GFACX vs. VFIAX
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds The Growth Fund of America Fund Class C (GFACX) and Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFIAX).
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. VFIAX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Nov 13, 2000.
Performance
GFACX vs. VFIAX - Performance Comparison
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GFACX vs. VFIAX - 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% |
VFIAX Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares | -7.06% | 17.83% | 24.97% | 26.24% | -18.16% | 28.65% | 18.32% | 31.46% | -4.45% | 21.78% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GFACX achieves a -11.38% return, which is significantly lower than VFIAX's -7.06% return. Over the past 10 years, GFACX has underperformed VFIAX with an annualized return of 13.05%, while VFIAX has yielded a comparatively higher 13.71% 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%
VFIAX
- 1D
- -0.39%
- 1M
- -7.69%
- YTD
- -7.06%
- 6M
- -4.61%
- 1Y
- 14.41%
- 3Y*
- 17.14%
- 5Y*
- 11.37%
- 10Y*
- 13.71%
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GFACX vs. VFIAX - Expense Ratio Comparison
GFACX has a 1.35% expense ratio, which is higher than VFIAX's 0.04% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
GFACX vs. VFIAX — Risk / Return Rank
GFACX
VFIAX
GFACX vs. VFIAX - 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 Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFIAX). 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 | VFIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.60 | 0.84 | -0.23 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.01 | 1.30 | -0.29 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.14 | 1.20 | -0.05 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.69 | 1.06 | -0.37 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.66 | 5.13 | -2.47 |
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 | VFIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.60 | 0.84 | -0.23 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.38 | 0.68 | -0.29 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.67 | 0.76 | -0.09 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.47 | 0.43 | +0.04 |
Correlation
The correlation between GFACX and VFIAX is 0.95, 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. VFIAX - Dividend Comparison
GFACX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 14.02%, more than VFIAX's 1.22% 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% |
VFIAX Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares | 1.22% | 1.12% | 1.24% | 1.45% | 1.68% | 1.24% | 1.53% | 1.87% | 2.05% | 1.78% | 2.02% | 2.10% |
Drawdowns
GFACX vs. VFIAX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GFACX drawdown since its inception was -52.39%, smaller than the maximum VFIAX drawdown of -55.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GFACX and VFIAX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GFACX | VFIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -52.39% | -55.20% | +2.81% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.90% | -12.12% | -1.78% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -36.81% | -24.53% | -12.28% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -36.81% | -33.83% | -2.98% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -13.90% | -8.90% | -5.00% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.20% | -9.46% | +0.26% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.61% | 2.49% | +1.12% |
Volatility
GFACX vs. VFIAX - Volatility Comparison
American Funds The Growth Fund of America Fund Class C (GFACX) has a higher volatility of 5.47% compared to Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFIAX) at 4.24%. This indicates that GFACX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VFIAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| GFACX | VFIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.47% | 4.24% | +1.23% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.61% | 9.08% | +2.53% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.77% | 18.13% | +2.64% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.17% | 16.86% | +3.31% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.61% | 18.03% | +1.58% |