BALCX vs. VTTVX
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds American Balanced Fund Class C (BALCX) and Vanguard Target Retirement 2025 Fund (VTTVX).
BALCX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Jul 26, 1975. VTTVX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Oct 27, 2003.
Performance
BALCX vs. VTTVX - Performance Comparison
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BALCX vs. VTTVX - 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% |
VTTVX Vanguard Target Retirement 2025 Fund | -2.21% | 14.63% | 9.23% | 14.76% | -15.57% | 9.78% | 13.31% | 19.63% | -5.14% | 13.68% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BALCX achieves a -3.02% return, which is significantly lower than VTTVX's -2.21% return. Over the past 10 years, BALCX has outperformed VTTVX with an annualized return of 8.21%, while VTTVX has yielded a comparatively lower 7.26% 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%
VTTVX
- 1D
- 0.05%
- 1M
- -5.38%
- YTD
- -2.21%
- 6M
- -0.23%
- 1Y
- 11.38%
- 3Y*
- 10.10%
- 5Y*
- 5.04%
- 10Y*
- 7.26%
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BALCX vs. VTTVX - Expense Ratio Comparison
BALCX has a 1.31% expense ratio, which is higher than VTTVX's 0.08% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
BALCX vs. VTTVX — Risk / Return Rank
BALCX
VTTVX
BALCX vs. VTTVX - 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 Target Retirement 2025 Fund (VTTVX). 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 | VTTVX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.35 | 1.37 | -0.02 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.98 | 1.95 | +0.03 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.28 | 1.28 | 0.00 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.88 | 1.77 | +0.10 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.95 | 7.76 | +0.19 |
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 | VTTVX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.35 | 1.37 | -0.02 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.70 | 0.56 | +0.14 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.78 | 0.73 | +0.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.58 | 0.54 | +0.04 |
Correlation
The correlation between BALCX and VTTVX 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. VTTVX - Dividend Comparison
BALCX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.83%, more than VTTVX's 7.55% 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% |
VTTVX Vanguard Target Retirement 2025 Fund | 7.55% | 7.38% | 7.63% | 3.96% | 2.96% | 16.28% | 4.35% | 2.57% | 3.14% | 0.47% | 2.68% | 4.98% |
Drawdowns
BALCX vs. VTTVX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BALCX drawdown since its inception was -40.88%, smaller than the maximum VTTVX drawdown of -46.03%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BALCX and VTTVX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BALCX | VTTVX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -40.88% | -46.03% | +5.15% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.36% | -6.08% | -1.28% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -19.22% | -21.52% | +2.30% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -22.38% | -22.51% | +0.13% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.08% | -5.52% | -1.56% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.48% | -5.09% | +0.61% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.74% | 1.39% | +0.35% |
Volatility
BALCX vs. VTTVX - Volatility Comparison
American Funds American Balanced Fund Class C (BALCX) has a higher volatility of 3.28% compared to Vanguard Target Retirement 2025 Fund (VTTVX) at 2.99%. This indicates that BALCX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VTTVX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BALCX | VTTVX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.28% | 2.99% | +0.29% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.75% | 5.01% | +1.74% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.09% | 8.43% | +2.66% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 10.41% | 9.04% | +1.37% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 10.61% | 9.91% | +0.70% |