GFACX vs. AWSHX
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds The Growth Fund of America Fund Class C (GFACX) and American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A (AWSHX).
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. AWSHX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Jul 31, 1952.
Performance
GFACX vs. AWSHX - Performance Comparison
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GFACX vs. AWSHX - 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% |
AWSHX American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A | -5.27% | 17.20% | 19.02% | 17.21% | -8.45% | 28.44% | 7.69% | 24.86% | -6.16% | 20.03% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GFACX achieves a -11.38% return, which is significantly lower than AWSHX's -5.27% return. Over the past 10 years, GFACX has outperformed AWSHX with an annualized return of 13.05%, while AWSHX has yielded a comparatively lower 11.82% 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%
AWSHX
- 1D
- -0.03%
- 1M
- -7.89%
- YTD
- -5.27%
- 6M
- -3.14%
- 1Y
- 10.70%
- 3Y*
- 15.28%
- 5Y*
- 10.91%
- 10Y*
- 11.82%
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GFACX vs. AWSHX - Expense Ratio Comparison
GFACX has a 1.35% expense ratio, which is higher than AWSHX's 0.58% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
GFACX vs. AWSHX — Risk / Return Rank
GFACX
AWSHX
GFACX vs. AWSHX - 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 Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A (AWSHX). 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 | AWSHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.60 | 0.76 | -0.16 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.01 | 1.19 | -0.18 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.14 | 1.17 | -0.03 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.69 | 0.96 | -0.27 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.66 | 4.37 | -1.71 |
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 | AWSHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.60 | 0.76 | -0.16 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.38 | 0.78 | -0.39 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.67 | 0.73 | -0.06 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.47 | 0.62 | -0.15 |
Correlation
The correlation between GFACX and AWSHX is 0.89, 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. AWSHX - Dividend Comparison
GFACX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 14.02%, more than AWSHX's 10.67% 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% |
AWSHX American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A | 10.67% | 10.08% | 10.06% | 6.14% | 6.31% | 6.05% | 3.06% | 6.19% | 4.36% | 7.26% | 6.37% | 6.25% |
Drawdowns
GFACX vs. AWSHX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GFACX drawdown since its inception was -52.39%, roughly equal to the maximum AWSHX drawdown of -53.95%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GFACX and AWSHX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GFACX | AWSHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -52.39% | -53.95% | +1.56% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.90% | -10.37% | -3.53% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -36.81% | -18.64% | -18.17% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -36.81% | -34.65% | -2.16% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -13.90% | -8.37% | -5.53% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.20% | -6.43% | -2.77% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.61% | 2.29% | +1.32% |
Volatility
GFACX vs. AWSHX - Volatility Comparison
American Funds The Growth Fund of America Fund Class C (GFACX) has a higher volatility of 5.47% compared to American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A (AWSHX) at 3.58%. This indicates that GFACX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than AWSHX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| GFACX | AWSHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.47% | 3.58% | +1.89% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.61% | 7.98% | +3.63% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.77% | 15.18% | +5.59% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.17% | 14.09% | +6.08% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.61% | 16.31% | +3.30% |