MSFRX vs. AGTHX
MSFRX (MFS Total Return Fund) and AGTHX (American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A) are both mutual funds - MSFRX is a Diversified Portfolio fund managed by MFS, while AGTHX is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund actively managed by Capital Group. Over the past 10 years, MSFRX returned 8.05%/yr vs 15.03%/yr for AGTHX. Their 0.80 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. MSFRX charges 0.72%/yr vs 0.59%/yr for AGTHX.
Performance
MSFRX vs. AGTHX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MSFRX achieves a 6.34% return, which is significantly higher than AGTHX's 4.39% return. Over the past 10 years, MSFRX has underperformed AGTHX with an annualized return of 8.05%, while AGTHX has yielded a comparatively higher 15.03% annualized return.
MSFRX
- 1D
- -0.15%
- 1M
- 1.25%
- 6M
- 3.43%
- YTD
- 6.34%
- 1Y
- 12.42%
- 3Y*
- 11.88%
- 5Y*
- 6.84%
- 10Y*
- 8.05%
- ALL TIME*
- 6.81%
AGTHX
- 1D
- 1.92%
- 1M
- -3.25%
- 6M
- 3.77%
- YTD
- 4.39%
- 1Y
- 12.89%
- 3Y*
- 19.66%
- 5Y*
- 10.11%
- 10Y*
- 15.03%
- ALL TIME*
- 12.99%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
MSFRX vs. AGTHX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MSFRX MFS Total Return Fund | 6.34% | 10.98% | 14.73% | 10.34% | -9.70% | 14.00% | 9.72% | 20.20% | -5.80% | 12.18% |
AGTHX American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A | 4.39% | 19.73% | 28.02% | 37.22% | -30.75% | 19.32% | 37.83% | 28.16% | -3.15% | 26.14% |
Correlation
The correlation between MSFRX and AGTHX is 0.40, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.40 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.55 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.69 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.73 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 2, 1990 | 0.80 |
Over the past year, the correlation between MSFRX and AGTHX has dropped to 0.40 - well below their long-term average of 0.80, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
MSFRX vs. AGTHX — Risk / Return Rank
MSFRX
AGTHX
MSFRX vs. AGTHX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for MFS Total Return Fund (MSFRX) and American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A (AGTHX). 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.
| MSFRX | AGTHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.00 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.53 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.30 | 1.12 | +0.17 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.34 | 0.80 | +1.54 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.73 | 2.89 | +3.84 |
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Drawdowns
MSFRX vs. AGTHX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MSFRX drawdown since its inception was -37.28%, smaller than the maximum AGTHX drawdown of -51.91%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MSFRX and AGTHX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MSFRX | AGTHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -37.28% | -51.91% | +14.63% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -4.96% | -13.76% | +8.80% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -8.35% | -21.57% | +13.22% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.02% | -36.38% | +19.36% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -24.70% | -36.38% | +11.68% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.88% | -5.49% | +4.61% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.99% | -9.17% | +4.18% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.72% | 3.80% | -2.08% |
Volatility
MSFRX vs. AGTHX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for MFS Total Return Fund (MSFRX) is 2.54%, while American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A (AGTHX) has a volatility of 4.82%. This indicates that MSFRX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than AGTHX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MSFRX | AGTHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.54% | 4.82% | -2.28% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 5.30% | 13.65% | -8.35% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 7.06% | 16.90% | -9.84% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 9.78% | 20.52% | -10.74% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 10.45% | 19.76% | -9.31% |
MSFRX vs. AGTHX - Expense Ratio Comparison
MSFRX has a 0.72% expense ratio, which is higher than AGTHX's 0.59% expense ratio.
Dividends
MSFRX vs. AGTHX - Dividend Comparison
MSFRX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.33%, less than AGTHX's 10.24% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AGTHX American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A | 10.24% | 10.69% | 8.99% | 7.40% | 4.05% | 8.18% | 4.30% | 7.15% | 11.99% | 7.03% | 6.61% | 8.87% |
MSFRX MFS Total Return Fund | 8.33% | 8.93% | 14.87% | 6.19% | 5.38% | 8.33% | 6.93% | 3.22% | 4.99% | 5.67% | 3.54% | 5.55% |
Frequently Asked Questions
MSFRX and AGTHX have a correlation of 0.40, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
AGTHX has higher volatility (4.82%) compared to MSFRX (2.54%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MSFRX dropped -37.28% vs AGTHX's -51.91%.
MSFRX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.65 vs 0.65), 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.
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