WSHFX vs. ABALX
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class F-1 (WSHFX) and American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX).
WSHFX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Aug 5, 2008. ABALX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Jul 26, 1975.
Performance
WSHFX vs. ABALX - Performance Comparison
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WSHFX vs. ABALX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WSHFX American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class F-1 | -3.20% | 17.13% | 18.94% | 17.15% | -8.50% | 28.36% | 7.62% | 24.82% | -6.27% | 19.91% |
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, WSHFX achieves a -3.20% return, which is significantly lower than ABALX's -1.12% return. Over the past 10 years, WSHFX has outperformed ABALX with an annualized return of 11.99%, while ABALX has yielded a comparatively lower 9.17% annualized return.
WSHFX
- 1D
- 2.21%
- 1M
- -5.86%
- YTD
- -3.20%
- 6M
- -1.44%
- 1Y
- 12.87%
- 3Y*
- 16.05%
- 5Y*
- 11.11%
- 10Y*
- 11.99%
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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WSHFX vs. ABALX - Expense Ratio Comparison
WSHFX has a 0.64% expense ratio, which is higher than ABALX's 0.56% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
WSHFX vs. ABALX — Risk / Return Rank
WSHFX
ABALX
WSHFX vs. ABALX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class F-1 (WSHFX) 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.
| WSHFX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.86 | 1.56 | -0.70 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.33 | 2.28 | -0.95 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.32 | -0.13 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.34 | 2.43 | -1.09 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.96 | 10.15 | -4.18 |
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
| WSHFX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.86 | 1.56 | -0.70 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.79 | 0.79 | 0.00 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.74 | 0.87 | -0.13 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.48 | 0.79 | -0.31 |
Correlation
The correlation between WSHFX and ABALX is 0.96, 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
WSHFX vs. ABALX - Dividend Comparison
WSHFX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.44%, more than ABALX's 8.39% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WSHFX American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class F-1 | 10.44% | 10.08% | 10.05% | 6.11% | 6.28% | 6.01% | 3.02% | 6.17% | 4.28% | 7.19% | 6.32% | 6.18% |
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
WSHFX vs. ABALX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum WSHFX drawdown since its inception was -53.94%, which is greater than ABALX's maximum drawdown of -40.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for WSHFX and ABALX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| WSHFX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -53.94% | -40.20% | -13.74% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.36% | -7.33% | -3.03% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.69% | -18.76% | +0.07% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -34.67% | -22.34% | -12.33% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.36% | -5.37% | -0.99% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.38% | -3.86% | -3.52% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.33% | 1.76% | +0.57% |
Volatility
WSHFX vs. ABALX - Volatility Comparison
American Funds Washington Mutual Investors Fund Class F-1 (WSHFX) has a higher volatility of 4.41% compared to American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX) at 3.89%. This indicates that WSHFX'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
| WSHFX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.41% | 3.89% | +0.52% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 8.28% | 6.96% | +1.32% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.30% | 11.22% | +4.08% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.13% | 10.45% | +3.68% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.33% | 10.63% | +5.70% |