IWDL vs. PFFA
IWDL (ETRACS 2x Leveraged US Value Factor TR ETN) and PFFA (Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IWDL is a Leveraged Equities fund tracking the Russell 1000 Value (200%), while PFFA is a Preferred Stock fund actively managed by Virtus. IWDL is passively managed, while PFFA is actively managed. Over the past 5 years, IWDL returned 16.51%/yr vs 5.61%/yr for PFFA. Their 0.55 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. IWDL charges 0.95%/yr vs 1.47%/yr for PFFA.
Performance
IWDL vs. PFFA - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IWDL achieves a 42.20% return, which is significantly higher than PFFA's 1.89% return.
IWDL
- 1D
- 2.15%
- 1M
- 6.40%
- 6M
- 29.25%
- YTD
- 42.20%
- 1Y
- 68.31%
- 3Y*
- 30.93%
- 5Y*
- 16.51%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 19.76%
PFFA
- 1D
- 0.68%
- 1M
- 0.64%
- 6M
- 0.25%
- YTD
- 1.89%
- 1Y
- 6.74%
- 3Y*
- 11.90%
- 5Y*
- 5.61%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 7.29%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $59.68K | $87.17K | $54.40K | |
| $15.43M | $17.09M | $20.18M |
IWDL vs. PFFA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IWDL ETRACS 2x Leveraged US Value Factor TR ETN | 42.20% | 25.02% | 20.68% | 13.50% | -21.27% | 40.35% |
PFFA Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF | 1.89% | 8.22% | 16.11% | 26.45% | -20.91% | 20.95% |
Correlation
The correlation between IWDL and PFFA 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. | 0.50 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.56 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 5, 2021 | 0.55 |
The correlation between IWDL and PFFA has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.50 to 0.56 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
IWDL vs. PFFA — Risk / Return Rank
IWDL
PFFA
IWDL vs. PFFA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ETRACS 2x Leveraged US Value Factor TR ETN (IWDL) and Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF (PFFA). 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.
| IWDL | PFFA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +2.06 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.54 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.49 | 1.16 | +0.33 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 5.07 | 1.04 | +4.03 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 21.46 | 3.00 | +18.46 |
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Drawdowns
IWDL vs. PFFA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IWDL drawdown since its inception was -37.95%, smaller than the maximum PFFA drawdown of -70.52%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IWDL and PFFA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IWDL | PFFA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -37.95% | -70.52% | +32.57% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.53% | -6.49% | -7.04% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -31.78% | -12.15% | -19.63% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -37.95% | -22.70% | -15.25% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -2.63% | +2.63% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.30% | -6.57% | -3.73% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.19% | 2.25% | +0.94% |
Volatility
IWDL vs. PFFA - Volatility Comparison
ETRACS 2x Leveraged US Value Factor TR ETN (IWDL) has a higher volatility of 5.53% compared to Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF (PFFA) at 2.42%. This indicates that IWDL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PFFA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IWDL | PFFA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.53% | 2.42% | +3.11% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.94% | 6.50% | +10.44% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 23.34% | 7.63% | +15.71% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 30.24% | 11.60% | +18.64% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 29.82% | 31.54% | -1.72% |
IWDL vs. PFFA - Expense Ratio Comparison
IWDL has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is lower than PFFA's 1.47% expense ratio.
Dividends
IWDL vs. PFFA - Dividend Comparison
IWDL has not paid dividends to shareholders, while PFFA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 9.92%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IWDL ETRACS 2x Leveraged US Value Factor TR ETN | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
PFFA Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF | 9.92% | 9.47% | 9.18% | 9.56% | 10.75% | 7.64% | 8.54% | 10.02% | 5.15% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IWDL and PFFA 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.
IWDL has higher volatility (5.53%) compared to PFFA (2.42%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IWDL dropped -37.95% vs PFFA's -70.52%.
On 5-year performance, IWDL leads with 16.51% vs 5.61% for PFFA. On fees, IWDL is cheaper at 0.95% per year. On volatility, PFFA has been the lower-risk option at 2.42%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, IWDL has performed better with a 16.51% return vs 5.61%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IWDL is cheaper with a 0.95% expense ratio, compared with 1.47% for PFFA.
PFFA has the higher dividend yield at 9.92%, compared with 0.00% for IWDL.
IWDL is categorized as Leveraged Equities, while PFFA is Preferred Stock. They also come from different issuers: UBS and Virtus. Their fees differ too: 0.95% for IWDL and 1.47% for PFFA.
IWDL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.95 vs 0.89), 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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