LONG-TERM APPROACH

We believe in taking a long-term view

LONG-TERM APPROACH

Because time matters more than timing

At Capital Group, home of American Funds, we follow a long-term approach because we believe it’s the best way to help investors achieve their financial goals

Whether it’s saving for college, retirement or a house, nothing happens overnight. Our commitment to long-term investing takes many forms, and our culture and system reinforce them all.

Long term means it pays to put in the time

Our investment professionals’ compensation is tied to short-, medium- and long-term results, with a greater focus on the long term*

Why is that important? Because longer measurement periods mean more time for well-researched, high-conviction investments to perform well. Because they have time to build results, our investment professionals seek to avoid taking outsized risks in pursuit of short-term results. 

Graphic illustrates that Capital Group investment professionals maintain 74% longer holding periods, on average, versus Morningstar category peers as of December 31, 2023.

As of December 31, 2023.

On average, the equity-focused American Funds hold their investments for 3.3 years, whereas their peers hold their investments for 1.9 years, based on the equal-weighted blended averages across each of the 20 equity-focused American Funds’ respective Morningstar categories. Please see the bottom of the page for a list of each fund’s respective Morningstar category.

Long term means experience

Nearly all of our portfolio managers have more than 10 years of industry experience

Nearly nine out of 10 have at least 20 years in the industry, and more than a third have over three decades of experience.

Graphic shows 99% of Capital Group portfolio managers have 10+ years experience, 91% have 20+ years of experience, and 38% have 30+ years experience as of December 31, 2023.

As of December 31, 2023.

Many of our portfolio managers have experienced multiple market crises and have kept cool heads during bumpy rides.

Graphic shows that our portfolio managers have experience during market crises: 12% experienced the October 1987 crash, and 38% of our fixed income portfolio managers experienced the difficult 1994 bond market, as of December 31, 2023.

As of December 31, 2023.

Long term means there is power in being private

At public companies, quarterly profits often drive short-term thinking

Capital Group is a privately held firm. So rather than being distracted by what’s good for "the Street," we can focus on what’s best for long-term investors. We believe that being privately held for 93 years has helped maintain our investor-focused culture.

Long term means prioritizing long-term, superior results

Our long-term thinking has gotten results for our investors for 93 years

We have managed multiple investment strategies through various investment vehicles. And while investment results vary, the equity-focused American Funds have generated strong results versus peers, with our funds having beaten their Lipper peer indexes in 81% of 10-year periods and 95% of 20-year periods as of December 31, 2023.

Click for more information on the results of the American Funds equity, fixed income and multi-asset funds.

Our beliefs

Your goals power ours

We have four core beliefs central to helping you succeed.

More beliefs

Build a more personal portfolio.

Your clients need portfolios as individual as they are. Our portfolio construction approach lets you customize a mix that works with the individual goals of your clients.

* Compensation paid to our investment professionals is heavily influenced by results over one-, three-, five- and eight-year periods, with increasing weight placed on each succeeding measurement period to encourage a long-term investment approach.

† Based on Class F-2 share results for rolling monthly 10- and 20-year periods starting with the first 10- or 20-year period after each mutual fund's inception through December 31, 2023.  Periods covered are the shorter of the fund’s lifetime or since the comparable Lipper index inception date (except Capital Income Builder and SMALLCAP World Fund, for which the Lipper average was used). Expenses differ for each share class, so results will vary. Past results are not predictive of results in future periods.

American Funds Morningstar categories: The peer groups against which we compare the American Funds in these charts reflect the averages of the relevant Morningstar U.S. Active Fund categories. The 20 equity-focused American Funds used in our analysis and their relevant Morningstar U.S. Active Fund categories with which they were compared are as follows: AMCAP Fund®, The Growth Fund of America® (Large Growth); American Mutual Fund® (Large Value); Fundamental Investors®, The Investment Company of America®, Washington Mutual Investors Fund (Large Blend); American Balanced Fund® (Allocation--50% to 70% Equity); Capital Income Builder®, American Funds® Global Balanced Fund (Global Allocation); The Income Fund of America® (Allocation--70% to 85% Equity); The New Economy Fund®, New Perspective Fund® (Global Large-Stock Growth); Capital World Growth and Income Fund®, American Funds® Global Insight Fund (Global Large-Stock Blend); New World Fund®, American Funds® Developing World Growth and Income Fund (Diversified Emerging Markets); EuroPacific Growth Fund®, American Funds® International Vantage Fund (Foreign Large Growth); SMALLCAP World Fund® (World Small/Mid Stock); and International Growth and Income Fund (Foreign Large Blend). 

Investments are not FDIC-insured, nor are they deposits of or guaranteed by a bank or any other entity, so they may lose value.
Investors should carefully consider investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. This and other important information is contained in the fund prospectuses and summary prospectuses, which can be obtained from a financial professional and should be read carefully before investing.
Capital Group manages equity assets through three investment groups. These groups make investment and proxy voting decisions independently. Fixed income investment professionals provide fixed income research and investment management across the Capital organization; however, for securities with equity characteristics, they act solely on behalf of one of the three equity investment groups.
All Capital Group trademarks mentioned are owned by The Capital Group Companies, Inc., an affiliated company or fund. All other company and product names mentioned are the property of their respective companies.
Use of this website is intended for U.S. residents only. Use of this website and materials is also subject to approval by your home office.
Capital Client Group, Inc.
This content, developed by Capital Group, home of American Funds, should not be used as a primary basis for investment decisions and is not intended to serve as impartial investment or fiduciary advice.
© 2024 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Some of the information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers; (2) may not be copied or distributed; and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete or timely. Neither Morningstar, its content providers nor Capital Group are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Information is calculated by Morningstar. Due to differing calculation methods, the figures shown here may differ from those calculated by Capital Group.