HCOW vs. COWZ

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

HCOW (Amplify Cash Flow High Income ETF) and COWZ (Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - HCOW is a Large Cap Value Equities fund actively managed by Amplify, while COWZ is a Mid Cap Value Equities fund tracking the Pacer US Cash Cows 100 Index. HCOW is actively managed, while COWZ is passively managed. Over the past year, HCOW returned 23.79% vs 24.00% for COWZ. Their correlation of 0.88 suggests significant overlap in exposure. HCOW charges 0.65%/yr vs 0.49%/yr for COWZ.

Performance

HCOW vs. COWZ - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Amplify Cash Flow High Income ETF (HCOW) 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, HCOW achieves a 4.86% return, which is significantly lower than COWZ's 8.55% return.

HCOW

• 1D: 0.10%
• 1M: 2.49%
• YTD: 4.86%
• 6M: 5.50%
• 1Y: 23.79%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

COWZ

• 1D: -0.57%
• 1M: 2.47%
• YTD: 8.55%
• 6M: 10.68%
• 1Y: 24.00%
• 3Y*: 14.57%
• 5Y*: 10.74%
• 10Y*: —

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

HCOW vs. COWZ - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
HCOW Amplify Cash Flow High Income ETF	4.86%	5.76%	7.63%	6.44%
COWZ Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF	8.55%	8.98%	10.64%	5.12%

Correlation

The correlation between HCOW and COWZ is 0.81, 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	0.81
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 21, 2023	0.88

The correlation between HCOW and COWZ has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.81 to 0.88 - a consistent structural relationship.

HCOW vs. COWZ - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	HCOW	COWZ
Technology	21.0%	16.0%
Industrials	18.7%	8.4%
Financial Services	17.2%	-
Consumer Cyclical	10.9%	11.7%
Energy	8.2%	16.9%
Healthcare	8.0%	21.8%
Basic Materials	6.0%	3.7%
Communication Services	4.7%	10.4%
Utilities	2.8%	-
Consumer Defensive	2.4%	10.9%
Real Estate	-	-

Return for Risk

HCOW vs. COWZ — Risk / Return Rank

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

HCOW

HCOW Risk / Return Rank: 58
HCOW Sharpe Ratio Rank: 50
HCOW Sortino Ratio Rank: 52
HCOW Omega Ratio Rank: 49
HCOW Calmar Ratio Rank: 73
HCOW Martin Ratio Rank: 65

COWZ

COWZ Risk / Return Rank: 70
COWZ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 64
COWZ Sortino Ratio Rank: 69
COWZ Omega Ratio Rank: 63
COWZ Calmar Ratio Rank: 86
COWZ Martin Ratio Rank: 70

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.

HCOW vs. COWZ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Amplify Cash Flow High Income ETF (HCOW) 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.

	HCOW	COWZ	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.72	2.17	-0.45
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.55	3.19	-0.64
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.31	1.38	-0.07
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.75	4.83	-1.08
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	12.09	13.22	-1.13
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

HCOW vs. COWZ - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current HCOW Sharpe Ratio is 1.72, which is comparable to the COWZ Sharpe Ratio of 2.17. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of HCOW 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.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	HCOW	COWZ	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.72	2.17	-0.45
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.61	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.53	0.65	-0.12

Drawdowns

HCOW vs. COWZ - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum HCOW drawdown since its inception was -24.15%, smaller than the maximum COWZ drawdown of -38.63%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for HCOW and COWZ.

Drawdown Indicators

	HCOW	COWZ	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-24.15%	-38.63%	+14.48%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.29%	-5.00%	-1.29%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-22.00%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-22.00%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-0.57%	+0.57%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.89%	-4.81%	-0.08%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.95%	1.83%	+0.12%

Volatility

HCOW vs. COWZ - Volatility Comparison

Amplify Cash Flow High Income ETF (HCOW) has a higher volatility of 3.74% compared to Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF (COWZ) at 2.59%. This indicates that HCOW'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

	HCOW	COWZ	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.74%	2.59%	+1.15%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.73%	7.12%	+1.61%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	13.89%	11.12%	+2.77%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.62%	17.63%	-0.01%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.62%	19.93%	-2.31%

HCOW vs. COWZ - Expense Ratio Comparison

HCOW has a 0.65% expense ratio, which is higher than COWZ's 0.49% expense ratio.

Dividends

HCOW vs. COWZ - Dividend Comparison

HCOW's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 11.69%, more than COWZ's 1.98% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
COWZ Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF	1.98%	2.19%	1.82%	1.92%	1.96%	1.48%	2.54%	1.96%	1.67%	1.95%	0.13%
HCOW Amplify Cash Flow High Income ETF	11.69%	10.88%	8.13%	1.99%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both HCOW and COWZ in my portfolio?

HCOW and COWZ have a correlation of 0.81, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, HCOW or COWZ?

HCOW has higher volatility (3.74%) compared to COWZ (2.59%). In terms of maximum drawdown, HCOW dropped -24.15% vs COWZ's -38.63%.

Which ETF is better, HCOW or COWZ?

On 1-year performance, COWZ leads with 24.00% vs 23.79% for HCOW. On fees, COWZ is cheaper at 0.49% per year. On volatility, COWZ has been the lower-risk option at 2.59%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, HCOW or COWZ?

Over the 1-year period, COWZ has performed better with a 24.00% return vs 23.79%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, HCOW or COWZ?

COWZ is cheaper with a 0.49% expense ratio, compared with 0.65% for HCOW.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, HCOW or COWZ?

HCOW has the higher dividend yield at 11.69%, compared with 1.98% for COWZ.

What is the main difference between HCOW and COWZ?

HCOW is categorized as Large Cap Value Equities, while COWZ is Mid Cap Value Equities. They also come from different issuers: Amplify and Pacer. Their fees differ too: 0.65% for HCOW and 0.49% for COWZ.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

COWZ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.17 vs 1.72), 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.