VO vs. AFMFX

Last updated Jun 10, 2026

VO (Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF) and AFMFX (American Funds American Mutual Fund Class F-3) are both funds - VO is a Mid Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the CRSP US Mid Cap Index, while AFMFX is a Large Cap Value Equities fund managed by American Funds. Over the past 5 years, VO returned 7.62%/yr vs 10.14%/yr for AFMFX. Their correlation of 0.88 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VO charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.27%/yr for AFMFX.

Performance

VO vs. AFMFX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF (VO) and American Funds American Mutual Fund Class F-3 (AFMFX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VO achieves a 9.06% return, which is significantly higher than AFMFX's 5.67% return.

VO

• 1D: 0.42%
• 1M: 2.18%
• YTD: 9.06%
• 6M: 9.08%
• 1Y: 17.08%
• 3Y*: 15.95%
• 5Y*: 7.62%
• 10Y*: 11.49%

AFMFX

• 1D: -0.16%
• 1M: 1.53%
• YTD: 5.67%
• 6M: 6.49%
• 1Y: 15.89%
• 3Y*: 15.31%
• 5Y*: 10.14%
• 10Y*: —

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

VO vs. AFMFX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VO Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF	9.06%	11.62%	15.31%	16.03%	-18.73%	24.70%	18.10%	30.98%	-9.24%	12.02%
AFMFX American Funds American Mutual Fund Class F-3	5.67%	16.43%	15.30%	9.77%	-4.19%	23.64%	5.04%	21.90%	-1.98%	11.75%

Correlation

The correlation between VO and AFMFX is 0.83, 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	0.83
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.89
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.89
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 17, 2017	0.88

The correlation between VO and AFMFX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.83 to 0.89 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

VO vs. AFMFX — Risk / Return Rank

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

VO

VO Risk / Return Rank: 46
VO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 44
VO Sortino Ratio Rank: 43
VO Omega Ratio Rank: 41
VO Calmar Ratio Rank: 47
VO Martin Ratio Rank: 52

AFMFX

AFMFX Risk / Return Rank: 42
AFMFX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 44
AFMFX Sortino Ratio Rank: 43
AFMFX Omega Ratio Rank: 42
AFMFX Calmar Ratio Rank: 37
AFMFX Martin Ratio Rank: 43

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.

VO vs. AFMFX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF (VO) and American Funds American Mutual Fund Class F-3 (AFMFX). 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.

	VO	AFMFX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.37	1.66	-0.29
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.97	2.34	-0.36
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.24	1.30	-0.06
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.10	2.01	+0.09
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	7.96	8.07	-0.11
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VO vs. AFMFX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VO Sharpe Ratio is 1.37, which is comparable to the AFMFX Sharpe Ratio of 1.66. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VO and AFMFX, 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

	VO	AFMFX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.37	1.66	-0.29
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.43	0.81	-0.38
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.61	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.50	0.75	-0.25

Drawdowns

VO vs. AFMFX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VO drawdown since its inception was -58.87%, which is greater than AFMFX's maximum drawdown of -29.79%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VO and AFMFX.

Drawdown Indicators

	VO	AFMFX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-58.87%	-29.79%	-29.08%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.17%	-7.90%	-0.27%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.02%	-12.91%	-6.11%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-27.57%	-15.16%	-12.41%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-39.37%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.68%	-1.28%	-0.40%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.86%	-2.92%	-4.94%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.15%	1.97%	+0.18%

Volatility

VO vs. AFMFX - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF (VO) has a higher volatility of 3.50% compared to American Funds American Mutual Fund Class F-3 (AFMFX) at 2.35%. This indicates that VO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than AFMFX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VO	AFMFX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.50%	2.35%	+1.15%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.47%	7.35%	+2.12%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.49%	9.59%	+2.90%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.62%	12.51%	+5.11%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.95%	14.49%	+4.46%

VO vs. AFMFX - Expense Ratio Comparison

VO has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than AFMFX's 0.27% 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

VO vs. AFMFX - Dividend Comparison

VO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.37%, less than AFMFX's 7.47% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
AFMFX American Funds American Mutual Fund Class F-3	7.47%	7.86%	6.60%	4.06%	5.20%	3.58%	2.22%	4.89%	6.75%	6.25%	0.00%	0.00%
VO Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF	1.37%	1.52%	1.49%	1.52%	1.60%	1.12%	1.45%	1.48%	1.82%	1.35%	1.45%	1.47%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VO and AFMFX in my portfolio?

VO and AFMFX have a correlation of 0.83, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VO or AFMFX?

VO has higher volatility (3.50%) compared to AFMFX (2.35%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VO dropped -58.87% vs AFMFX's -29.79%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

AFMFX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.66 vs 1.37), 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.