MFEGX vs. AWSHX

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

MFEGX (MFS Growth Fund Class A) and AWSHX (American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A) are both mutual funds - MFEGX is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Russell 1000® Growth Index, while AWSHX is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund actively managed by American Funds. MFEGX is passively managed, while AWSHX is actively managed. Over the past 10 years, MFEGX returned 16.90%/yr vs 12.84%/yr for AWSHX. Their 0.76 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. MFEGX charges 0.83%/yr vs 0.58%/yr for AWSHX.

Performance

MFEGX vs. AWSHX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in MFS Growth Fund Class A (MFEGX) and American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A (AWSHX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, MFEGX achieves a 0.56% return, which is significantly lower than AWSHX's 9.02% return. Over the past 10 years, MFEGX has outperformed AWSHX with an annualized return of 16.90%, while AWSHX has yielded a comparatively lower 12.84% annualized return.

MFEGX

• 1D: 2.48%
• 1M: -1.80%
• 6M: 1.63%
• YTD: 0.56%
• 1Y: 3.83%
• 3Y*: 22.23%
• 5Y*: 10.92%
• 10Y*: 16.90%
• ALL TIME*: 10.87%

AWSHX

• 1D: 0.59%
• 1M: 1.03%
• 6M: 7.13%
• YTD: 9.02%
• 1Y: 17.38%
• 3Y*: 17.11%
• 5Y*: 12.39%
• 10Y*: 12.84%
• ALL TIME*: 10.17%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
AWSHX American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
MFEGX MFS Growth Fund Class A	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

MFEGX vs. AWSHX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
MFEGX MFS Growth Fund Class A	0.56%	12.06%	51.46%	35.81%	-31.31%	23.28%	36.29%	37.35%	2.04%	30.52%
AWSHX American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A	9.02%	17.20%	19.02%	17.21%	-8.45%	28.44%	7.69%	24.86%	-6.16%	20.03%

Correlation

The correlation between MFEGX and AWSHX is 0.69, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.69
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.75
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.80
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.78
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 13, 1993	0.76

The correlation between MFEGX and AWSHX shifts across timeframes, from 0.69 (1 year) to 0.80 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

MFEGX vs. AWSHX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

MFEGX

MFEGX Risk / Return Rank: 6
MFEGX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 6
MFEGX Sortino Ratio Rank: 6
MFEGX Omega Ratio Rank: 6
MFEGX Calmar Ratio Rank: 6
MFEGX Martin Ratio Rank: 6

AWSHX

AWSHX Risk / Return Rank: 60
AWSHX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 63
AWSHX Sortino Ratio Rank: 62
AWSHX Omega Ratio Rank: 60
AWSHX Calmar Ratio Rank: 52
AWSHX Martin Ratio Rank: 65

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

MFEGX vs. AWSHX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for MFS Growth Fund Class A (MFEGX) 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	MFEGX	AWSHX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.12	1.46	-1.34
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.29	2.09	-1.80
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.03	1.26	-0.23
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.12	1.83	-1.71
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	0.38	7.93	-7.55

MFEGX vs. AWSHX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current MFEGX Sharpe Ratio is 0.12, which is lower than the AWSHX Sharpe Ratio of 1.46. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of MFEGX and AWSHX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

MFEGX vs. AWSHX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum MFEGX drawdown since its inception was -72.42%, which is greater than AWSHX's maximum drawdown of -53.95%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MFEGX and AWSHX.

Drawdown Indicators

	MFEGX	AWSHX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-72.42%	-53.95%	-18.47%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-17.39%	-8.37%	-9.02%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-23.28%	-14.66%	-8.62%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-36.27%	-18.64%	-17.63%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-36.27%	-34.65%	-1.62%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.62%	-0.51%	-5.11%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-22.14%	-6.39%	-15.75%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.60%	1.93%	+3.67%

Volatility

MFEGX vs. AWSHX - Volatility Comparison

MFS Growth Fund Class A (MFEGX) has a higher volatility of 5.28% compared to American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A (AWSHX) at 2.39%. This indicates that MFEGX'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.

Volatility by Period

	MFEGX	AWSHX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.28%	2.39%	+2.89%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.10%	7.81%	+6.29%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.53%	10.52%	+7.01%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	22.36%	14.06%	+8.30%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.46%	16.28%	+5.18%

MFEGX vs. AWSHX - Expense Ratio Comparison

MFEGX has a 0.83% expense ratio, which is higher than AWSHX's 0.58% expense ratio.

Dividends

MFEGX vs. AWSHX - Dividend Comparison

MFEGX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 14.44%, more than AWSHX's 9.49% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
AWSHX American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class A	9.49%	10.08%	10.06%	6.14%	6.31%	6.05%	3.06%	6.19%	4.36%	7.26%	6.37%	6.25%
MFEGX MFS Growth Fund Class A	14.44%	16.88%	28.04%	5.30%	1.14%	2.98%	7.45%	1.68%	3.96%	2.65%	1.68%	3.84%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both MFEGX and AWSHX in my portfolio?

MFEGX and AWSHX have a correlation of 0.69, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, MFEGX or AWSHX?

MFEGX has higher volatility (5.28%) compared to AWSHX (2.39%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MFEGX dropped -72.42% vs AWSHX's -53.95%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

AWSHX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.46 vs 0.12), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.