HERD vs. FTLS
HERD (Pacer Cash Cows Fund of Funds ETF) and FTLS (First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - HERD is a Global Equities fund tracking the Pacer Cash Cows Fund of Funds Index, while FTLS is a Long-Short fund actively managed by First Trust. HERD is passively managed, while FTLS is actively managed. Over the past 5 years, HERD returned 10.62%/yr vs 10.06%/yr for FTLS. Their 0.51 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. HERD charges 0.73%/yr vs 1.38%/yr for FTLS.
Performance
HERD vs. FTLS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, HERD achieves a 14.97% return, which is significantly higher than FTLS's 6.03% return.
HERD
- 1D
- -0.45%
- 1M
- 5.94%
- 6M
- 10.58%
- YTD
- 14.97%
- 1Y
- 28.32%
- 3Y*
- 14.59%
- 5Y*
- 10.62%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 12.92%
FTLS
- 1D
- -0.31%
- 1M
- 1.85%
- 6M
- 4.95%
- YTD
- 6.03%
- 1Y
- 13.39%
- 3Y*
- 13.13%
- 5Y*
- 10.06%
- 10Y*
- 9.59%
- ALL TIME*
- 9.00%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $8.26M | $8.04M | $8.94M | |
| $194.03K | $197.87K | $182.95K |
HERD vs. FTLS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HERD Pacer Cash Cows Fund of Funds ETF | 14.97% | 19.07% | 2.91% | 20.72% | -6.96% | 28.58% | 10.71% | 6.95% |
FTLS First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF | 6.03% | 9.09% | 18.80% | 16.94% | -5.56% | 19.65% | 2.56% | 7.65% |
Correlation
The correlation between HERD and FTLS is 0.52, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.52 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.49 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.56 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 7, 2019 | 0.51 |
The correlation between HERD and FTLS has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.49 to 0.56 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
HERD vs. FTLS — Risk / Return Rank
HERD
FTLS
HERD vs. FTLS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Pacer Cash Cows Fund of Funds ETF (HERD) and First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF (FTLS). 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.
| HERD | FTLS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.85 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.16 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.44 | 1.28 | +0.16 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 5.01 | 3.55 | +1.46 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 15.56 | 10.80 | +4.76 |
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Drawdowns
HERD vs. FTLS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum HERD drawdown since its inception was -39.41%, which is greater than FTLS's maximum drawdown of -20.54%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for HERD and FTLS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| HERD | FTLS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -39.41% | -20.54% | -18.87% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -5.68% | -3.79% | -1.89% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -18.90% | -11.69% | -7.21% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.60% | -11.69% | -9.91% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -20.54% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.70% | -0.42% | -0.28% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.50% | -2.67% | -1.83% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.83% | 1.24% | +0.59% |
Volatility
HERD vs. FTLS - Volatility Comparison
Pacer Cash Cows Fund of Funds ETF (HERD) has a higher volatility of 3.60% compared to First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF (FTLS) at 2.15%. This indicates that HERD's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FTLS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| HERD | FTLS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.60% | 2.15% | +1.45% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 8.72% | 5.86% | +2.86% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.83% | 8.54% | +3.29% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.68% | 10.53% | +7.15% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.36% | 11.23% | +9.13% |
HERD vs. FTLS - Expense Ratio Comparison
HERD has a 0.73% expense ratio, which is lower than FTLS's 1.38% expense ratio.
Dividends
HERD vs. FTLS - Dividend Comparison
HERD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.73%, more than FTLS's 0.88% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FTLS First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF | 0.88% | 1.07% | 1.50% | 1.49% | 0.81% | 0.01% | 0.44% | 0.83% | 0.87% | 0.43% | 1.04% | 0.49% |
HERD Pacer Cash Cows Fund of Funds ETF | 2.73% | 3.75% | 2.43% | 2.54% | 2.50% | 2.02% | 1.95% | 1.69% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
HERD and FTLS have a correlation of 0.52, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
HERD has higher volatility (3.60%) compared to FTLS (2.15%). In terms of maximum drawdown, HERD dropped -39.41% vs FTLS's -20.54%.
On 5-year performance, HERD leads with 10.62% vs 10.06% for FTLS. On fees, HERD is cheaper at 0.73% per year. On volatility, FTLS has been the lower-risk option at 2.15%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, HERD has performed better with a 10.62% return vs 10.06%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
HERD is cheaper with a 0.73% expense ratio, compared with 1.38% for FTLS.
HERD has the higher dividend yield at 2.73%, compared with 0.88% for FTLS.
HERD is categorized as Global Equities, while FTLS is Long-Short. They also come from different issuers: Pacer and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.73% for HERD and 1.38% for FTLS.
HERD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.42 vs 1.57), 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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