NAMAX vs. CBALX

Last updated Aug 4, 2026

NAMAX (Columbia Select Mid Cap Value Fund) and CBALX (Columbia Balanced Fund) are both mutual funds - NAMAX is a Mid Cap Value Equities fund managed by Columbia, while CBALX is a Diversified Portfolio fund managed by Columbia. Over the past 10 years, NAMAX returned 11.52%/yr vs 9.79%/yr for CBALX. Their correlation of 0.87 means they have usually moved in the same direction. NAMAX charges 0.88%/yr vs 0.67%/yr for CBALX.

Performance

NAMAX vs. CBALX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Columbia Select Mid Cap Value Fund (NAMAX) and Columbia Balanced Fund (CBALX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NAMAX achieves a 25.23% return, which is significantly higher than CBALX's 6.03% return. Over the past 10 years, NAMAX has outperformed CBALX with an annualized return of 11.52%, while CBALX has yielded a comparatively lower 9.79% annualized return.

NAMAX

• 1D: -0.22%
• 1M: 1.24%
• 6M: 18.51%
• YTD: 25.23%
• 1Y: 37.43%
• 3Y*: 18.16%
• 5Y*: 12.32%
• 10Y*: 11.52%
• ALL TIME*: 10.09%

CBALX

• 1D: 0.47%
• 1M: -0.07%
• 6M: 5.34%
• YTD: 6.03%
• 1Y: 12.67%
• 3Y*: 13.61%
• 5Y*: 7.65%
• 10Y*: 9.79%
• ALL TIME*: 8.21%

*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)
CBALX Columbia Balanced Fund	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
NAMAX Columbia Select Mid Cap Value Fund	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

NAMAX vs. CBALX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
NAMAX Columbia Select Mid Cap Value Fund	25.23%	13.77%	13.14%	9.65%	-9.33%	32.28%	6.90%	31.56%	-18.46%	13.71%
CBALX Columbia Balanced Fund	6.03%	14.14%	14.60%	21.49%	-16.63%	14.92%	17.91%	23.05%	-5.75%	14.29%

Correlation

The correlation between NAMAX and CBALX is 0.64, 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.	0.64
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.71
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.78
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.78
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 20, 2001	0.87

Over the past year, the correlation between NAMAX and CBALX has dropped to 0.64 - well below their long-term average of 0.87, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

NAMAX vs. CBALX — Risk / Return Rank

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

NAMAX

NAMAX Risk / Return Rank: 92
NAMAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 94
NAMAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 92
NAMAX Omega Ratio Rank: 86
NAMAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 94
NAMAX Martin Ratio Rank: 95

CBALX

CBALX Risk / Return Rank: 42
CBALX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 41
CBALX Sortino Ratio Rank: 39
CBALX Omega Ratio Rank: 39
CBALX Calmar Ratio Rank: 41
CBALX Martin Ratio Rank: 48

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.

NAMAX vs. CBALX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Columbia Select Mid Cap Value Fund (NAMAX) and Columbia Balanced Fund (CBALX). 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.

	NAMAX	CBALX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.51	1.31	+1.21
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.55	1.86	+1.69
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.44	1.23	+0.20
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.19	1.79	+2.40
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	16.66	7.19	+9.48

NAMAX vs. CBALX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NAMAX Sharpe Ratio is 2.51, which is higher than the CBALX Sharpe Ratio of 1.31. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NAMAX and CBALX, 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

NAMAX vs. CBALX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NAMAX drawdown since its inception was -60.44%, which is greater than CBALX's maximum drawdown of -34.53%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NAMAX and CBALX.

Drawdown Indicators

	NAMAX	CBALX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-60.44%	-34.53%	-25.91%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.49%	-6.63%	-1.86%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-20.90%	-12.06%	-8.84%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-20.90%	-20.91%	+0.01%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-43.24%	-22.73%	-20.51%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.43%	-0.93%	-0.50%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.45%	-5.29%	-3.16%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.13%	1.65%	+0.48%

Volatility

NAMAX vs. CBALX - Volatility Comparison

Columbia Select Mid Cap Value Fund (NAMAX) has a higher volatility of 2.89% compared to Columbia Balanced Fund (CBALX) at 2.70%. This indicates that NAMAX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than CBALX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NAMAX	CBALX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.89%	2.70%	+0.19%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.76%	7.32%	+3.44%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.16%	9.08%	+5.08%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.96%	11.20%	+6.76%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	20.00%	11.37%	+8.63%

NAMAX vs. CBALX - Expense Ratio Comparison

NAMAX has a 0.88% expense ratio, which is higher than CBALX's 0.67% expense ratio.

Dividends

NAMAX vs. CBALX - Dividend Comparison

NAMAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.95%, less than CBALX's 6.19% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CBALX Columbia Balanced Fund	6.19%	6.42%	7.83%	1.84%	5.36%	9.26%	5.31%	4.16%	5.82%	2.79%	1.60%	4.05%
NAMAX Columbia Select Mid Cap Value Fund	5.95%	6.71%	7.07%	0.74%	6.39%	8.99%	3.22%	3.38%	27.38%	21.08%	8.07%	17.05%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NAMAX and CBALX in my portfolio?

NAMAX and CBALX have a correlation of 0.64, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, NAMAX or CBALX?

NAMAX has higher volatility (2.89%) compared to CBALX (2.70%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NAMAX dropped -60.44% vs CBALX's -34.53%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

NAMAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.51 vs 1.31), 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.