COWZ vs. CALF

Last updated Aug 4, 2026

COWZ (Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF) and CALF (Pacer US Small Cap Cash Cows ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - COWZ is a Mid Cap Value Equities fund tracking the Pacer US Cash Cows 100 Index, while CALF is a Small Cap Value Equities fund tracking the Pacer US Small Cap Cash Cows Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, COWZ returned 11.04%/yr vs 6.84%/yr for CALF. Their correlation of 0.85 means they have usually moved in the same direction. COWZ charges 0.49%/yr vs 0.59%/yr for CALF.

Performance

COWZ vs. CALF - Performance Comparison

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

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, COWZ achieves a 12.39% return, which is significantly lower than CALF's 24.42% return.

COWZ

• 1D: 0.58%
• 1M: 5.50%
• 6M: 8.21%
• YTD: 12.39%
• 1Y: 24.54%
• 3Y*: 11.99%
• 5Y*: 11.04%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 13.03%

CALF

• 1D: 1.57%
• 1M: 6.54%
• 6M: 20.48%
• YTD: 24.42%
• 1Y: 41.78%
• 3Y*: 9.49%
• 5Y*: 6.84%
• 10Y*: —
• 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	$24.87M	$26.51M	$26.11M
COWZ Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF	$63.88M	$58.45M	$60.21M

COWZ vs. CALF - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
COWZ Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF	12.39%	8.98%	10.64%	14.73%	0.19%	42.57%	11.65%	23.41%	-10.05%	14.00%
CALF Pacer US Small Cap Cash Cows ETF	24.42%	2.33%	-7.41%	35.43%	-15.20%	40.68%	16.55%	18.18%	-10.06%	5.78%

Correlation

The correlation between COWZ and CALF is 0.86, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.86
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.87
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.88
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 19, 2017	0.85

The correlation between COWZ and CALF has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.85 to 0.88 - a consistent structural relationship.

COWZ vs. CALF - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	COWZ	CALF
Technology	22.9%	23.4%
Healthcare	19.9%	11.6%
Consumer Cyclical	14.3%	23.2%
Energy	11.2%	13.7%
Consumer Defensive	10.6%	5.3%
Communication Services	8.8%	7.6%
Industrials	8.4%	9.3%
Basic Materials	4.0%	4.2%
Financial Services	-	0.2%
Real Estate	-	1.8%
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

COWZ vs. CALF — Risk / Return Rank

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

COWZ

COWZ Risk / Return Rank: 87
COWZ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 87
COWZ Sortino Ratio Rank: 89
COWZ Omega Ratio Rank: 85
COWZ Calmar Ratio Rank: 91
COWZ Martin Ratio Rank: 85

CALF

CALF Risk / Return Rank: 94
CALF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 94
CALF Sortino Ratio Rank: 94
CALF Omega Ratio Rank: 92
CALF Calmar Ratio Rank: 97
CALF Martin Ratio Rank: 95

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.

COWZ vs. CALF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF (COWZ) and Pacer US Small Cap Cash Cows ETF (CALF). 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.

	COWZ	CALF	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.09	2.63	-0.54
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.08	3.75	-0.67
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.37	1.46	-0.09
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.14	6.98	-2.84
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	12.12	20.13	-8.01

COWZ vs. CALF - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current COWZ Sharpe Ratio is 2.09, which is comparable to the CALF Sharpe Ratio of 2.63. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of COWZ and CALF, 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

COWZ vs. CALF - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum COWZ drawdown since its inception was -38.63%, smaller than the maximum CALF drawdown of -47.58%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for COWZ and CALF.

Drawdown Indicators

	COWZ	CALF	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-38.63%	-47.58%	+8.95%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-5.95%	-6.02%	+0.07%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-22.00%	-34.22%	+12.22%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-22.00%	-34.22%	+12.22%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.83%	-0.34%	-0.49%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.76%	-10.57%	+5.81%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.03%	2.08%	-0.05%

Volatility

COWZ vs. CALF - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF (COWZ) is 4.86%, while Pacer US Small Cap Cash Cows ETF (CALF) has a volatility of 5.16%. This indicates that COWZ experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than CALF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	COWZ	CALF	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.86%	5.16%	-0.30%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.75%	11.72%	-2.97%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.84%	15.99%	-4.15%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.69%	23.24%	-5.55%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.86%	25.89%	-6.03%

COWZ vs. CALF - Expense Ratio Comparison

COWZ has a 0.49% expense ratio, which is lower than CALF's 0.59% expense ratio.

Dividends

COWZ vs. CALF - Dividend Comparison

COWZ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.84%, more than CALF's 1.10% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
CALF Pacer US Small Cap Cash Cows ETF	1.10%	1.43%	1.07%	1.18%	0.85%	2.63%	0.82%	0.99%	1.39%	0.70%	0.00%
COWZ Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF	1.84%	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 COWZ and CALF in my portfolio?

COWZ and CALF have a correlation of 0.86, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, COWZ or CALF?

CALF has higher volatility (5.16%) compared to COWZ (4.86%). In terms of maximum drawdown, COWZ dropped -38.63% vs CALF's -47.58%.

Which ETF is better, COWZ or CALF?

On 5-year performance, COWZ leads with 11.04% vs 6.84% for CALF. On fees, COWZ is cheaper at 0.49% per year. On volatility, COWZ has been the lower-risk option at 4.86%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, COWZ or CALF?

Over the 5-year period, COWZ has performed better with a 11.04% return vs 6.84%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, COWZ or CALF?

COWZ is cheaper with a 0.49% expense ratio, compared with 0.59% for CALF.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, COWZ or CALF?

COWZ has the higher dividend yield at 1.84%, compared with 1.10% for CALF.

What is the main difference between COWZ and CALF?

COWZ is categorized as Mid Cap Value Equities, while CALF is Small Cap Value Equities. COWZ tracks Pacer US Cash Cows 100 Index, while CALF tracks Pacer US Small Cap Cash Cows Index. Their fees differ too: 0.49% for COWZ and 0.59% for CALF.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

CALF currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.63 vs 2.09), 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.