BMEZ vs. PFFA

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

BMEZ (BlackRock Health Sciences Trust II) is a stock, while PFFA (Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF) is Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds fund actively managed by Virtus Investment Partners. Over the past 5 years, BMEZ returned -3.47%/yr vs 6.57%/yr for PFFA. At a 0.41 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

BMEZ vs. PFFA - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in BlackRock Health Sciences Trust II (BMEZ) and Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF (PFFA). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BMEZ achieves a -1.20% return, which is significantly lower than PFFA's 3.08% return.

BMEZ

• 1D: -0.56%
• 1M: 2.72%
• YTD: -1.20%
• 6M: -3.00%
• 1Y: 8.46%
• 3Y*: 7.10%
• 5Y*: -3.47%
• 10Y*: —

PFFA

• 1D: -0.70%
• 1M: -0.26%
• YTD: 3.08%
• 6M: 4.03%
• 1Y: 14.79%
• 3Y*: 14.46%
• 5Y*: 6.57%
• 10Y*: —

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

BMEZ vs. PFFA - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
BMEZ BlackRock Health Sciences Trust II	-1.20%	18.69%	9.54%	5.07%	-32.65%	-6.00%	48.77%
PFFA Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF	3.08%	8.22%	16.11%	26.45%	-20.91%	23.53%	-9.46%

Correlation

The correlation between BMEZ and PFFA is 0.39, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.39
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.35
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.44
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 30, 2020	0.41

Return for Risk

BMEZ vs. PFFA — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

BMEZ

BMEZ Risk / Return Rank: 55
BMEZ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 59
BMEZ Sortino Ratio Rank: 52
BMEZ Omega Ratio Rank: 49
BMEZ Calmar Ratio Rank: 57
BMEZ Martin Ratio Rank: 59

PFFA

PFFA Risk / Return Rank: 56
PFFA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 61
PFFA Sortino Ratio Rank: 63
PFFA Omega Ratio Rank: 64
PFFA Calmar Ratio Rank: 45
PFFA Martin Ratio Rank: 46

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

BMEZ vs. PFFA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BlackRock Health Sciences Trust II (BMEZ) and Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF (PFFA). 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.

	BMEZ	PFFA	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.56	2.12	-1.56
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.96	3.00	-2.04
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.11	1.40	-0.29
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.76	2.29	-1.53
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.87	7.79	-5.92
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

BMEZ vs. PFFA - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BMEZ Sharpe Ratio is 0.56, which is lower than the PFFA Sharpe Ratio of 2.12. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BMEZ and PFFA, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	BMEZ	PFFA	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.56	2.12	-1.56
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.17	0.57	-0.75
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.16	0.24	-0.08

Drawdowns

BMEZ vs. PFFA - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BMEZ drawdown since its inception was -46.19%, smaller than the maximum PFFA drawdown of -70.52%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BMEZ and PFFA.

Drawdown Indicators

	BMEZ	PFFA	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-46.19%	-70.52%	+24.33%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.24%	-6.49%	-4.75%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.41%	-12.15%	-6.26%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-46.17%	-22.70%	-23.47%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-20.74%	-1.50%	-19.24%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-24.17%	-6.65%	-17.52%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.55%	1.90%	+2.65%

Volatility

BMEZ vs. PFFA - Volatility Comparison

BlackRock Health Sciences Trust II (BMEZ) has a higher volatility of 4.99% compared to Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF (PFFA) at 1.87%. This indicates that BMEZ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PFFA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BMEZ	PFFA	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.99%	1.87%	+3.12%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.59%	5.68%	+5.91%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.19%	7.02%	+8.17%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	19.92%	11.51%	+8.41%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	24.16%	31.84%	-7.68%

Dividends

BMEZ vs. PFFA - Dividend Comparison

BMEZ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.78%, more than PFFA's 9.62% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
BMEZ BlackRock Health Sciences Trust II	10.78%	12.43%	11.74%	10.80%	11.28%	6.51%	3.14%	0.00%	0.00%
PFFA Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF	9.62%	9.47%	9.18%	9.56%	10.75%	7.64%	8.54%	10.02%	5.15%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BMEZ and PFFA in my portfolio?

BMEZ and PFFA have a correlation of 0.39, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, BMEZ or PFFA?

BMEZ has higher volatility (4.99%) compared to PFFA (1.87%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BMEZ dropped -46.19% vs PFFA's -70.52%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PFFA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.12 vs 0.56), 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.