FGDL vs. PBDC

Last updated Aug 4, 2026

FGDL (Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF) and PBDC (Putnam BDC Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - FGDL is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price PM ($/ozt), while PBDC is a Financials Equities fund actively managed by Franklin Templeton. FGDL is passively managed, while PBDC is actively managed. Over the past 3 years, FGDL returned 27.63%/yr vs 5.49%/yr for PBDC. Their 0.05 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. FGDL charges 0.15%/yr vs 13.49%/yr for PBDC.

Performance

FGDL vs. PBDC - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF (FGDL) and Putnam BDC Income ETF (PBDC). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FGDL achieves a -6.34% return, which is significantly higher than PBDC's -6.86% return.

FGDL

• 1D: -0.15%
• 1M: -1.51%
• 6M: -13.15%
• YTD: -6.34%
• 1Y: 20.61%
• 3Y*: 27.63%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 21.59%

PBDC

• 1D: 2.58%
• 1M: 1.53%
• 6M: -3.75%
• YTD: -6.86%
• 1Y: -10.01%
• 3Y*: 5.49%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 12.54%

*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)
FGDL Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF	$970.05K	$896.65K	$1.27M
PBDC Putnam BDC Income ETF	$3.20M	$3.19M	$3.74M

FGDL vs. PBDC - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
FGDL Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF	-6.34%	64.15%	27.31%	12.92%	9.75%
PBDC Putnam BDC Income ETF	-6.86%	-1.77%	19.43%	30.52%	10.38%

Correlation

The correlation between FGDL and PBDC is 0.01, meaning there was essentially no consistent relationship between their historical price movements. Each responded to its own set of market drivers.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.01
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.04
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 30, 2022	0.05

Return for Risk

FGDL vs. PBDC — Risk / Return Rank

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

FGDL

FGDL Risk / Return Rank: 28
FGDL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 30
FGDL Sortino Ratio Rank: 29
FGDL Omega Ratio Rank: 32
FGDL Calmar Ratio Rank: 25
FGDL Martin Ratio Rank: 23

PBDC

PBDC Risk / Return Rank: 5
PBDC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 5
PBDC Sortino Ratio Rank: 5
PBDC Omega Ratio Rank: 5
PBDC Calmar Ratio Rank: 5
PBDC Martin Ratio Rank: 5

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.

FGDL vs. PBDC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF (FGDL) and Putnam BDC Income ETF (PBDC). 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.

	FGDL	PBDC	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.73	-0.53	+1.26
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.08	-0.64	+1.72
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.15	0.93	+0.23
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.78	-0.57	+1.35
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.66	-0.97	+2.63

FGDL vs. PBDC - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FGDL Sharpe Ratio is 0.73, which is higher than the PBDC Sharpe Ratio of -0.53. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FGDL and PBDC, 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

FGDL vs. PBDC - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FGDL drawdown since its inception was -26.58%, which is greater than PBDC's maximum drawdown of -20.47%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FGDL and PBDC.

Drawdown Indicators

	FGDL	PBDC	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-26.58%	-20.47%	-6.11%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-26.58%	-17.71%	-8.87%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-26.58%	-20.47%	-6.11%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-25.16%	-14.56%	-10.60%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.65%	-5.17%	+0.52%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	12.43%	10.35%	+2.08%

Volatility

FGDL vs. PBDC - Volatility Comparison

Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF (FGDL) has a higher volatility of 5.87% compared to Putnam BDC Income ETF (PBDC) at 5.07%. This indicates that FGDL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PBDC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FGDL	PBDC	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.87%	5.07%	+0.80%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	21.00%	15.41%	+5.59%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	28.25%	19.06%	+9.19%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	19.39%	17.04%	+2.35%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.39%	17.04%	+2.35%

FGDL vs. PBDC - Expense Ratio Comparison

FGDL has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than PBDC's 13.49% expense ratio.

Dividends

FGDL vs. PBDC - Dividend Comparison

FGDL has not paid dividends to shareholders, while PBDC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 11.29%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022
FGDL Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
PBDC Putnam BDC Income ETF	11.29%	10.53%	9.29%	9.86%	3.40%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both FGDL and PBDC in my portfolio?

FGDL and PBDC have a correlation of 0.01, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, FGDL or PBDC?

FGDL has higher volatility (5.87%) compared to PBDC (5.07%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FGDL dropped -26.58% vs PBDC's -20.47%.

Which ETF is better, FGDL or PBDC?

On 3-year performance, FGDL leads with 27.63% vs 5.49% for PBDC. On fees, FGDL is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, PBDC has been the lower-risk option at 5.07%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, FGDL or PBDC?

Over the 3-year period, FGDL has performed better with a 27.63% return vs 5.49%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, FGDL or PBDC?

FGDL is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 13.49% for PBDC.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, FGDL or PBDC?

PBDC has the higher dividend yield at 11.29%, compared with 0.00% for FGDL.

What is the main difference between FGDL and PBDC?

FGDL is categorized as Gold, while PBDC is Financials Equities. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for FGDL and 13.49% for PBDC.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

FGDL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.73 vs -0.53), 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.