VSMGX vs. ABALX
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard LifeStrategy Moderate Growth Fund (VSMGX) and American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX).
VSMGX 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
VSMGX vs. ABALX - Performance Comparison
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VSMGX vs. ABALX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VSMGX Vanguard LifeStrategy Moderate Growth Fund | -1.04% | 16.26% | 15.03% | 15.70% | -16.01% | 10.08% | 13.59% | 19.37% | -4.91% | 13.66% |
ABALX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A | -1.12% | 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, VSMGX achieves a -1.04% return, which is significantly higher than ABALX's -1.12% return. Over the past 10 years, VSMGX has underperformed ABALX with an annualized return of 8.13%, while ABALX has yielded a comparatively higher 9.17% annualized return.
VSMGX
- 1D
- 1.81%
- 1M
- -4.25%
- YTD
- -1.04%
- 6M
- 0.93%
- 1Y
- 14.43%
- 3Y*
- 13.22%
- 5Y*
- 6.60%
- 10Y*
- 8.13%
ABALX
- 1D
- 1.79%
- 1M
- -4.88%
- YTD
- -1.12%
- 6M
- 2.08%
- 1Y
- 16.95%
- 3Y*
- 14.07%
- 5Y*
- 8.20%
- 10Y*
- 9.17%
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VSMGX vs. ABALX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VSMGX has a 0.13% expense ratio, which is lower than ABALX's 0.56% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
VSMGX vs. ABALX — Risk / Return Rank
VSMGX
ABALX
VSMGX vs. ABALX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard LifeStrategy Moderate Growth Fund (VSMGX) 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.
| VSMGX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.45 | 1.56 | -0.11 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.08 | 2.28 | -0.20 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.30 | 1.32 | -0.02 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.05 | 2.43 | -0.39 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.78 | 10.15 | -1.37 |
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
| VSMGX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.45 | 1.56 | -0.11 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.66 | 0.79 | -0.13 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.79 | 0.87 | -0.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.67 | 0.79 | -0.12 |
Correlation
The correlation between VSMGX 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
VSMGX vs. ABALX - Dividend Comparison
VSMGX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.30%, less than ABALX's 8.39% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VSMGX Vanguard LifeStrategy Moderate Growth Fund | 5.30% | 5.25% | 11.49% | 4.01% | 2.66% | 3.86% | 3.46% | 2.52% | 4.11% | 1.09% | 2.26% | 3.89% |
ABALX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A | 8.39% | 8.27% | 6.87% | 2.05% | 2.30% | 4.30% | 4.35% | 3.49% | 5.49% | 4.72% | 4.24% | 5.60% |
Drawdowns
VSMGX vs. ABALX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VSMGX drawdown since its inception was -41.13%, roughly equal to the maximum ABALX drawdown of -40.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VSMGX and ABALX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VSMGX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -41.13% | -40.20% | -0.93% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.24% | -7.33% | +0.09% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -22.29% | -18.76% | -3.53% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -22.43% | -22.34% | -0.09% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.94% | -5.37% | +0.43% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.86% | -3.86% | -1.00% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.69% | 1.76% | -0.07% |
Volatility
VSMGX vs. ABALX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard LifeStrategy Moderate Growth Fund (VSMGX) has a higher volatility of 4.14% compared to American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX) at 3.89%. This indicates that VSMGX'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
| VSMGX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.14% | 3.89% | +0.25% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.30% | 6.96% | -0.66% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 10.24% | 11.22% | -0.98% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 10.12% | 10.45% | -0.33% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 10.32% | 10.63% | -0.31% |