AGG vs. COWZ
AGG (iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) and COWZ (Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - AGG is a Total Bond Market fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, while COWZ is a Mid Cap Value Equities fund tracking the Pacer US Cash Cows 100 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, AGG returned 0.06%/yr vs 10.13%/yr for COWZ. At a correlation of -0.00, they often move in opposite directions. AGG charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.49%/yr for COWZ.
Performance
AGG vs. COWZ - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, AGG achieves a 0.52% return, which is significantly lower than COWZ's 6.93% return.
AGG
- 1D
- -0.12%
- 1M
- 0.46%
- YTD
- 0.52%
- 6M
- 0.93%
- 1Y
- 4.87%
- 3Y*
- 4.19%
- 5Y*
- 0.06%
- 10Y*
- 1.57%
COWZ
- 1D
- 0.82%
- 1M
- 1.75%
- YTD
- 6.93%
- 6M
- 6.01%
- 1Y
- 19.20%
- 3Y*
- 13.01%
- 5Y*
- 10.13%
- 10Y*
- —
AGG vs. COWZ - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 0.52% | 7.19% | 1.31% | 5.65% | -13.02% | -1.77% | 7.48% | 8.46% | 0.09% | 3.55% |
COWZ Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF | 6.93% | 8.98% | 10.64% | 14.73% | 0.19% | 42.57% | 11.65% | 23.41% | -10.05% | 20.22% |
Correlation
The correlation between AGG and COWZ is 0.22, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.20 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.11 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 19, 2016 | -0.00 |
The correlation between AGG and COWZ shifts across timeframes, from -0.00 (all time) to 0.22 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
AGG vs. COWZ — Risk / Return Rank
AGG
COWZ
AGG vs. COWZ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG) and Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF (COWZ). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| AGG | COWZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.45 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.66 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.21 | 1.29 | -0.08 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.63 | 3.65 | -2.02 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.82 | 9.73 | -4.91 |
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Drawdowns
AGG vs. COWZ - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AGG drawdown since its inception was -18.43%, smaller than the maximum COWZ drawdown of -38.63%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AGG and COWZ.
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Drawdown Indicators
| AGG | COWZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.43% | -38.63% | +20.20% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.76% | -5.00% | +2.24% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -6.11% | -22.00% | +15.89% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.82% | -22.00% | +4.18% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -18.43% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.88% | -2.05% | +0.17% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.71% | -4.80% | +2.09% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.94% | 1.88% | -0.94% |
Volatility
AGG vs. COWZ - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG) is 1.37%, while Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF (COWZ) has a volatility of 3.27%. This indicates that AGG experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than COWZ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| AGG | COWZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.37% | 3.27% | -1.90% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.81% | 7.20% | -4.39% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.82% | 11.19% | -7.37% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.09% | 17.64% | -11.55% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.41% | 19.91% | -14.50% |
AGG vs. COWZ - Expense Ratio Comparison
AGG has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than COWZ's 0.49% expense ratio.
Dividends
AGG vs. COWZ - Dividend Comparison
AGG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.98%, more than COWZ's 1.93% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 3.98% | 3.89% | 3.74% | 3.13% | 2.39% | 1.77% | 2.14% | 2.70% | 2.72% | 2.32% | 2.39% | 2.45% |
COWZ Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF | 1.93% | 2.19% | 1.82% | 1.92% | 1.96% | 1.48% | 2.54% | 1.96% | 1.67% | 1.95% | 0.13% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
AGG and COWZ have a correlation of 0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
COWZ has higher volatility (3.27%) compared to AGG (1.37%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AGG dropped -18.43% vs COWZ's -38.63%.
On 5-year performance, COWZ leads with 10.13% vs 0.06% for AGG. On fees, AGG is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, AGG has been the lower-risk option at 1.37%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, COWZ has performed better with a 10.13% return vs 0.06%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
AGG is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.49% for COWZ.
AGG has the higher dividend yield at 3.98%, compared with 1.93% for COWZ.
AGG is categorized as Total Bond Market, while COWZ is Mid Cap Value Equities. AGG tracks Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, while COWZ tracks Pacer US Cash Cows 100 Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Pacer. Their fees differ too: 0.03% for AGG and 0.49% for COWZ.
COWZ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.63 vs 1.19), 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.
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