RIDAX vs. ABALX

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

RIDAX (The Income Fund of America Class R-1) and ABALX (American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A) are both mutual funds - RIDAX is a Large Cap Value Equities fund actively managed by American Funds, while ABALX is a Diversified Portfolio fund managed by American Funds. Over the past 10 years, RIDAX returned 7.61%/yr vs 10.10%/yr for ABALX. Their correlation of 0.92 suggests significant overlap in exposure. RIDAX charges 1.36%/yr vs 0.56%/yr for ABALX.

Performance

RIDAX vs. ABALX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in The Income Fund of America Class R-1 (RIDAX) and American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, RIDAX achieves a 5.64% return, which is significantly lower than ABALX's 9.71% return. Over the past 10 years, RIDAX has underperformed ABALX with an annualized return of 7.61%, while ABALX has yielded a comparatively higher 10.10% annualized return.

RIDAX

• 1D: -0.51%
• 1M: 0.18%
• YTD: 5.64%
• 6M: 7.19%
• 1Y: 14.69%
• 3Y*: 12.65%
• 5Y*: 6.79%
• 10Y*: 7.61%

ABALX

• 1D: 0.20%
• 1M: 3.56%
• YTD: 9.71%
• 6M: 10.64%
• 1Y: 25.20%
• 3Y*: 17.33%
• 5Y*: 9.57%
• 10Y*: 10.10%

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

RIDAX vs. ABALX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
RIDAX The Income Fund of America Class R-1	5.64%	16.83%	9.49%	6.16%	-7.14%	16.47%	3.68%	17.57%	-6.06%	11.86%
ABALX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A	9.71%	18.45%	14.63%	13.65%	-12.13%	15.75%	10.85%	18.60%	-3.35%	14.69%

Correlation

The correlation between RIDAX and ABALX is 0.77, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.77
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.83
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.88
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.90
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 3, 2003	0.92

The correlation between RIDAX and ABALX shifts across timeframes, from 0.77 (1 year) to 0.92 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

RIDAX vs. ABALX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

RIDAX

RIDAX Risk / Return Rank: 48
RIDAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 52
RIDAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 51
RIDAX Omega Ratio Rank: 50
RIDAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 42
RIDAX Martin Ratio Rank: 43

ABALX

ABALX Risk / Return Rank: 85
ABALX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 90
ABALX Sortino Ratio Rank: 87
ABALX Omega Ratio Rank: 84
ABALX Calmar Ratio Rank: 80
ABALX Martin Ratio Rank: 86

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

RIDAX vs. ABALX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for The Income Fund of America Class R-1 (RIDAX) and American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX). 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.

	RIDAX	ABALX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.13	2.96	-0.83
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.00	4.13	-1.13
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.39	1.56	-0.18
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.48	3.67	-1.18
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	9.23	16.58	-7.36
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

RIDAX vs. ABALX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current RIDAX Sharpe Ratio is 2.13, which is comparable to the ABALX Sharpe Ratio of 2.96. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of RIDAX and ABALX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	RIDAX	ABALX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.13	2.96	-0.83
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.72	0.92	-0.20
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.72	0.95	-0.23
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.68	0.81	-0.13

Drawdowns

RIDAX vs. ABALX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum RIDAX drawdown since its inception was -42.37%, which is greater than ABALX's maximum drawdown of -40.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RIDAX and ABALX.

Drawdown Indicators

	RIDAX	ABALX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-42.37%	-40.20%	-2.17%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.13%	-7.03%	+0.90%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-8.71%	-10.68%	+1.97%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-16.28%	-18.76%	+2.48%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-26.22%	-22.34%	-3.88%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.72%	0.00%	-1.72%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.40%	-3.85%	-0.55%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.65%	1.55%	+0.10%

Volatility

RIDAX vs. ABALX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for The Income Fund of America Class R-1 (RIDAX) is 2.03%, while American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX) has a volatility of 2.65%. This indicates that RIDAX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ABALX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	RIDAX	ABALX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.03%	2.65%	-0.62%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	5.62%	6.87%	-1.25%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	7.14%	8.73%	-1.59%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	9.48%	10.49%	-1.01%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	10.69%	10.67%	+0.02%

RIDAX vs. ABALX - Expense Ratio Comparison

RIDAX has a 1.36% expense ratio, which is higher than ABALX's 0.56% expense ratio.

Dividends

RIDAX vs. ABALX - Dividend Comparison

RIDAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.76%, more than ABALX's 7.56% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ABALX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A	7.56%	8.27%	6.87%	2.05%	2.30%	4.30%	4.35%	3.49%	5.49%	4.72%	4.24%	5.60%
RIDAX The Income Fund of America Class R-1	8.76%	9.24%	5.14%	2.38%	6.20%	5.92%	2.09%	4.25%	6.58%	3.68%	2.32%	4.26%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both RIDAX and ABALX in my portfolio?

RIDAX and ABALX have a correlation of 0.77, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, RIDAX or ABALX?

ABALX has higher volatility (2.65%) compared to RIDAX (2.03%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RIDAX dropped -42.37% vs ABALX's -40.20%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

ABALX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.96 vs 2.13), 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.