VASGX vs. ABALX
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard LifeStrategy Growth Fund (VASGX) and American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX).
VASGX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Sep 30, 1994. ABALX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Jul 26, 1975.
Performance
VASGX vs. ABALX - Performance Comparison
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VASGX vs. ABALX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VASGX Vanguard LifeStrategy Growth Fund | -3.57% | 19.65% | 12.95% | 18.76% | -17.21% | 14.35% | 15.45% | 23.14% | -6.89% | 19.21% |
ABALX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A | -2.86% | 18.45% | 14.63% | 13.65% | -12.13% | 15.75% | 10.85% | 18.60% | -3.35% | 14.69% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VASGX achieves a -3.57% return, which is significantly lower than ABALX's -2.86% return. Over the past 10 years, VASGX has outperformed ABALX with an annualized return of 9.49%, while ABALX has yielded a comparatively lower 8.98% annualized return.
VASGX
- 1D
- -0.18%
- 1M
- -7.77%
- YTD
- -3.57%
- 6M
- -0.86%
- 1Y
- 15.75%
- 3Y*
- 13.37%
- 5Y*
- 7.16%
- 10Y*
- 9.49%
ABALX
- 1D
- -0.14%
- 1M
- -6.82%
- YTD
- -2.86%
- 6M
- 0.85%
- 1Y
- 15.33%
- 3Y*
- 13.40%
- 5Y*
- 8.00%
- 10Y*
- 8.98%
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VASGX vs. ABALX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VASGX has a 0.14% expense ratio, which is lower than ABALX's 0.56% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
VASGX vs. ABALX — Risk / Return Rank
VASGX
ABALX
VASGX vs. ABALX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard LifeStrategy Growth Fund (VASGX) 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.
| VASGX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.20 | 1.43 | -0.23 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.73 | 2.09 | -0.36 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.25 | 1.29 | -0.04 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.53 | 2.00 | -0.48 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.92 | 8.51 | -1.60 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| VASGX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.20 | 1.43 | -0.23 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.57 | 0.77 | -0.20 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.71 | 0.85 | -0.14 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.55 | 0.79 | -0.23 |
Correlation
The correlation between VASGX and ABALX is 0.89, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
VASGX vs. ABALX - Dividend Comparison
VASGX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.25%, less than ABALX's 8.54% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VASGX Vanguard LifeStrategy Growth Fund | 4.25% | 4.09% | 6.15% | 3.00% | 2.10% | 3.54% | 3.54% | 2.34% | 4.36% | 2.13% | 2.23% | 4.54% |
ABALX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A | 8.54% | 8.27% | 6.87% | 2.05% | 2.30% | 4.30% | 4.35% | 3.49% | 5.49% | 4.72% | 4.24% | 5.60% |
Drawdowns
VASGX vs. ABALX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VASGX drawdown since its inception was -51.16%, which is greater than ABALX's maximum drawdown of -40.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VASGX and ABALX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VASGX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -51.16% | -40.20% | -10.96% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.40% | -7.33% | -2.07% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.43% | -18.76% | -5.67% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -28.53% | -22.34% | -6.19% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -8.17% | -7.03% | -1.14% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.29% | -3.86% | -3.43% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.07% | 1.73% | +0.34% |
Volatility
VASGX vs. ABALX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard LifeStrategy Growth Fund (VASGX) has a higher volatility of 4.33% compared to American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX) at 3.26%. This indicates that VASGX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ABALX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VASGX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.33% | 3.26% | +1.07% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 7.74% | 6.74% | +1.00% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 13.21% | 11.11% | +2.10% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 12.66% | 10.42% | +2.24% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 13.42% | 10.61% | +2.81% |