GFACX vs. ABALX
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds The Growth Fund of America Fund Class C (GFACX) and American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX).
GFACX is a passively managed fund by American Funds that tracks the performance of the S&P 500. It was launched on Mar 15, 2001. ABALX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Jul 26, 1975.
Performance
GFACX vs. ABALX - Performance Comparison
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GFACX vs. ABALX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GFACX American Funds The Growth Fund of America Fund Class C | -11.38% | 18.80% | 27.01% | 36.20% | -31.28% | 18.41% | 36.84% | 27.20% | -3.93% | 25.13% |
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% | 14.69% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GFACX achieves a -11.38% return, which is significantly lower than ABALX's -2.86% return. Over the past 10 years, GFACX has outperformed ABALX with an annualized return of 13.05%, while ABALX has yielded a comparatively lower 8.98% annualized return.
GFACX
- 1D
- -0.48%
- 1M
- -9.70%
- YTD
- -11.38%
- 6M
- -10.24%
- 1Y
- 12.70%
- 3Y*
- 17.95%
- 5Y*
- 7.70%
- 10Y*
- 13.05%
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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GFACX vs. ABALX - Expense Ratio Comparison
GFACX has a 1.35% expense ratio, which is higher than ABALX's 0.56% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
GFACX vs. ABALX — Risk / Return Rank
GFACX
ABALX
GFACX vs. ABALX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds The Growth Fund of America Fund Class C (GFACX) 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.
| GFACX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.60 | 1.43 | -0.83 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.01 | 2.09 | -1.08 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.14 | 1.29 | -0.15 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.69 | 2.00 | -1.31 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.66 | 8.51 | -5.86 |
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
| GFACX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.60 | 1.43 | -0.83 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.38 | 0.77 | -0.39 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.67 | 0.85 | -0.18 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.47 | 0.79 | -0.32 |
Correlation
The correlation between GFACX and ABALX is 0.92, 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
GFACX vs. ABALX - Dividend Comparison
GFACX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 14.02%, more than ABALX's 8.54% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GFACX American Funds The Growth Fund of America Fund Class C | 14.02% | 12.43% | 10.01% | 7.82% | 4.22% | 9.11% | 4.48% | 7.03% | 12.28% | 7.04% | 6.43% | 8.73% |
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
GFACX vs. ABALX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GFACX drawdown since its inception was -52.39%, which is greater than ABALX's maximum drawdown of -40.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GFACX and ABALX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GFACX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -52.39% | -40.20% | -12.19% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.90% | -7.33% | -6.57% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -36.81% | -18.76% | -18.05% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -36.81% | -22.34% | -14.47% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -13.90% | -7.03% | -6.87% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.20% | -3.86% | -5.34% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.61% | 1.73% | +1.88% |
Volatility
GFACX vs. ABALX - Volatility Comparison
American Funds The Growth Fund of America Fund Class C (GFACX) has a higher volatility of 5.47% compared to American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX) at 3.26%. This indicates that GFACX'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
| GFACX | 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 | 20.77% | 11.11% | +9.66% |
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 | 19.61% | 10.61% | +9.00% |