CSTAX vs. AMECX
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds College 2027 Fund (CSTAX) and American Funds The Income Fund of America Class A (AMECX).
CSTAX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Sep 13, 2012. AMECX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Dec 1, 1973.
Performance
CSTAX vs. AMECX - Performance Comparison
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CSTAX vs. AMECX - 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% |
AMECX American Funds The Income Fund of America Class A | 1.48% | 17.77% | 10.84% | 6.79% | -6.40% | 17.37% | 4.49% | 18.50% | -5.27% | 12.58% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CSTAX achieves a -0.65% return, which is significantly lower than AMECX's 1.48% return. Over the past 10 years, CSTAX has underperformed AMECX with an annualized return of 4.97%, while AMECX has yielded a comparatively higher 8.21% 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%
AMECX
- 1D
- 0.23%
- 1M
- -5.74%
- YTD
- 1.48%
- 6M
- 4.22%
- 1Y
- 14.19%
- 3Y*
- 11.95%
- 5Y*
- 7.95%
- 10Y*
- 8.21%
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CSTAX vs. AMECX - Expense Ratio Comparison
CSTAX has a 0.41% expense ratio, which is lower than AMECX's 0.56% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
CSTAX vs. AMECX — Risk / Return Rank
CSTAX
AMECX
CSTAX vs. AMECX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds College 2027 Fund (CSTAX) and American Funds The Income Fund of America Class A (AMECX). 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 | AMECX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.73 | 1.55 | +0.18 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.47 | 2.13 | +0.35 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.35 | 1.32 | +0.03 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.23 | 1.71 | +0.52 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.16 | 8.01 | +1.15 |
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 | AMECX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.73 | 1.55 | +0.18 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.57 | 0.85 | -0.28 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.86 | 0.77 | +0.09 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.86 | 0.72 | +0.14 |
Correlation
The correlation between CSTAX and AMECX is 0.85, 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. AMECX - Dividend Comparison
CSTAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.30%, less than AMECX's 9.86% 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% |
AMECX American Funds The Income Fund of America Class A | 9.86% | 9.94% | 6.38% | 2.93% | 6.98% | 6.67% | 2.80% | 5.01% | 7.48% | 4.26% | 3.09% | 5.09% |
Drawdowns
CSTAX vs. AMECX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CSTAX drawdown since its inception was -14.52%, smaller than the maximum AMECX drawdown of -41.92%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CSTAX and AMECX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CSTAX | AMECX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -14.52% | -41.92% | +27.40% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.72% | -8.19% | +5.47% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -14.52% | -15.78% | +1.26% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -14.52% | -26.13% | +11.61% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.48% | -5.74% | +3.26% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.37% | -4.46% | +2.09% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.66% | 1.74% | -1.08% |
Volatility
CSTAX vs. AMECX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for American Funds College 2027 Fund (CSTAX) is 1.32%, while American Funds The Income Fund of America Class A (AMECX) has a volatility of 2.94%. This indicates that CSTAX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than AMECX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CSTAX | AMECX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.32% | 2.94% | -1.62% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.05% | 5.49% | -3.44% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.47% | 9.48% | -6.01% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.16% | 9.44% | -4.28% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.82% | 10.66% | -4.84% |