FARSX vs. PPLIX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

FARSX (Fidelity Advisor Managed Retirement 2015 Fund Class A) and PPLIX (Principal LifeTime 2050 Fund) are both Target Retirement Date funds. Over the past 10 years, FARSX returned 5.42%/yr vs 11.60%/yr for PPLIX. Their correlation of 0.93 suggests significant overlap in exposure. FARSX charges 0.71%/yr vs 0.01%/yr for PPLIX.

Performance

FARSX vs. PPLIX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Fidelity Advisor Managed Retirement 2015 Fund Class A (FARSX) and Principal LifeTime 2050 Fund (PPLIX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FARSX achieves a 4.67% return, which is significantly lower than PPLIX's 9.45% return. Over the past 10 years, FARSX has underperformed PPLIX with an annualized return of 5.42%, while PPLIX has yielded a comparatively higher 11.60% annualized return.

FARSX

• 1D: 0.24%
• 1M: 1.81%
• YTD: 4.67%
• 6M: 4.96%
• 1Y: 11.76%
• 3Y*: 8.38%
• 5Y*: 3.13%
• 10Y*: 5.42%

PPLIX

• 1D: 0.41%
• 1M: 4.65%
• YTD: 9.45%
• 6M: 9.80%
• 1Y: 22.45%
• 3Y*: 19.31%
• 5Y*: 9.59%
• 10Y*: 11.60%

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

FARSX vs. PPLIX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
FARSX Fidelity Advisor Managed Retirement 2015 Fund Class A	4.67%	10.71%	4.91%	9.25%	-13.76%	5.06%	10.62%	14.14%	-3.90%	11.79%
PPLIX Principal LifeTime 2050 Fund	9.45%	17.55%	19.12%	20.36%	-18.78%	17.04%	16.56%	26.67%	-8.74%	22.12%

Correlation

The correlation between FARSX and PPLIX is 0.85, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.85
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.81
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.81
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.86
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 31, 2007	0.93

The correlation between FARSX and PPLIX shifts across timeframes, from 0.81 (5 years) to 0.93 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

FARSX vs. PPLIX — Risk / Return Rank

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

FARSX

FARSX Risk / Return Rank: 69
FARSX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
FARSX Sortino Ratio Rank: 74
FARSX Omega Ratio Rank: 74
FARSX Calmar Ratio Rank: 61
FARSX Martin Ratio Rank: 66

PPLIX

PPLIX Risk / Return Rank: 49
PPLIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 46
PPLIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 45
PPLIX Omega Ratio Rank: 46
PPLIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 49
PPLIX Martin Ratio Rank: 61

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.

FARSX vs. PPLIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Fidelity Advisor Managed Retirement 2015 Fund Class A (FARSX) and Principal LifeTime 2050 Fund (PPLIX). 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.

	FARSX	PPLIX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.46	1.99	+0.48
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.61	2.81	+0.80
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.49	1.37	+0.12
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.00	2.68	+0.32
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	12.85	12.05	+0.79
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

FARSX vs. PPLIX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FARSX Sharpe Ratio is 2.46, which is comparable to the PPLIX Sharpe Ratio of 1.99. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FARSX and PPLIX, 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

	FARSX	PPLIX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.46	1.99	+0.48
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.49	0.62	-0.13
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.86	0.75	+0.11
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.50	0.46	+0.05

Drawdowns

FARSX vs. PPLIX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FARSX drawdown since its inception was -40.28%, smaller than the maximum PPLIX drawdown of -55.61%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FARSX and PPLIX.

Drawdown Indicators

	FARSX	PPLIX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-40.28%	-55.61%	+15.33%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-3.95%	-8.57%	+4.62%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-6.03%	-15.59%	+9.56%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-18.75%	-26.85%	+8.10%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-18.75%	-32.67%	+13.92%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.03%	-8.30%	+3.27%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.92%	1.90%	-0.98%

Volatility

FARSX vs. PPLIX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Fidelity Advisor Managed Retirement 2015 Fund Class A (FARSX) is 1.88%, while Principal LifeTime 2050 Fund (PPLIX) has a volatility of 3.25%. This indicates that FARSX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than PPLIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FARSX	PPLIX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.88%	3.25%	-1.37%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	3.98%	9.22%	-5.24%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.81%	11.56%	-6.75%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	6.37%	15.47%	-9.10%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	6.35%	15.59%	-9.24%

FARSX vs. PPLIX - Expense Ratio Comparison

FARSX has a 0.71% expense ratio, which is higher than PPLIX's 0.01% expense ratio.

Dividends

FARSX vs. PPLIX - Dividend Comparison

FARSX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.59%, less than PPLIX's 9.09% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
FARSX Fidelity Advisor Managed Retirement 2015 Fund Class A	2.59%	2.63%	2.64%	2.32%	4.65%	4.97%	3.17%	3.05%	6.06%	23.98%	1.80%	4.22%
PPLIX Principal LifeTime 2050 Fund	9.09%	9.95%	11.56%	4.41%	9.40%	8.04%	5.23%	7.16%	8.64%	5.12%	4.82%	6.07%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both FARSX and PPLIX in my portfolio?

FARSX and PPLIX have a correlation of 0.85, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, FARSX or PPLIX?

PPLIX has higher volatility (3.25%) compared to FARSX (1.88%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FARSX dropped -40.28% vs PPLIX's -55.61%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

FARSX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.46 vs 1.99), 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.