GAFFX vs. SPY
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds Growth Fund of Amer F3 (GAFFX) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY).
GAFFX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Aug 1, 2008. SPY is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index. It was launched on Jan 22, 1993.
Performance
GAFFX vs. SPY - Performance Comparison
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GAFFX vs. SPY - 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% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | -4.37% | 17.72% | 24.89% | 26.18% | -18.18% | 28.73% | 18.33% | 31.22% | -4.57% | 19.52% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GAFFX achieves a -11.16% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's -4.37% return.
GAFFX
- 1D
- -0.47%
- 1M
- -9.63%
- YTD
- -11.16%
- 6M
- -9.74%
- 1Y
- 13.93%
- 3Y*
- 19.23%
- 5Y*
- 8.86%
- 10Y*
- —
SPY
- 1D
- 2.91%
- 1M
- -4.94%
- YTD
- -4.37%
- 6M
- -1.82%
- 1Y
- 17.59%
- 3Y*
- 18.19%
- 5Y*
- 11.69%
- 10Y*
- 13.98%
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GAFFX vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison
GAFFX has a 0.30% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
GAFFX vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank
GAFFX
SPY
GAFFX vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds Growth Fund of Amer F3 (GAFFX) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). 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 | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.66 | 0.93 | -0.26 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.09 | 1.45 | -0.36 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.16 | 1.22 | -0.07 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.79 | 1.53 | -0.74 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.04 | 7.30 | -4.26 |
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 | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.66 | 0.93 | -0.26 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.44 | 0.69 | -0.25 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.78 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.69 | 0.56 | +0.12 |
Correlation
The correlation between GAFFX and SPY is 0.94, 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. SPY - Dividend Comparison
GAFFX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 12.39%, more than SPY's 1.14% 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% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 1.14% | 1.07% | 1.21% | 1.40% | 1.65% | 1.20% | 1.52% | 1.75% | 2.04% | 1.80% | 2.03% | 2.06% |
Drawdowns
GAFFX vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GAFFX drawdown since its inception was -36.19%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GAFFX and SPY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GAFFX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -36.19% | -55.19% | +19.00% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.71% | -12.05% | -1.66% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -36.19% | -24.50% | -11.69% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -33.72% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -13.71% | -6.24% | -7.47% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.51% | -9.09% | +1.58% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.55% | 2.52% | +1.03% |
Volatility
GAFFX vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison
American Funds Growth Fund of Amer F3 (GAFFX) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) have volatilities of 5.47% and 5.31%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| GAFFX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.47% | 5.31% | +0.16% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.61% | 9.47% | +2.14% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.76% | 19.05% | +1.71% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.17% | 17.06% | +3.11% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.19% | 17.92% | +2.27% |