NCZ vs. PCF

Last updated Jul 15, 2026

NCZ (Virtus Convertible and Income Fund II) and PCF (High Income Securities Fund) are both Convertible Bonds funds. Over the past 10 years, NCZ returned 8.37%/yr vs 5.66%/yr for PCF. At a 0.35 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

NCZ vs. PCF - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Virtus Convertible and Income Fund II (NCZ) and High Income Securities Fund (PCF). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NCZ achieves a 17.38% return, which is significantly higher than PCF's -6.20% return. Over the past 10 years, NCZ has outperformed PCF with an annualized return of 8.37%, while PCF has yielded a comparatively lower 5.66% annualized return.

NCZ

• 1D: -0.13%
• 1M: -0.67%
• 6M: 13.19%
• YTD: 17.38%
• 1Y: 32.47%
• 3Y*: 20.72%
• 5Y*: 5.63%
• 10Y*: 8.37%

PCF

• 1D: 0.93%
• 1M: -1.67%
• 6M: -5.74%
• YTD: -6.20%
• 1Y: -4.62%
• 3Y*: 6.11%
• 5Y*: 0.07%
• 10Y*: 5.66%

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

NCZ vs. PCF - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
NCZ Virtus Convertible and Income Fund II	17.38%	23.23%	18.40%	17.75%	-35.93%	9.24%	11.04%	27.19%	-18.66%	24.89%
PCF High Income Securities Fund	-6.20%	5.31%	16.66%	10.45%	-15.56%	11.44%	8.13%	4.22%	5.46%	14.58%

Correlation

The correlation between NCZ and PCF is 0.40, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.40
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.40
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.42
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.38
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 29, 2003	0.35

Return for Risk

NCZ vs. PCF — Risk / Return Rank

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

NCZ

NCZ Risk / Return Rank: 74
NCZ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 75
NCZ Sortino Ratio Rank: 69
NCZ Omega Ratio Rank: 66
NCZ Calmar Ratio Rank: 76
NCZ Martin Ratio Rank: 84

PCF

PCF Risk / Return Rank: 1
PCF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 1
PCF Sortino Ratio Rank: 1
PCF Omega Ratio Rank: 1
PCF Calmar Ratio Rank: 1
PCF Martin Ratio Rank: 1

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.

NCZ vs. PCF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Virtus Convertible and Income Fund II (NCZ) and High Income Securities Fund (PCF). 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.

	NCZ	PCF	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.92	-0.40	+2.31
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.58	-0.49	+3.07
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.33	0.94	+0.39
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.73	-0.43	+3.16
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	11.89	-0.98	+12.87

NCZ vs. PCF - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NCZ Sharpe Ratio is 1.92, which is higher than the PCF Sharpe Ratio of -0.40. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NCZ and PCF, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

NCZ vs. PCF - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NCZ drawdown since its inception was -79.48%, which is greater than PCF's maximum drawdown of -53.82%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NCZ and PCF.

Drawdown Indicators

	NCZ	PCF	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-79.48%	-53.82%	-25.66%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.94%	-10.73%	-1.21%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.54%	-13.74%	-5.80%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-43.93%	-29.06%	-14.87%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-56.08%	-45.13%	-10.95%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-3.22%	-8.09%	+4.87%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-14.29%	-10.49%	-3.80%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.74%	4.71%	-1.97%

Volatility

NCZ vs. PCF - Volatility Comparison

Virtus Convertible and Income Fund II (NCZ) has a higher volatility of 5.56% compared to High Income Securities Fund (PCF) at 4.56%. This indicates that NCZ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PCF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NCZ	PCF	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.56%	4.56%	+1.00%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	13.42%	10.29%	+3.13%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.09%	11.67%	+5.42%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	21.42%	16.09%	+5.33%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	24.29%	17.54%	+6.75%

Dividends

NCZ vs. PCF - Dividend Comparison

NCZ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 9.42%, less than PCF's 12.96% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
NCZ Virtus Convertible and Income Fund II	9.42%	10.45%	11.50%	12.84%	15.62%	8.82%	9.28%	11.28%	15.33%	13.80%	12.08%	18.02%
PCF High Income Securities Fund	12.96%	11.57%	11.29%	11.29%	13.48%	10.82%	11.46%	3.29%	6.88%	3.97%	4.52%	5.07%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NCZ and PCF in my portfolio?

NCZ and PCF have a correlation of 0.40, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, NCZ or PCF?

NCZ has higher volatility (5.56%) compared to PCF (4.56%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NCZ dropped -79.48% vs PCF's -53.82%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

NCZ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.92 vs -0.40), 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.