BALFX vs. AWSHX
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds American Balanced Fund (BALFX) and American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A (AWSHX).
BALFX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Mar 15, 2001. AWSHX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Jul 31, 1952.
Performance
BALFX vs. AWSHX - Performance Comparison
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BALFX vs. AWSHX - 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% |
AWSHX American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A | -5.27% | 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, BALFX achieves a -2.88% return, which is significantly higher than AWSHX's -5.27% return. Over the past 10 years, BALFX has underperformed AWSHX with an annualized return of 8.93%, while AWSHX has yielded a comparatively higher 11.82% 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%
AWSHX
- 1D
- -0.03%
- 1M
- -7.89%
- YTD
- -5.27%
- 6M
- -3.14%
- 1Y
- 10.70%
- 3Y*
- 15.28%
- 5Y*
- 10.91%
- 10Y*
- 11.82%
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BALFX vs. AWSHX - Expense Ratio Comparison
BALFX has a 0.62% expense ratio, which is higher than AWSHX's 0.58% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
BALFX vs. AWSHX — Risk / Return Rank
BALFX
AWSHX
BALFX vs. AWSHX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds American Balanced Fund (BALFX) 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.
| BALFX | AWSHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.42 | 0.76 | +0.66 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.08 | 1.19 | +0.89 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.29 | 1.17 | +0.12 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.99 | 0.96 | +1.03 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.46 | 4.37 | +4.10 |
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 | AWSHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.42 | 0.76 | +0.66 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.77 | 0.78 | 0.00 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.85 | 0.73 | +0.12 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.65 | 0.62 | +0.03 |
Correlation
The correlation between BALFX 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
BALFX vs. AWSHX - Dividend Comparison
BALFX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.48%, less than AWSHX's 10.67% 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% |
AWSHX American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A | 10.67% | 10.08% | 10.06% | 6.14% | 6.31% | 6.05% | 3.06% | 6.19% | 4.36% | 7.26% | 6.37% | 6.25% |
Drawdowns
BALFX vs. AWSHX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BALFX drawdown since its inception was -40.20%, smaller than the maximum AWSHX drawdown of -53.95%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BALFX and AWSHX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BALFX | AWSHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -40.20% | -53.95% | +13.75% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.34% | -10.37% | +3.03% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.81% | -18.64% | -0.17% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -22.34% | -34.65% | +12.31% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.03% | -8.37% | +1.34% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.18% | -6.43% | +2.25% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.73% | 2.29% | -0.56% |
Volatility
BALFX vs. AWSHX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for American Funds American Balanced Fund (BALFX) is 3.28%, while American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A (AWSHX) has a volatility of 3.58%. This indicates that BALFX 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
| BALFX | AWSHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.28% | 3.58% | -0.30% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.75% | 7.98% | -1.23% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.10% | 15.18% | -4.08% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 10.41% | 14.09% | -3.68% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 10.61% | 16.31% | -5.70% |