CSTAX vs. ANCFX
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds College 2027 Fund (CSTAX) and American Funds Fundamental Investors Class A (ANCFX).
CSTAX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Sep 13, 2012. ANCFX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Jan 8, 1978.
Performance
CSTAX vs. ANCFX - Performance Comparison
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CSTAX vs. ANCFX - 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% |
ANCFX American Funds Fundamental Investors Class A | -6.13% | 24.21% | 22.73% | 25.86% | -16.66% | 22.43% | 14.92% | 27.07% | -8.13% | 22.80% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CSTAX achieves a -0.65% return, which is significantly higher than ANCFX's -6.13% return. Over the past 10 years, CSTAX has underperformed ANCFX with an annualized return of 4.97%, while ANCFX has yielded a comparatively higher 12.92% 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%
ANCFX
- 1D
- -0.62%
- 1M
- -9.88%
- YTD
- -6.13%
- 6M
- -2.09%
- 1Y
- 20.46%
- 3Y*
- 19.35%
- 5Y*
- 11.57%
- 10Y*
- 12.92%
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CSTAX vs. ANCFX - Expense Ratio Comparison
CSTAX has a 0.41% expense ratio, which is lower than ANCFX's 0.59% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
CSTAX vs. ANCFX — Risk / Return Rank
CSTAX
ANCFX
CSTAX vs. ANCFX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds College 2027 Fund (CSTAX) and American Funds Fundamental Investors Class A (ANCFX). 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 | ANCFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.73 | 1.16 | +0.57 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.47 | 1.75 | +0.72 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.35 | 1.25 | +0.11 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.23 | 1.61 | +0.62 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.16 | 7.19 | +1.97 |
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 | ANCFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.73 | 1.16 | +0.57 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.57 | 0.70 | -0.13 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.86 | 0.73 | +0.12 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.86 | 0.61 | +0.25 |
Correlation
The correlation between CSTAX and ANCFX is 0.79, 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. ANCFX - Dividend Comparison
CSTAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.30%, less than ANCFX's 9.11% 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% |
ANCFX American Funds Fundamental Investors Class A | 9.11% | 8.54% | 8.90% | 5.80% | 4.98% | 10.97% | 2.61% | 6.91% | 9.31% | 7.28% | 4.71% | 6.08% |
Drawdowns
CSTAX vs. ANCFX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CSTAX drawdown since its inception was -14.52%, smaller than the maximum ANCFX drawdown of -53.29%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CSTAX and ANCFX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CSTAX | ANCFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -14.52% | -53.29% | +38.77% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.72% | -11.35% | +8.63% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -14.52% | -25.07% | +10.55% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -14.52% | -33.93% | +19.41% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.48% | -10.66% | +8.18% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.37% | -7.34% | +4.97% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.66% | 2.54% | -1.88% |
Volatility
CSTAX vs. ANCFX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for American Funds College 2027 Fund (CSTAX) is 1.32%, while American Funds Fundamental Investors Class A (ANCFX) has a volatility of 4.98%. This indicates that CSTAX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ANCFX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CSTAX | ANCFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.32% | 4.98% | -3.66% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.05% | 10.64% | -8.59% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.47% | 17.94% | -14.47% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.16% | 16.67% | -11.51% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.82% | 17.65% | -11.83% |