FPEI vs. PFXF
Compare and contrast key facts about First Trust Institutional Preferred Securities & Income ETF (FPEI) and VanEck Vectors Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF (PFXF).
FPEI and PFXF are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. FPEI is an actively managed fund by First Trust. It was launched on Aug 22, 2017. PFXF is a passively managed fund by VanEck that tracks the performance of the Wells Fargo Hybrid and Preferred Securities ex Financials Index. It was launched on Jul 16, 2012.
Performance
FPEI vs. PFXF - Performance Comparison
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FPEI vs. PFXF - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FPEI First Trust Institutional Preferred Securities & Income ETF | -0.64% | 9.82% | 10.94% | 6.29% | -8.19% | 4.63% | 7.08% | 15.86% | -4.29% | 2.23% |
PFXF VanEck Vectors Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF | 0.10% | 9.64% | 8.42% | 11.20% | -18.83% | 11.61% | 7.61% | 20.52% | -4.17% | 0.50% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FPEI achieves a -0.64% return, which is significantly lower than PFXF's 0.10% return.
FPEI
- 1D
- 1.04%
- 1M
- -1.99%
- YTD
- -0.64%
- 6M
- 1.11%
- 1Y
- 7.60%
- 3Y*
- 10.49%
- 5Y*
- 4.17%
- 10Y*
- —
PFXF
- 1D
- 1.15%
- 1M
- -3.86%
- YTD
- 0.10%
- 6M
- 2.11%
- 1Y
- 12.25%
- 3Y*
- 7.58%
- 5Y*
- 3.30%
- 10Y*
- 4.96%
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FPEI vs. PFXF - Expense Ratio Comparison
FPEI has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is higher than PFXF's 0.41% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
FPEI vs. PFXF — Risk / Return Rank
FPEI
PFXF
FPEI vs. PFXF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Institutional Preferred Securities & Income ETF (FPEI) and VanEck Vectors Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF (PFXF). 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.
| FPEI | PFXF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.68 | 1.14 | +0.54 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.21 | 1.63 | +0.58 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.39 | 1.22 | +0.17 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.01 | 1.66 | +0.34 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.34 | 5.98 | +2.36 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| FPEI | PFXF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.68 | 1.14 | +0.54 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.71 | 0.31 | +0.40 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.38 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.54 | 0.44 | +0.10 |
Correlation
The correlation between FPEI and PFXF is 0.45, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.
Dividends
FPEI vs. PFXF - Dividend Comparison
FPEI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.77%, less than PFXF's 6.96% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FPEI First Trust Institutional Preferred Securities & Income ETF | 5.77% | 5.62% | 5.55% | 5.76% | 5.20% | 4.46% | 4.90% | 5.02% | 5.81% | 1.50% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
PFXF VanEck Vectors Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF | 6.96% | 6.72% | 7.82% | 7.88% | 6.74% | 4.66% | 5.19% | 5.35% | 6.56% | 5.93% | 5.81% | 5.99% |
Drawdowns
FPEI vs. PFXF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FPEI drawdown since its inception was -27.51%, smaller than the maximum PFXF drawdown of -35.49%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FPEI and PFXF.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FPEI | PFXF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -27.51% | -35.49% | +7.98% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.90% | -6.84% | +2.94% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -16.46% | -21.80% | +5.34% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -35.49% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.29% | -4.75% | +2.46% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.10% | -3.94% | +0.84% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.94% | 1.90% | -0.96% |
Volatility
FPEI vs. PFXF - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for First Trust Institutional Preferred Securities & Income ETF (FPEI) is 2.17%, while VanEck Vectors Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF (PFXF) has a volatility of 3.58%. This indicates that FPEI experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than PFXF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FPEI | PFXF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.17% | 3.58% | -1.41% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.91% | 6.82% | -3.91% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.55% | 10.83% | -6.28% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.93% | 10.81% | -4.88% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 8.93% | 13.16% | -4.23% |