AVUVX vs. COWZ

Last updated Aug 5, 2026

AVUVX (Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value Fund) and COWZ (Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF) are both funds - AVUVX is a Small Cap Value Equities fund actively managed by Avantis, while COWZ is a Mid Cap Value Equities fund tracking the Pacer US Cash Cows 100 Index. AVUVX is actively managed, while COWZ is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, AVUVX returned 14.10%/yr vs 11.22%/yr for COWZ. Their correlation of 0.87 means they have usually moved in the same direction. AVUVX charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.49%/yr for COWZ.

Performance

AVUVX vs. COWZ - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value Fund (AVUVX) and Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF (COWZ). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, AVUVX achieves a 25.42% return, which is significantly higher than COWZ's 13.85% return.

AVUVX

• 1D: 1.45%
• 1M: 2.88%
• 6M: 14.53%
• YTD: 25.42%
• 1Y: 41.19%
• 3Y*: 17.43%
• 5Y*: 14.10%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 16.93%

COWZ

• 1D: 1.29%
• 1M: 6.87%
• 6M: 10.01%
• YTD: 13.85%
• 1Y: 24.97%
• 3Y*: 12.47%
• 5Y*: 11.22%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 13.18%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
AVUVX Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value Fund	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
COWZ Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF	$75.00M	$63.31M	$62.02M

AVUVX vs. COWZ - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
AVUVX Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value Fund	25.42%	8.88%	8.83%	22.96%	-4.74%	40.31%	10.64%	4.95%
COWZ Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF	13.85%	8.98%	10.64%	14.73%	0.19%	42.57%	11.65%	2.83%

Correlation

The correlation between AVUVX and COWZ is 0.65, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.65
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.82
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.87
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 4, 2019	0.87

Over the past year, the correlation between AVUVX and COWZ has dropped to 0.65 - well below their long-term average of 0.87, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

AVUVX vs. COWZ — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

AVUVX

AVUVX Risk / Return Rank: 94
AVUVX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 95
AVUVX Sortino Ratio Rank: 94
AVUVX Omega Ratio Rank: 89
AVUVX Calmar Ratio Rank: 97
AVUVX Martin Ratio Rank: 96

COWZ

COWZ Risk / Return Rank: 85
COWZ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 83
COWZ Sortino Ratio Rank: 86
COWZ Omega Ratio Rank: 82
COWZ Calmar Ratio Rank: 90
COWZ Martin Ratio Rank: 82

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

AVUVX vs. COWZ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value Fund (AVUVX) 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.

	AVUVX	COWZ	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.59	2.12	+0.47
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.70	3.13	+0.57
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.45	1.38	+0.07
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	5.29	4.21	+1.08
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	17.00	12.33	+4.67

AVUVX vs. COWZ - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current AVUVX Sharpe Ratio is 2.59, which is comparable to the COWZ Sharpe Ratio of 2.12. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of AVUVX and COWZ, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

AVUVX vs. COWZ - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum AVUVX drawdown since its inception was -50.24%, which is greater than COWZ's maximum drawdown of -38.63%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AVUVX and COWZ.

Drawdown Indicators

	AVUVX	COWZ	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-50.24%	-38.63%	-11.61%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.25%	-5.95%	-2.30%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-28.81%	-22.00%	-6.81%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-28.81%	-22.00%	-6.81%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.56%	-4.76%	-2.80%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.56%	2.03%	+0.53%

Volatility

AVUVX vs. COWZ - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value Fund (AVUVX) is 3.07%, while Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF (COWZ) has a volatility of 4.95%. This indicates that AVUVX 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.

Volatility by Period

	AVUVX	COWZ	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.07%	4.95%	-1.88%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.88%	8.83%	+2.05%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	16.91%	11.88%	+5.03%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	22.41%	17.68%	+4.73%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	28.50%	19.86%	+8.64%

AVUVX vs. COWZ - Expense Ratio Comparison

AVUVX has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is lower than COWZ's 0.49% expense ratio.

Dividends

AVUVX vs. COWZ - Dividend Comparison

AVUVX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.66%, more than COWZ's 1.82% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
AVUVX Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value Fund	5.66%	7.09%	4.11%	1.57%	8.07%	5.83%	0.73%	0.14%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
COWZ Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF	1.82%	2.19%	1.82%	1.92%	1.96%	1.48%	2.54%	1.96%	1.67%	1.95%	0.13%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both AVUVX and COWZ in my portfolio?

AVUVX and COWZ have a correlation of 0.65, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, AVUVX or COWZ?

COWZ has higher volatility (4.95%) compared to AVUVX (3.07%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AVUVX dropped -50.24% vs COWZ's -38.63%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

AVUVX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.59 vs 2.12), 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.