BALFX vs. FSRRX

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

BALFX (American Funds American Balanced Fund Class F-1) and FSRRX (Fidelity Strategic Real Return Fund) are both Diversified Portfolio funds. Over the past 10 years, BALFX returned 9.67%/yr vs 5.49%/yr for FSRRX. Their 0.57 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. BALFX charges 0.61%/yr vs 0.70%/yr for FSRRX.

Performance

BALFX vs. FSRRX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in American Funds American Balanced Fund Class F-1 (BALFX) and Fidelity Strategic Real Return Fund (FSRRX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with BALFX having a 8.18% return and FSRRX slightly higher at 8.37%. Over the past 10 years, BALFX has outperformed FSRRX with an annualized return of 9.67%, while FSRRX has yielded a comparatively lower 5.49% annualized return.

BALFX

• 1D: 1.08%
• 1M: -0.98%
• 6M: 5.43%
• YTD: 8.18%
• 1Y: 18.29%
• 3Y*: 15.33%
• 5Y*: 8.97%
• 10Y*: 9.67%
• ALL TIME*: 7.86%

FSRRX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 2.05%
• 6M: 4.71%
• YTD: 8.37%
• 1Y: 14.75%
• 3Y*: 8.64%
• 5Y*: 5.82%
• 10Y*: 5.49%
• ALL TIME*: 4.03%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
BALFX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class F-1	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
FSRRX Fidelity Strategic Real Return Fund	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

BALFX vs. FSRRX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
BALFX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class F-1	8.18%	18.40%	14.91%	13.62%	-12.19%	15.69%	10.81%	18.50%	-3.54%	14.63%
FSRRX Fidelity Strategic Real Return Fund	8.37%	10.45%	5.84%	4.59%	-3.34%	15.84%	3.74%	10.48%	-3.99%	3.00%

Correlation

The correlation between BALFX and FSRRX is 0.37, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.37
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.53
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.62
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.60
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 9, 2005	0.57

The correlation between BALFX and FSRRX shifts across timeframes, from 0.37 (1 year) to 0.62 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

BALFX vs. FSRRX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

BALFX

BALFX Risk / Return Rank: 79
BALFX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 79
BALFX Sortino Ratio Rank: 77
BALFX Omega Ratio Rank: 77
BALFX Calmar Ratio Rank: 77
BALFX Martin Ratio Rank: 85

FSRRX

FSRRX Risk / Return Rank: 95
FSRRX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 98
FSRRX Sortino Ratio Rank: 95
FSRRX Omega Ratio Rank: 94
FSRRX Calmar Ratio Rank: 95
FSRRX Martin Ratio Rank: 94

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

BALFX vs. FSRRX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds American Balanced Fund Class F-1 (BALFX) and Fidelity Strategic Real Return Fund (FSRRX). 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	BALFX	FSRRX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.82	2.92	-1.09
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.57	4.02	-1.45
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.33	1.57	-0.24
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.44	4.14	-1.70
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.42	14.82	-4.40

BALFX vs. FSRRX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BALFX Sharpe Ratio is 1.82, which is lower than the FSRRX Sharpe Ratio of 2.92. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BALFX and FSRRX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

BALFX vs. FSRRX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BALFX drawdown since its inception was -40.20%, which is greater than FSRRX's maximum drawdown of -33.42%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BALFX and FSRRX.

Drawdown Indicators

	BALFX	FSRRX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-40.20%	-33.42%	-6.78%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.03%	-3.42%	-3.61%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-10.67%	-5.80%	-4.87%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-18.81%	-12.78%	-6.03%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-22.34%	-19.93%	-2.41%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.71%	-1.01%	-0.70%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.14%	-4.20%	+0.06%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.65%	0.95%	+0.70%

Volatility

BALFX vs. FSRRX - Volatility Comparison

American Funds American Balanced Fund Class F-1 (BALFX) has a higher volatility of 2.33% compared to Fidelity Strategic Real Return Fund (FSRRX) at 1.25%. This indicates that BALFX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FSRRX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BALFX	FSRRX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.33%	1.25%	+1.08%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.38%	3.77%	+3.61%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	9.42%	4.90%	+4.52%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	10.59%	6.87%	+3.72%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	10.69%	6.72%	+3.97%

BALFX vs. FSRRX - Expense Ratio Comparison

BALFX has a 0.61% expense ratio, which is lower than FSRRX's 0.70% expense ratio.

Dividends

BALFX vs. FSRRX - Dividend Comparison

BALFX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.15%, more than FSRRX's 4.58% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BALFX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class F-1	7.15%	8.22%	7.14%	2.02%	2.24%	4.24%	4.31%	3.44%	5.30%	4.66%	4.18%	5.54%
FSRRX Fidelity Strategic Real Return Fund	4.58%	4.68%	4.82%	5.29%	7.31%	5.35%	2.25%	3.05%	9.39%	1.57%	2.34%	1.75%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BALFX and FSRRX in my portfolio?

BALFX and FSRRX have a correlation of 0.37, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, BALFX or FSRRX?

BALFX has higher volatility (2.33%) compared to FSRRX (1.25%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BALFX dropped -40.20% vs FSRRX's -33.42%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

FSRRX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.92 vs 1.82), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.