GAFFX vs. ABALX
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds Growth Fund of Amer F3 (GAFFX) and American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX).
GAFFX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Aug 1, 2008. ABALX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Jul 26, 1975.
Performance
GAFFX vs. ABALX - Performance Comparison
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GAFFX vs. ABALX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GAFFX American Funds Growth Fund of Amer F3 | -11.16% | 20.09% | 28.41% | 37.68% | -30.54% | 19.67% | 38.31% | 28.57% | -2.89% | 20.76% |
ABALX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A | -2.86% | 18.45% | 14.63% | 13.65% | -12.13% | 15.75% | 10.85% | 18.60% | -3.35% | 12.78% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GAFFX achieves a -11.16% return, which is significantly lower than ABALX's -2.86% return.
GAFFX
- 1D
- -0.47%
- 1M
- -9.63%
- YTD
- -11.16%
- 6M
- -9.74%
- 1Y
- 13.93%
- 3Y*
- 19.23%
- 5Y*
- 8.86%
- 10Y*
- —
ABALX
- 1D
- -0.14%
- 1M
- -6.82%
- YTD
- -2.86%
- 6M
- 0.85%
- 1Y
- 15.33%
- 3Y*
- 13.40%
- 5Y*
- 8.00%
- 10Y*
- 8.98%
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GAFFX vs. ABALX - Expense Ratio Comparison
GAFFX has a 0.30% expense ratio, which is lower than ABALX's 0.56% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
GAFFX vs. ABALX — Risk / Return Rank
GAFFX
ABALX
GAFFX vs. ABALX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds Growth Fund of Amer F3 (GAFFX) and American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX). 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.
| GAFFX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.66 | 1.43 | -0.77 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.09 | 2.09 | -1.00 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.16 | 1.29 | -0.14 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.79 | 2.00 | -1.22 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.04 | 8.51 | -5.48 |
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
| GAFFX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.66 | 1.43 | -0.77 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.44 | 0.77 | -0.33 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.85 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.69 | 0.79 | -0.10 |
Correlation
The correlation between GAFFX and ABALX is 0.90, 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
GAFFX vs. ABALX - Dividend Comparison
GAFFX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 12.39%, more than ABALX's 8.54% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GAFFX American Funds Growth Fund of Amer F3 | 12.39% | 11.00% | 9.30% | 7.71% | 4.45% | 8.50% | 4.58% | 7.47% | 12.37% | 7.36% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
ABALX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A | 8.54% | 8.27% | 6.87% | 2.05% | 2.30% | 4.30% | 4.35% | 3.49% | 5.49% | 4.72% | 4.24% | 5.60% |
Drawdowns
GAFFX vs. ABALX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GAFFX drawdown since its inception was -36.19%, smaller than the maximum ABALX drawdown of -40.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GAFFX and ABALX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GAFFX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -36.19% | -40.20% | +4.01% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.71% | -7.33% | -6.38% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -36.19% | -18.76% | -17.43% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -22.34% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -13.71% | -7.03% | -6.68% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.51% | -3.86% | -3.65% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.55% | 1.73% | +1.82% |
Volatility
GAFFX vs. ABALX - Volatility Comparison
American Funds Growth Fund of Amer F3 (GAFFX) has a higher volatility of 5.47% compared to American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX) at 3.26%. This indicates that GAFFX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ABALX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| GAFFX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.47% | 3.26% | +2.21% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.61% | 6.74% | +4.87% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.76% | 11.11% | +9.65% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.17% | 10.42% | +9.75% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.19% | 10.61% | +9.58% |