VONG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.88% | 6.81% | -2.93% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.96% | 12.37% | -5.41% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.19% | 22.42% | -11.23% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 10.44% | 21.35% | -10.91% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 10.62% | 20.82% | -10.20% |