CSTAX vs. AWSHX
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds College 2027 Fund (CSTAX) and American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A (AWSHX).
CSTAX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Sep 13, 2012. AWSHX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Jul 31, 1952.
Performance
CSTAX vs. AWSHX - Performance Comparison
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CSTAX vs. AWSHX - 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% |
AWSHX American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A | -5.27% | 17.20% | 19.02% | 17.21% | -8.45% | 28.44% | 7.69% | 24.86% | -6.16% | 20.03% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CSTAX achieves a -0.65% return, which is significantly higher than AWSHX's -5.27% return. Over the past 10 years, CSTAX has underperformed AWSHX with an annualized return of 4.97%, while AWSHX has yielded a comparatively higher 11.82% 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%
AWSHX
- 1D
- -0.03%
- 1M
- -7.89%
- YTD
- -5.27%
- 6M
- -3.14%
- 1Y
- 10.70%
- 3Y*
- 15.28%
- 5Y*
- 10.91%
- 10Y*
- 11.82%
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CSTAX vs. AWSHX - Expense Ratio Comparison
CSTAX has a 0.41% expense ratio, which is lower than AWSHX's 0.58% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
CSTAX vs. AWSHX — Risk / Return Rank
CSTAX
AWSHX
CSTAX vs. AWSHX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds College 2027 Fund (CSTAX) and American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A (AWSHX). 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 | AWSHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.73 | 0.76 | +0.97 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.47 | 1.19 | +1.28 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.35 | 1.17 | +0.18 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.23 | 0.96 | +1.26 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.16 | 4.37 | +4.79 |
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 | AWSHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.73 | 0.76 | +0.97 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.57 | 0.78 | -0.21 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.86 | 0.73 | +0.13 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.86 | 0.62 | +0.24 |
Correlation
The correlation between CSTAX and AWSHX is 0.80, 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. AWSHX - Dividend Comparison
CSTAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.30%, less than AWSHX's 10.67% 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% |
AWSHX American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A | 10.67% | 10.08% | 10.06% | 6.14% | 6.31% | 6.05% | 3.06% | 6.19% | 4.36% | 7.26% | 6.37% | 6.25% |
Drawdowns
CSTAX vs. AWSHX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CSTAX drawdown since its inception was -14.52%, smaller than the maximum AWSHX drawdown of -53.95%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CSTAX and AWSHX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CSTAX | AWSHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -14.52% | -53.95% | +39.43% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.72% | -10.37% | +7.65% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -14.52% | -18.64% | +4.12% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -14.52% | -34.65% | +20.13% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.48% | -8.37% | +5.89% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.37% | -6.43% | +4.06% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.66% | 2.29% | -1.63% |
Volatility
CSTAX vs. AWSHX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for American Funds College 2027 Fund (CSTAX) is 1.32%, while American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A (AWSHX) has a volatility of 3.58%. This indicates that CSTAX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than AWSHX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CSTAX | AWSHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.32% | 3.58% | -2.26% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.05% | 7.98% | -5.93% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.47% | 15.18% | -11.71% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.16% | 14.09% | -8.93% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.82% | 16.31% | -10.49% |