CSTAX vs. VWELX
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds College 2027 Fund (CSTAX) and Vanguard Wellington Fund Investor Shares (VWELX).
CSTAX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Sep 13, 2012. VWELX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Jul 1, 1929.
Performance
CSTAX vs. VWELX - Performance Comparison
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CSTAX vs. VWELX - 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% |
VWELX Vanguard Wellington Fund Investor Shares | -5.26% | 16.54% | 14.73% | 14.29% | -14.36% | 18.99% | 10.57% | 22.51% | -3.43% | 13.98% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CSTAX achieves a -0.65% return, which is significantly higher than VWELX's -5.26% return. Over the past 10 years, CSTAX has underperformed VWELX with an annualized return of 4.97%, while VWELX has yielded a comparatively higher 9.10% 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%
VWELX
- 1D
- -0.02%
- 1M
- -5.91%
- YTD
- -5.26%
- 6M
- -2.21%
- 1Y
- 12.29%
- 3Y*
- 11.90%
- 5Y*
- 7.34%
- 10Y*
- 9.10%
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CSTAX vs. VWELX - Expense Ratio Comparison
CSTAX has a 0.41% expense ratio, which is higher than VWELX's 0.24% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
CSTAX vs. VWELX — Risk / Return Rank
CSTAX
VWELX
CSTAX vs. VWELX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds College 2027 Fund (CSTAX) and Vanguard Wellington Fund Investor Shares (VWELX). 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 | VWELX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.73 | 1.10 | +0.63 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.47 | 1.61 | +0.86 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.35 | 1.24 | +0.11 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.23 | 1.45 | +0.78 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.16 | 6.63 | +2.53 |
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 | VWELX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.73 | 1.10 | +0.63 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.57 | 0.67 | -0.10 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.86 | 0.80 | +0.06 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.86 | 0.82 | +0.04 |
Correlation
The correlation between CSTAX and VWELX is 0.84, 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. VWELX - Dividend Comparison
CSTAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.30%, less than VWELX's 12.16% 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% |
VWELX Vanguard Wellington Fund Investor Shares | 12.16% | 11.46% | 10.76% | 6.01% | 8.19% | 8.64% | 7.77% | 4.67% | 9.49% | 5.82% | 4.44% | 7.03% |
Drawdowns
CSTAX vs. VWELX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CSTAX drawdown since its inception was -14.52%, smaller than the maximum VWELX drawdown of -36.12%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CSTAX and VWELX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CSTAX | VWELX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -14.52% | -36.12% | +21.60% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.72% | -8.03% | +5.31% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -14.52% | -20.88% | +6.36% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -14.52% | -25.33% | +10.81% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.48% | -6.78% | +4.30% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.37% | -3.93% | +1.56% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.66% | 1.75% | -1.09% |
Volatility
CSTAX vs. VWELX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for American Funds College 2027 Fund (CSTAX) is 1.32%, while Vanguard Wellington Fund Investor Shares (VWELX) has a volatility of 3.37%. This indicates that CSTAX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VWELX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CSTAX | VWELX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.32% | 3.37% | -2.05% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.05% | 6.36% | -4.31% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.47% | 11.74% | -8.27% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.16% | 11.08% | -5.92% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.82% | 11.48% | -5.66% |