RLBGX vs. FWMIX
RLBGX (American Funds American Balanced Fund Class R-6) and FWMIX (American Funds Washington Mutual F3) are both mutual funds - RLBGX is a Diversified Portfolio fund managed by American Funds, while FWMIX is a Large Cap Value Equities fund actively managed by American Funds. Over the past 5 years, RLBGX returned 9.99%/yr vs 12.50%/yr for FWMIX. Their correlation of 0.95 suggests significant overlap in exposure. RLBGX charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.26%/yr for FWMIX.
Performance
RLBGX vs. FWMIX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, RLBGX achieves a 9.55% return, which is significantly higher than FWMIX's 5.62% return.
RLBGX
- 1D
- -0.32%
- 1M
- 1.44%
- YTD
- 9.55%
- 6M
- 9.49%
- 1Y
- 23.09%
- 3Y*
- 17.46%
- 5Y*
- 9.99%
- 10Y*
- 10.56%
FWMIX
- 1D
- -0.45%
- 1M
- 0.26%
- YTD
- 5.62%
- 6M
- 4.88%
- 1Y
- 16.73%
- 3Y*
- 18.23%
- 5Y*
- 12.50%
- 10Y*
- —
RLBGX vs. FWMIX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RLBGX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class R-6 | 9.55% | 18.83% | 15.35% | 13.92% | -11.85% | 16.10% | 11.20% | 18.95% | -3.07% | 12.87% |
FWMIX American Funds Washington Mutual F3 | 5.62% | 17.55% | 19.35% | 17.58% | -8.17% | 28.85% | 8.01% | 25.14% | -5.90% | 19.05% |
Correlation
The correlation between RLBGX and FWMIX is 0.91, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.91 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.94 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.95 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 1, 2017 | 0.95 |
The correlation between RLBGX and FWMIX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.91 to 0.95 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
RLBGX vs. FWMIX — Risk / Return Rank
RLBGX
FWMIX
RLBGX vs. FWMIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds American Balanced Fund Class R-6 (RLBGX) and American Funds Washington Mutual F3 (FWMIX). 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.
| RLBGX | FWMIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.92 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.22 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.49 | 1.30 | +0.19 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.43 | 2.12 | +1.31 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 15.17 | 9.18 | +6.00 |
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Drawdowns
RLBGX vs. FWMIX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum RLBGX drawdown since its inception was -22.33%, smaller than the maximum FWMIX drawdown of -34.65%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RLBGX and FWMIX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| RLBGX | FWMIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -22.33% | -34.65% | +12.32% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -6.98% | -8.34% | +1.36% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -10.65% | -14.63% | +3.98% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.59% | -18.46% | -0.13% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -22.33% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.51% | -1.01% | +0.50% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.46% | -3.64% | +1.18% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.57% | 1.92% | -0.35% |
Volatility
RLBGX vs. FWMIX - Volatility Comparison
American Funds American Balanced Fund Class R-6 (RLBGX) has a higher volatility of 3.40% compared to American Funds Washington Mutual F3 (FWMIX) at 2.89%. This indicates that RLBGX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FWMIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| RLBGX | FWMIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.40% | 2.89% | +0.51% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 7.29% | 8.03% | -0.74% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 9.19% | 10.54% | -1.35% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 10.57% | 14.11% | -3.54% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 10.72% | 16.68% | -5.96% |
RLBGX vs. FWMIX - Expense Ratio Comparison
RLBGX has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is lower than FWMIX's 0.26% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
RLBGX vs. FWMIX - Dividend Comparison
RLBGX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.41%, less than FWMIX's 10.12% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FWMIX American Funds Washington Mutual F3 | 10.12% | 10.38% | 10.37% | 6.43% | 6.64% | 6.34% | 3.35% | 6.40% | 4.67% | 7.54% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
RLBGX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class R-6 | 7.41% | 8.56% | 7.50% | 2.27% | 2.63% | 4.59% | 4.65% | 3.78% | 5.81% | 4.92% | 4.54% | 5.91% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.91, RLBGX and FWMIX move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
RLBGX has higher volatility (3.40%) compared to FWMIX (2.89%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RLBGX dropped -22.33% vs FWMIX's -34.65%.
RLBGX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.61 vs 1.68), 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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