FLO vs. COWZ

Last updated Jun 24, 2026

FLO (Flowers Foods, Inc.) is a stock, while COWZ (Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF) is Mid Cap Value Equities fund tracking the Pacer US Cash Cows 100 Index. Over the past 5 years, FLO returned -16.58%/yr vs 9.90%/yr for COWZ. At a 0.29 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

FLO vs. COWZ - Performance Comparison

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

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FLO achieves a -27.53% return, which is significantly lower than COWZ's 3.27% return.

FLO

• 1D: 2.72%
• 1M: -3.36%
• YTD: -27.53%
• 6M: -26.59%
• 1Y: -49.31%
• 3Y*: -28.38%
• 5Y*: -16.58%
• 10Y*: -4.37%

COWZ

• 1D: 0.59%
• 1M: -3.72%
• YTD: 3.27%
• 6M: 2.69%
• 1Y: 15.76%
• 3Y*: 12.38%
• 5Y*: 9.90%
• 10Y*: —

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

FLO vs. COWZ - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
FLO Flowers Foods, Inc.	-27.53%	-43.63%	-4.34%	-18.63%	7.97%	25.63%	7.73%	21.80%	-0.93%	0.22%
COWZ Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF	3.27%	8.98%	10.64%	14.73%	0.19%	42.57%	11.65%	23.41%	-10.05%	20.22%

Correlation

The correlation between FLO and COWZ is 0.40, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.40
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.37
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.32
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 19, 2016	0.29

The correlation between FLO and COWZ shifts across timeframes, from 0.29 (all time) to 0.40 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

FLO vs. COWZ — Risk / Return Rank

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

FLO

FLO Risk / Return Rank: 4
FLO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 1
FLO Sortino Ratio Rank: 2
FLO Omega Ratio Rank: 3
FLO Calmar Ratio Rank: 7
FLO Martin Ratio Rank: 7

COWZ

COWZ Risk / Return Rank: 45
COWZ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 41
COWZ Sortino Ratio Rank: 42
COWZ Omega Ratio Rank: 39
COWZ Calmar Ratio Rank: 56
COWZ Martin Ratio Rank: 48

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.

FLO vs. COWZ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Flowers Foods, Inc. (FLO) and Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF (COWZ). 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.

	FLO	COWZ	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-1.39	1.39	-2.78
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-2.30	2.05	-4.35
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.73	1.25	-0.51
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.89	2.66	-3.55
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-1.46	7.92	-9.38

FLO vs. COWZ - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FLO Sharpe Ratio is -1.39, which is lower than the COWZ Sharpe Ratio of 1.39. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FLO and COWZ, 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

FLO vs. COWZ - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FLO drawdown since its inception was -72.29%, which is greater than COWZ's maximum drawdown of -38.63%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FLO and COWZ.

Drawdown Indicators

	FLO	COWZ	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-72.29%	-38.63%	-33.66%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-55.26%	-5.95%	-49.31%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-68.82%	-22.00%	-46.82%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-72.29%	-22.00%	-50.29%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-72.29%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-69.67%	-5.40%	-64.27%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-20.66%	-4.80%	-15.86%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	33.70%	2.00%	+31.70%

Volatility

FLO vs. COWZ - Volatility Comparison

Flowers Foods, Inc. (FLO) has a higher volatility of 17.12% compared to Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF (COWZ) at 3.97%. This indicates that FLO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than COWZ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FLO	COWZ	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	17.12%	3.97%	+13.15%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	29.92%	7.53%	+22.39%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	35.75%	11.38%	+24.37%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	25.12%	17.64%	+7.48%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	25.30%	19.90%	+5.40%

Dividends

FLO vs. COWZ - Dividend Comparison

FLO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 11.49%, more than COWZ's 2.00% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
COWZ Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF	2.00%	2.19%	1.82%	1.92%	1.96%	1.48%	2.54%	1.96%	1.67%	1.95%	0.13%	0.00%
FLO Flowers Foods, Inc.	11.49%	9.03%	4.60%	4.04%	3.03%	3.02%	3.49%	3.45%	3.84%	3.47%	3.13%	2.64%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both FLO and COWZ in my portfolio?

FLO and COWZ have a correlation of 0.40, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, FLO or COWZ?

FLO has higher volatility (17.12%) compared to COWZ (3.97%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FLO dropped -72.29% vs COWZ's -38.63%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

COWZ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.39 vs -1.39), 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.