BALFX vs. AMCPX
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds American Balanced Fund (BALFX) and American Funds AMCAP Fund Class A (AMCPX).
BALFX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Mar 15, 2001. AMCPX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Jan 5, 1967.
Performance
BALFX vs. AMCPX - Performance Comparison
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BALFX vs. AMCPX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BALFX American Funds American Balanced Fund | -2.88% | 18.40% | 14.91% | 13.62% | -12.19% | 15.69% | 10.81% | 18.50% | -3.54% | 14.63% |
AMCPX American Funds AMCAP Fund Class A | -11.82% | 17.68% | 21.11% | 31.04% | -28.67% | 20.57% | 21.42% | 26.35% | -4.42% | 22.08% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BALFX achieves a -2.88% return, which is significantly higher than AMCPX's -11.82% return. Over the past 10 years, BALFX has underperformed AMCPX with an annualized return of 8.93%, while AMCPX has yielded a comparatively higher 10.59% annualized return.
BALFX
- 1D
- -0.14%
- 1M
- -6.82%
- YTD
- -2.88%
- 6M
- 0.82%
- 1Y
- 15.28%
- 3Y*
- 13.46%
- 5Y*
- 8.01%
- 10Y*
- 8.93%
AMCPX
- 1D
- -0.37%
- 1M
- -10.12%
- YTD
- -11.82%
- 6M
- -9.34%
- 1Y
- 11.06%
- 3Y*
- 14.39%
- 5Y*
- 6.22%
- 10Y*
- 10.59%
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BALFX vs. AMCPX - Expense Ratio Comparison
BALFX has a 0.62% expense ratio, which is lower than AMCPX's 0.65% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
BALFX vs. AMCPX — Risk / Return Rank
BALFX
AMCPX
BALFX vs. AMCPX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds American Balanced Fund (BALFX) and American Funds AMCAP Fund Class A (AMCPX). 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.
| BALFX | AMCPX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.42 | 0.56 | +0.86 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.08 | 0.94 | +1.14 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.29 | 1.13 | +0.16 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.99 | 0.59 | +1.40 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.46 | 2.42 | +6.04 |
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
| BALFX | AMCPX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.42 | 0.56 | +0.86 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.77 | 0.33 | +0.45 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.85 | 0.57 | +0.27 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.65 | 0.57 | +0.07 |
Correlation
The correlation between BALFX and AMCPX is 0.93, 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
BALFX vs. AMCPX - Dividend Comparison
BALFX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.48%, less than AMCPX's 9.90% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BALFX American Funds American Balanced Fund | 8.48% | 8.22% | 7.14% | 2.02% | 2.24% | 4.24% | 4.31% | 3.44% | 5.30% | 4.66% | 4.18% | 5.54% |
AMCPX American Funds AMCAP Fund Class A | 9.90% | 8.73% | 8.19% | 3.26% | 7.54% | 3.43% | 3.88% | 4.90% | 7.84% | 5.37% | 3.81% | 8.86% |
Drawdowns
BALFX vs. AMCPX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BALFX drawdown since its inception was -40.20%, smaller than the maximum AMCPX drawdown of -62.37%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BALFX and AMCPX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BALFX | AMCPX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -40.20% | -62.37% | +22.17% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.34% | -14.18% | +6.84% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.81% | -36.90% | +18.09% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -22.34% | -36.90% | +14.56% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.03% | -14.18% | +7.15% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.18% | -9.60% | +5.42% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.73% | 3.47% | -1.74% |
Volatility
BALFX vs. AMCPX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for American Funds American Balanced Fund (BALFX) is 3.28%, while American Funds AMCAP Fund Class A (AMCPX) has a volatility of 5.26%. This indicates that BALFX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than AMCPX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BALFX | AMCPX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.28% | 5.26% | -1.98% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.75% | 11.06% | -4.31% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.10% | 19.60% | -8.50% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 10.41% | 19.12% | -8.71% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 10.61% | 18.63% | -8.02% |