CSTAX vs. ABALX
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds College 2027 Fund (CSTAX) and American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX).
CSTAX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Sep 13, 2012. ABALX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Jul 26, 1975.
Performance
CSTAX vs. ABALX - Performance Comparison
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CSTAX vs. ABALX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CSTAX American Funds College 2027 Fund | -0.65% | 9.00% | 5.57% | 6.57% | -9.87% | 6.52% | 7.66% | 13.35% | -2.23% | 11.77% |
ABALX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A | -2.86% | 18.45% | 14.63% | 13.65% | -12.13% | 15.75% | 10.85% | 18.60% | -3.35% | 14.69% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CSTAX achieves a -0.65% return, which is significantly higher than ABALX's -2.86% return. Over the past 10 years, CSTAX has underperformed ABALX with an annualized return of 4.97%, while ABALX has yielded a comparatively higher 8.98% annualized return.
CSTAX
- 1D
- 0.25%
- 1M
- -2.48%
- YTD
- -0.65%
- 6M
- 0.73%
- 1Y
- 5.79%
- 3Y*
- 5.94%
- 5Y*
- 2.92%
- 10Y*
- 4.97%
ABALX
- 1D
- -0.14%
- 1M
- -6.82%
- YTD
- -2.86%
- 6M
- 0.85%
- 1Y
- 15.33%
- 3Y*
- 13.40%
- 5Y*
- 8.00%
- 10Y*
- 8.98%
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CSTAX vs. ABALX - Expense Ratio Comparison
CSTAX has a 0.41% expense ratio, which is lower than ABALX's 0.56% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
CSTAX vs. ABALX — Risk / Return Rank
CSTAX
ABALX
CSTAX vs. ABALX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds College 2027 Fund (CSTAX) and American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX). 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.
| CSTAX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.73 | 1.43 | +0.30 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.47 | 2.09 | +0.38 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.35 | 1.29 | +0.06 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.23 | 2.00 | +0.22 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.16 | 8.51 | +0.65 |
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
| CSTAX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.73 | 1.43 | +0.30 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.57 | 0.77 | -0.20 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.86 | 0.85 | +0.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.86 | 0.79 | +0.07 |
Correlation
The correlation between CSTAX and ABALX is 0.86, 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
CSTAX vs. ABALX - Dividend Comparison
CSTAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.30%, less than ABALX's 8.54% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CSTAX American Funds College 2027 Fund | 5.30% | 5.26% | 3.78% | 3.17% | 3.40% | 7.52% | 5.72% | 4.00% | 4.78% | 3.90% | 4.34% | 4.49% |
ABALX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A | 8.54% | 8.27% | 6.87% | 2.05% | 2.30% | 4.30% | 4.35% | 3.49% | 5.49% | 4.72% | 4.24% | 5.60% |
Drawdowns
CSTAX vs. ABALX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CSTAX drawdown since its inception was -14.52%, smaller than the maximum ABALX drawdown of -40.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CSTAX and ABALX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CSTAX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -14.52% | -40.20% | +25.68% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.72% | -7.33% | +4.61% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -14.52% | -18.76% | +4.24% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -14.52% | -22.34% | +7.82% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.48% | -7.03% | +4.55% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.37% | -3.86% | +1.49% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.66% | 1.73% | -1.07% |
Volatility
CSTAX vs. ABALX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for American Funds College 2027 Fund (CSTAX) is 1.32%, while American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX) has a volatility of 3.26%. This indicates that CSTAX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ABALX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CSTAX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.32% | 3.26% | -1.94% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.05% | 6.74% | -4.69% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.47% | 11.11% | -7.64% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.16% | 10.42% | -5.26% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.82% | 10.61% | -4.79% |