NPFD vs. PCSFX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

NPFD (Nuveen Variable Rate Preferred & Income Fund) and PCSFX (Principal Capital Securities Fund) are both Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds funds. Over the past 3 years, NPFD returned 17.27%/yr vs 10.29%/yr for PCSFX. At a 0.35 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

NPFD vs. PCSFX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Nuveen Variable Rate Preferred & Income Fund (NPFD) and Principal Capital Securities Fund (PCSFX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NPFD achieves a 3.06% return, which is significantly higher than PCSFX's 1.26% return.

NPFD

• 1D: -0.84%
• 1M: -1.02%
• YTD: 3.06%
• 6M: 0.11%
• 1Y: 9.94%
• 3Y*: 17.27%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

PCSFX

• 1D: 0.10%
• 1M: 0.50%
• YTD: 1.26%
• 6M: 1.95%
• 1Y: 7.16%
• 3Y*: 10.29%
• 5Y*: 3.55%
• 10Y*: 5.45%

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

NPFD vs. PCSFX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
NPFD Nuveen Variable Rate Preferred & Income Fund	3.06%	15.94%	23.52%	-1.10%	-25.33%	1.40%
PCSFX Principal Capital Securities Fund	1.26%	8.96%	12.15%	6.82%	-11.35%	0.55%

Correlation

The correlation between NPFD and PCSFX is 0.31, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.31
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.32
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 17, 2021	0.35

Return for Risk

NPFD vs. PCSFX — Risk / Return Rank

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

NPFD

NPFD Risk / Return Rank: 14
NPFD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 13
NPFD Sortino Ratio Rank: 13
NPFD Omega Ratio Rank: 15
NPFD Calmar Ratio Rank: 10
NPFD Martin Ratio Rank: 18

PCSFX

PCSFX Risk / Return Rank: 77
PCSFX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 95
PCSFX Sortino Ratio Rank: 95
PCSFX Omega Ratio Rank: 97
PCSFX Calmar Ratio Rank: 42
PCSFX Martin Ratio Rank: 55

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.

NPFD vs. PCSFX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Nuveen Variable Rate Preferred & Income Fund (NPFD) and Principal Capital Securities Fund (PCSFX). 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.

	NPFD	PCSFX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.01	3.44	-2.42
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.44	5.10	-3.66
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.21	1.92	-0.72
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.01	2.46	-1.45
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	5.01	11.10	-6.09
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

NPFD vs. PCSFX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NPFD Sharpe Ratio is 1.01, which is lower than the PCSFX Sharpe Ratio of 3.44. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NPFD and PCSFX, 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

	NPFD	PCSFX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.01	3.44	-2.42
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.83	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	1.08	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.15	1.12	-0.97

Drawdowns

NPFD vs. PCSFX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NPFD drawdown since its inception was -39.18%, which is greater than PCSFX's maximum drawdown of -22.42%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NPFD and PCSFX.

Drawdown Indicators

	NPFD	PCSFX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-39.18%	-22.42%	-16.76%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.88%	-2.97%	-6.91%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-9.88%	-2.97%	-6.91%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-18.67%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-22.42%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.43%	-0.33%	-2.10%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-17.44%	-2.48%	-14.96%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.99%	0.66%	+1.33%

Volatility

NPFD vs. PCSFX - Volatility Comparison

Nuveen Variable Rate Preferred & Income Fund (NPFD) has a higher volatility of 2.44% compared to Principal Capital Securities Fund (PCSFX) at 0.68%. This indicates that NPFD's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PCSFX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NPFD	PCSFX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.44%	0.68%	+1.76%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.29%	1.87%	+6.42%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	9.85%	2.12%	+7.73%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.22%	4.28%	+10.94%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.22%	5.05%	+10.17%

Dividends

NPFD vs. PCSFX - Dividend Comparison

NPFD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.32%, more than PCSFX's 5.68% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
NPFD Nuveen Variable Rate Preferred & Income Fund	10.32%	10.50%	9.57%	6.61%	8.33%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
PCSFX Principal Capital Securities Fund	5.68%	5.80%	5.50%	5.75%	5.68%	4.57%	4.88%	5.43%	6.07%	5.14%	5.08%	5.78%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NPFD and PCSFX in my portfolio?

NPFD and PCSFX have a correlation of 0.31, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, NPFD or PCSFX?

NPFD has higher volatility (2.44%) compared to PCSFX (0.68%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NPFD dropped -39.18% vs PCSFX's -22.42%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PCSFX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.44 vs 1.01), 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.