DIFIX vs. CSTAX
Compare and contrast key facts about MFS Diversified Income Fund (DIFIX) and American Funds College 2027 Fund (CSTAX).
DIFIX is managed by MFS. It was launched on May 25, 2006. CSTAX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Sep 13, 2012.
Performance
DIFIX vs. CSTAX - Performance Comparison
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DIFIX vs. CSTAX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DIFIX MFS Diversified Income Fund | 0.06% | 9.73% | 4.60% | 8.84% | -13.55% | 9.26% | 2.17% | 17.69% | -3.41% | 8.94% |
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% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, DIFIX achieves a 0.06% return, which is significantly higher than CSTAX's -0.65% return. Over the past 10 years, DIFIX has underperformed CSTAX with an annualized return of 4.63%, while CSTAX has yielded a comparatively higher 4.97% annualized return.
DIFIX
- 1D
- 0.24%
- 1M
- -4.25%
- YTD
- 0.06%
- 6M
- 1.69%
- 1Y
- 7.44%
- 3Y*
- 6.73%
- 5Y*
- 3.07%
- 10Y*
- 4.63%
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%
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DIFIX vs. CSTAX - Expense Ratio Comparison
DIFIX has a 0.73% expense ratio, which is higher than CSTAX's 0.41% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
DIFIX vs. CSTAX — Risk / Return Rank
DIFIX
CSTAX
DIFIX vs. CSTAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for MFS Diversified Income Fund (DIFIX) and American Funds College 2027 Fund (CSTAX). 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.
| DIFIX | CSTAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.42 | 1.73 | -0.31 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.89 | 2.47 | -0.58 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.27 | 1.35 | -0.08 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.63 | 2.23 | -0.60 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.53 | 9.16 | -2.63 |
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
| DIFIX | CSTAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.42 | 1.73 | -0.31 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.45 | 0.57 | -0.11 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.62 | 0.86 | -0.24 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.63 | 0.86 | -0.23 |
Correlation
The correlation between DIFIX and CSTAX 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
DIFIX vs. CSTAX - Dividend Comparison
DIFIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.40%, more than CSTAX's 5.30% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DIFIX MFS Diversified Income Fund | 5.40% | 5.62% | 3.86% | 3.12% | 3.99% | 4.95% | 2.83% | 3.13% | 4.39% | 3.79% | 3.76% | 7.57% |
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% |
Drawdowns
DIFIX vs. CSTAX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum DIFIX drawdown since its inception was -35.04%, which is greater than CSTAX's maximum drawdown of -14.52%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DIFIX and CSTAX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| DIFIX | CSTAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -35.04% | -14.52% | -20.52% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -4.91% | -2.72% | -2.19% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -19.70% | -14.52% | -5.18% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -23.69% | -14.52% | -9.17% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.25% | -2.48% | -1.77% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.89% | -2.37% | -1.52% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.22% | 0.66% | +0.56% |
Volatility
DIFIX vs. CSTAX - Volatility Comparison
MFS Diversified Income Fund (DIFIX) has a higher volatility of 2.02% compared to American Funds College 2027 Fund (CSTAX) at 1.32%. This indicates that DIFIX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than CSTAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| DIFIX | CSTAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.02% | 1.32% | +0.70% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.36% | 2.05% | +1.31% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 5.73% | 3.47% | +2.26% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.79% | 5.16% | +1.63% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 7.49% | 5.82% | +1.67% |