FV vs. PTLC
FV (First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF) and PTLC (Pacer Trendpilot US Large Cap ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - FV is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Dorsey Wright Focus Five Index, while PTLC is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Pacer Trendpilot U.S. Large Cap Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, FV returned 13.23%/yr vs 11.27%/yr for PTLC. A 0.74 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. FV charges 0.87%/yr vs 0.60%/yr for PTLC.
Performance
FV vs. PTLC - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FV achieves a 15.81% return, which is significantly higher than PTLC's 4.86% return. Over the past 10 years, FV has outperformed PTLC with an annualized return of 13.23%, while PTLC has yielded a comparatively lower 11.27% annualized return.
FV
- 1D
- 1.35%
- 1M
- 4.31%
- YTD
- 15.81%
- 6M
- 17.37%
- 1Y
- 28.02%
- 3Y*
- 16.68%
- 5Y*
- 10.46%
- 10Y*
- 13.23%
PTLC
- 1D
- 1.15%
- 1M
- 2.08%
- YTD
- 4.86%
- 6M
- 6.02%
- 1Y
- 20.46%
- 3Y*
- 13.57%
- 5Y*
- 10.92%
- 10Y*
- 11.27%
FV vs. PTLC - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FV First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF | 15.81% | 7.23% | 14.73% | 11.34% | -3.93% | 21.63% | 28.36% | 25.73% | -8.27% | 19.97% |
PTLC Pacer Trendpilot US Large Cap ETF | 4.86% | 5.10% | 24.31% | 16.78% | -8.62% | 27.90% | -1.15% | 17.58% | 1.49% | 21.41% |
Correlation
The correlation between FV and PTLC is 0.84, 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 | 0.84 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.85 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.73 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.75 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 12, 2015 | 0.74 |
The correlation between FV and PTLC shifts across timeframes, from 0.73 (5 years) to 0.85 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
FV vs. PTLC — Risk / Return Rank
FV
PTLC
FV vs. PTLC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF (FV) and Pacer Trendpilot US Large Cap ETF (PTLC). 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.
| FV | PTLC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.03 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.07 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.31 | 1.31 | 0.00 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.09 | 2.34 | -0.25 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.80 | 9.05 | -1.25 |
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Drawdowns
FV vs. PTLC - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FV drawdown since its inception was -34.04%, which is greater than PTLC's maximum drawdown of -26.63%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FV and PTLC.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FV | PTLC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -34.04% | -26.63% | -7.41% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.45% | -8.77% | -4.68% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -23.08% | -15.17% | -7.91% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -23.08% | -15.17% | -7.91% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -34.04% | -26.63% | -7.41% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.04% | -1.37% | -0.67% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.81% | -5.63% | -0.18% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.60% | 2.27% | +1.33% |
Volatility
FV vs. PTLC - Volatility Comparison
First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF (FV) has a higher volatility of 6.26% compared to Pacer Trendpilot US Large Cap ETF (PTLC) at 4.78%. This indicates that FV's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PTLC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FV | PTLC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.26% | 4.78% | +1.48% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.51% | 9.16% | +4.35% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.99% | 11.88% | +4.11% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.88% | 11.87% | +9.01% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.48% | 13.23% | +8.25% |
FV vs. PTLC - Expense Ratio Comparison
FV has a 0.87% expense ratio, which is higher than PTLC's 0.60% expense ratio.
Dividends
FV vs. PTLC - Dividend Comparison
FV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.53%, less than PTLC's 1.01% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FV First Trust Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF | 0.53% | 0.63% | 0.14% | 0.47% | 1.38% | 0.11% | 0.06% | 0.56% | 0.19% | 0.67% | 0.95% | 0.14% |
PTLC Pacer Trendpilot US Large Cap ETF | 1.01% | 1.06% | 0.67% | 1.18% | 1.26% | 0.73% | 1.08% | 1.10% | 1.00% | 0.97% | 1.08% | 0.42% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FV and PTLC have a correlation of 0.84, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FV has higher volatility (6.26%) compared to PTLC (4.78%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FV dropped -34.04% vs PTLC's -26.63%.
On 10-year performance, FV leads with 13.23% vs 11.27% for PTLC. On fees, PTLC is cheaper at 0.60% per year. On volatility, PTLC has been the lower-risk option at 4.78%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, FV has performed better with a 13.23% return vs 11.27%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
PTLC is cheaper with a 0.60% expense ratio, compared with 0.87% for FV.
PTLC has the higher dividend yield at 1.01%, compared with 0.53% for FV.
FV is categorized as Large Cap Growth Equities, while PTLC is Large Cap Blend Equities. FV tracks Dorsey Wright Focus Five Index, while PTLC tracks Pacer Trendpilot U.S. Large Cap Index. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and Pacer. Their fees differ too: 0.87% for FV and 0.60% for PTLC.
FV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.76 vs 1.73), 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.
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