FTSL vs. PFFD
Compare and contrast key facts about First Trust Senior Loan Fund (FTSL) and Global X U.S. Preferred ETF (PFFD).
FTSL and PFFD are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. FTSL is an actively managed fund by First Trust. It was launched on May 1, 2013. PFFD is a passively managed fund by Global X that tracks the performance of the ICE BofAML Diversified Core U.S. Preferred Securities Index. It was launched on Sep 11, 2017.
Performance
FTSL vs. PFFD - Performance Comparison
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FTSL vs. PFFD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FTSL First Trust Senior Loan Fund | -0.80% | 5.98% | 8.27% | 11.58% | -2.50% | 3.94% | 2.99% | 10.11% | -1.30% | 0.81% |
PFFD Global X U.S. Preferred ETF | -1.68% | 3.22% | 7.07% | 6.85% | -20.20% | 5.07% | 8.90% | 17.43% | -3.94% | 0.85% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FTSL achieves a -0.80% return, which is significantly higher than PFFD's -1.68% return.
FTSL
- 1D
- 0.34%
- 1M
- 1.11%
- YTD
- -0.80%
- 6M
- 0.87%
- 1Y
- 4.68%
- 3Y*
- 7.10%
- 5Y*
- 4.87%
- 10Y*
- 4.48%
PFFD
- 1D
- 0.88%
- 1M
- -3.92%
- YTD
- -1.68%
- 6M
- -2.29%
- 1Y
- 2.93%
- 3Y*
- 3.89%
- 5Y*
- -0.52%
- 10Y*
- —
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FTSL vs. PFFD - Expense Ratio Comparison
FTSL has a 0.86% expense ratio, which is higher than PFFD's 0.23% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
FTSL vs. PFFD — Risk / Return Rank
FTSL
PFFD
FTSL vs. PFFD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Senior Loan Fund (FTSL) and Global X U.S. Preferred ETF (PFFD). 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.
| FTSL | PFFD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.51 | 0.35 | +1.16 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.99 | 0.54 | +1.45 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.41 | 1.07 | +0.34 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.96 | 0.41 | +1.55 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.07 | 1.20 | +5.87 |
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
| FTSL | PFFD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.51 | 0.35 | +1.16 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 1.46 | -0.05 | +1.50 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.87 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.83 | 0.17 | +0.66 |
Correlation
The correlation between FTSL and PFFD is 0.34, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.
Dividends
FTSL vs. PFFD - Dividend Comparison
FTSL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.58%, which matches PFFD's 6.52% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FTSL First Trust Senior Loan Fund | 6.58% | 6.59% | 7.56% | 7.59% | 4.77% | 3.17% | 3.48% | 4.44% | 4.29% | 3.64% | 3.70% | 3.95% |
PFFD Global X U.S. Preferred ETF | 6.52% | 6.37% | 6.42% | 6.49% | 6.63% | 5.09% | 5.17% | 5.48% | 6.21% | 1.94% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Drawdowns
FTSL vs. PFFD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FTSL drawdown since its inception was -22.67%, smaller than the maximum PFFD drawdown of -30.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FTSL and PFFD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FTSL | PFFD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -22.67% | -30.93% | +8.26% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.33% | -5.97% | +3.64% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -6.96% | -24.45% | +17.49% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -22.67% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.24% | -7.42% | +6.18% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.77% | -6.64% | +5.87% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.65% | 2.04% | -1.39% |
Volatility
FTSL vs. PFFD - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for First Trust Senior Loan Fund (FTSL) is 1.37%, while Global X U.S. Preferred ETF (PFFD) has a volatility of 2.94%. This indicates that FTSL experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than PFFD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FTSL | PFFD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.37% | 2.94% | -1.57% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.90% | 5.61% | -3.71% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.11% | 8.41% | -5.30% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 3.36% | 10.95% | -7.59% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.19% | 12.84% | -7.65% |