CAIBX vs. FEX

Last updated Aug 4, 2026

CAIBX (American Funds Capital Income Builder Class A) and FEX (First Trust Large Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund) are both funds - CAIBX is a Diversified Portfolio fund actively managed by American Funds, while FEX is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Nasdaq AlphaDEX Large Cap Core Index. CAIBX is actively managed, while FEX is passively managed. Over the past 10 years, CAIBX returned 7.96%/yr vs 12.82%/yr for FEX. Their correlation of 0.82 means they have usually moved in the same direction. CAIBX charges 0.58%/yr vs 0.57%/yr for FEX.

Performance

CAIBX vs. FEX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in American Funds Capital Income Builder Class A (CAIBX) and First Trust Large Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund (FEX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CAIBX achieves a 10.47% return, which is significantly lower than FEX's 16.59% return. Over the past 10 years, CAIBX has underperformed FEX with an annualized return of 7.96%, while FEX has yielded a comparatively higher 12.82% annualized return.

CAIBX

• 1D: 0.08%
• 1M: 1.68%
• 6M: 6.74%
• YTD: 10.47%
• 1Y: 18.93%
• 3Y*: 14.96%
• 5Y*: 9.17%
• 10Y*: 7.96%
• ALL TIME*: 9.80%

FEX

• 1D: 1.03%
• 1M: 0.43%
• 6M: 11.73%
• YTD: 16.59%
• 1Y: 26.18%
• 3Y*: 18.57%
• 5Y*: 10.92%
• 10Y*: 12.82%
• ALL TIME*: 9.64%

*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)
CAIBX American Funds Capital Income Builder Class A	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
FEX First Trust Large Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund	$3.97M	$3.32M	$3.45M

CAIBX vs. FEX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
CAIBX American Funds Capital Income Builder Class A	10.47%	20.39%	10.24%	8.95%	-7.14%	14.99%	3.20%	17.23%	-7.28%	13.99%
FEX First Trust Large Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund	16.59%	15.05%	17.07%	14.31%	-11.86%	26.83%	14.28%	26.93%	-9.89%	21.41%

Correlation

The correlation between CAIBX and FEX is 0.76, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.76
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.82
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.86
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.84
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 10, 2007	0.82

The correlation between CAIBX and FEX shifts across timeframes, from 0.76 (1 year) to 0.86 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

CAIBX vs. FEX — Risk / Return Rank

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

CAIBX

CAIBX Risk / Return Rank: 87
CAIBX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 90
CAIBX Sortino Ratio Rank: 88
CAIBX Omega Ratio Rank: 86
CAIBX Calmar Ratio Rank: 83
CAIBX Martin Ratio Rank: 87

FEX

FEX Risk / Return Rank: 84
FEX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 81
FEX Sortino Ratio Rank: 80
FEX Omega Ratio Rank: 78
FEX Calmar Ratio Rank: 91
FEX Martin Ratio Rank: 88

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.

CAIBX vs. FEX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds Capital Income Builder Class A (CAIBX) and First Trust Large Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund (FEX). 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.

	CAIBX	FEX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.30	1.98	+0.31
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.29	2.77	+0.52
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.43	1.35	+0.09
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.89	4.22	-1.33
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	11.56	14.07	-2.51

CAIBX vs. FEX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CAIBX Sharpe Ratio is 2.30, which is comparable to the FEX Sharpe Ratio of 1.98. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CAIBX and FEX, 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

CAIBX vs. FEX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CAIBX drawdown since its inception was -43.68%, smaller than the maximum FEX drawdown of -58.81%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CAIBX and FEX.

Drawdown Indicators

	CAIBX	FEX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-43.68%	-58.81%	+15.13%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.47%	-6.23%	-0.24%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-8.89%	-19.58%	+10.69%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-17.65%	-21.27%	+3.62%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-25.28%	-39.51%	+14.23%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-1.56%	+1.56%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.79%	-7.83%	+4.04%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.62%	1.87%	-0.25%

Volatility

CAIBX vs. FEX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for American Funds Capital Income Builder Class A (CAIBX) is 1.94%, while First Trust Large Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund (FEX) has a volatility of 2.89%. This indicates that CAIBX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than FEX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CAIBX	FEX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.94%	2.89%	-0.95%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	6.56%	10.07%	-3.51%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	8.19%	13.28%	-5.09%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	9.97%	16.56%	-6.59%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	10.77%	18.57%	-7.80%

CAIBX vs. FEX - Expense Ratio Comparison

CAIBX has a 0.58% expense ratio, which is higher than FEX's 0.57% expense ratio.

Dividends

CAIBX vs. FEX - Dividend Comparison

CAIBX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.10%, more than FEX's 0.94% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CAIBX American Funds Capital Income Builder Class A	7.10%	7.71%	5.76%	3.47%	3.43%	3.14%	3.38%	4.10%	3.55%	4.44%	3.52%	3.62%
FEX First Trust Large Cap Core AlphaDEX Fund	0.94%	1.10%	1.18%	1.38%	1.61%	0.80%	1.21%	1.32%	1.34%	1.07%	1.29%	1.33%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both CAIBX and FEX in my portfolio?

CAIBX and FEX have a correlation of 0.76, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, CAIBX or FEX?

FEX has higher volatility (2.89%) compared to CAIBX (1.94%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CAIBX dropped -43.68% vs FEX's -58.81%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

CAIBX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.30 vs 1.98), 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.