CALF vs. HFMDX

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

CALF (Pacer US Small Cap Cash Cows ETF) and HFMDX (Hennessy Cornerstone Mid Cap 30 Fund) are both funds - CALF is a Small Cap Value Equities fund tracking the Pacer US Small Cap Cash Cows Index, while HFMDX is a Mid Cap Blend Equities fund managed by Hennessy. Over the past 5 years, CALF returned 6.29%/yr vs 16.56%/yr for HFMDX. Their correlation of 0.82 means they have usually moved in the same direction. CALF charges 0.59%/yr vs 1.36%/yr for HFMDX.

Performance

CALF vs. HFMDX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Pacer US Small Cap Cash Cows ETF (CALF) and Hennessy Cornerstone Mid Cap 30 Fund (HFMDX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CALF achieves a 22.50% return, which is significantly higher than HFMDX's 16.24% return.

CALF

• 1D: -0.40%
• 1M: 4.89%
• 6M: 19.77%
• YTD: 22.50%
• 1Y: 39.59%
• 3Y*: 8.57%
• 5Y*: 6.29%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 10.37%

HFMDX

• 1D: 2.06%
• 1M: -1.91%
• 6M: 11.87%
• YTD: 16.24%
• 1Y: 29.44%
• 3Y*: 18.19%
• 5Y*: 16.56%
• 10Y*: 13.89%
• ALL TIME*: 10.54%

*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)
CALF Pacer US Small Cap Cash Cows ETF	$20.38M	$24.48M	$25.33M
HFMDX Hennessy Cornerstone Mid Cap 30 Fund	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

CALF vs. HFMDX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
CALF Pacer US Small Cap Cash Cows ETF	22.50%	2.33%	-7.41%	35.43%	-15.20%	40.68%	16.55%	18.18%	-10.06%	5.78%
HFMDX Hennessy Cornerstone Mid Cap 30 Fund	16.24%	2.68%	34.13%	30.83%	2.72%	27.23%	23.37%	15.76%	-23.52%	13.83%

Correlation

The correlation between CALF and HFMDX is 0.61, 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.	0.61
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.76
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.82
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 19, 2017	0.82

Over the past year, the correlation between CALF and HFMDX has dropped to 0.61 - well below their long-term average of 0.82, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

CALF vs. HFMDX — Risk / Return Rank

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

CALF

CALF Risk / Return Rank: 92
CALF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 91
CALF Sortino Ratio Rank: 92
CALF Omega Ratio Rank: 89
CALF Calmar Ratio Rank: 96
CALF Martin Ratio Rank: 94

HFMDX

HFMDX Risk / Return Rank: 40
HFMDX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 35
HFMDX Sortino Ratio Rank: 36
HFMDX Omega Ratio Rank: 33
HFMDX Calmar Ratio Rank: 52
HFMDX Martin Ratio Rank: 42

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.

CALF vs. HFMDX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Pacer US Small Cap Cash Cows ETF (CALF) and Hennessy Cornerstone Mid Cap 30 Fund (HFMDX). 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.

	CALF	HFMDX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.30	1.06	+1.23
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.30	1.60	+1.70
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.40	1.19	+0.21
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	6.13	1.85	+4.28
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	17.68	5.96	+11.73

CALF vs. HFMDX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CALF Sharpe Ratio is 2.30, which is higher than the HFMDX Sharpe Ratio of 1.06. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CALF and HFMDX, 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

CALF vs. HFMDX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CALF drawdown since its inception was -47.58%, smaller than the maximum HFMDX drawdown of -61.25%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CALF and HFMDX.

Drawdown Indicators

	CALF	HFMDX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-47.58%	-61.25%	+13.67%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.02%	-12.66%	+6.64%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-34.22%	-27.76%	-6.46%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-34.22%	-27.76%	-6.46%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-56.14%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.88%	-4.77%	+2.89%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.57%	-12.18%	+1.61%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.09%	3.93%	-1.84%

Volatility

CALF vs. HFMDX - Volatility Comparison

Pacer US Small Cap Cash Cows ETF (CALF) and Hennessy Cornerstone Mid Cap 30 Fund (HFMDX) have volatilities of 5.09% and 5.31%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CALF	HFMDX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.09%	5.31%	-0.22%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.64%	16.49%	-4.85%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	16.13%	21.96%	-5.83%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	23.23%	23.42%	-0.19%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	25.89%	25.14%	+0.75%

CALF vs. HFMDX - Expense Ratio Comparison

CALF has a 0.59% expense ratio, which is lower than HFMDX's 1.36% expense ratio.

Dividends

CALF vs. HFMDX - Dividend Comparison

CALF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.12%, more than HFMDX's 0.62% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CALF Pacer US Small Cap Cash Cows ETF	1.12%	1.43%	1.07%	1.18%	0.85%	2.63%	0.82%	0.99%	1.39%	0.70%	0.00%	0.00%
HFMDX Hennessy Cornerstone Mid Cap 30 Fund	0.62%	0.72%	18.84%	9.61%	21.66%	1.73%	0.00%	0.00%	40.95%	18.56%	0.64%	0.91%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both CALF and HFMDX in my portfolio?

CALF and HFMDX have a correlation of 0.61, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, CALF or HFMDX?

HFMDX has higher volatility (5.31%) compared to CALF (5.09%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CALF dropped -47.58% vs HFMDX's -61.25%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

CALF currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.30 vs 1.06), 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.