GFACX vs. VTSAX
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds The Growth Fund of America Fund Class C (GFACX) and Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTSAX).
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. VTSAX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Nov 13, 2000.
Performance
GFACX vs. VTSAX - Performance Comparison
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GFACX vs. VTSAX - 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% |
VTSAX Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Shares | -6.75% | 17.12% | 23.23% | 26.51% | -19.52% | 25.72% | 20.98% | 30.79% | -5.18% | 21.16% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GFACX achieves a -11.38% return, which is significantly lower than VTSAX's -6.75% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with GFACX having a 13.05% annualized return and VTSAX not far ahead at 13.27%.
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%
VTSAX
- 1D
- -0.46%
- 1M
- -7.71%
- YTD
- -6.75%
- 6M
- -4.47%
- 1Y
- 14.76%
- 3Y*
- 16.69%
- 5Y*
- 10.11%
- 10Y*
- 13.27%
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GFACX vs. VTSAX - Expense Ratio Comparison
GFACX has a 1.35% expense ratio, which is higher than VTSAX's 0.04% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
GFACX vs. VTSAX — Risk / Return Rank
GFACX
VTSAX
GFACX vs. VTSAX - 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 Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTSAX). 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 | VTSAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.60 | 0.84 | -0.23 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.01 | 1.29 | -0.29 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.14 | 1.20 | -0.05 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.69 | 1.05 | -0.36 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.66 | 5.08 | -2.43 |
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 | VTSAX | 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 | 0.59 | -0.20 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.67 | 0.72 | -0.06 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.47 | 0.43 | +0.03 |
Correlation
The correlation between GFACX and VTSAX is 0.96, 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. VTSAX - Dividend Comparison
GFACX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 14.02%, more than VTSAX's 1.20% 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% |
VTSAX Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Shares | 1.20% | 1.11% | 1.26% | 1.42% | 1.65% | 1.20% | 1.41% | 1.76% | 2.03% | 1.71% | 1.92% | 1.98% |
Drawdowns
GFACX vs. VTSAX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GFACX drawdown since its inception was -52.39%, smaller than the maximum VTSAX drawdown of -55.33%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GFACX and VTSAX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GFACX | VTSAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -52.39% | -55.33% | +2.94% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.90% | -12.41% | -1.49% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -36.81% | -25.36% | -11.45% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -36.81% | -34.97% | -1.84% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -13.90% | -8.92% | -4.98% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.20% | -9.06% | -0.14% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.61% | 2.56% | +1.05% |
Volatility
GFACX vs. VTSAX - Volatility Comparison
American Funds The Growth Fund of America Fund Class C (GFACX) has a higher volatility of 5.47% compared to Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTSAX) at 4.39%. This indicates that GFACX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VTSAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| GFACX | VTSAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.47% | 4.39% | +1.08% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.61% | 9.33% | +2.28% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.77% | 18.42% | +2.35% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.17% | 17.32% | +2.85% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.61% | 18.37% | +1.24% |