NXG vs. GCOW

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

NXG (NXG NextGen Infrastructure Income Fund) and GCOW (Pacer Global Cash Cows Dividend ETF) are both funds - NXG is a Global Equity Income fund actively managed by NXG, while GCOW is a Large Cap Value Equities fund tracking the Pacer Global Cash Cows Dividends Index. NXG is actively managed, while GCOW is passively managed. Over the past 3 years, NXG returned 33.57%/yr vs 16.76%/yr for GCOW. At a 0.33 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. NXG charges 1.00%/yr vs 0.60%/yr for GCOW.

Performance

NXG vs. GCOW - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in NXG NextGen Infrastructure Income Fund (NXG) and Pacer Global Cash Cows Dividend ETF (GCOW). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NXG achieves a 21.46% return, which is significantly higher than GCOW's 11.39% return.

NXG

• 1D: -0.75%
• 1M: 1.08%
• YTD: 21.46%
• 6M: 22.35%
• 1Y: 35.11%
• 3Y*: 33.57%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

GCOW

• 1D: 0.16%
• 1M: -0.16%
• YTD: 11.39%
• 6M: 13.49%
• 1Y: 25.84%
• 3Y*: 16.76%
• 5Y*: 12.20%
• 10Y*: 9.99%

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

NXG vs. GCOW - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
NXG NXG NextGen Infrastructure Income Fund	21.46%	25.98%	51.16%	4.54%	-5.68%
GCOW Pacer Global Cash Cows Dividend ETF	11.39%	27.34%	3.52%	13.95%	9.73%

Correlation

The correlation between NXG and GCOW is 0.08, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.08
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.26
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 2, 2022	0.33

Over the past year, the correlation between NXG and GCOW has dropped to 0.08 - well below their long-term average of 0.33, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

NXG vs. GCOW — Risk / Return Rank

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

NXG

NXG Risk / Return Rank: 42
NXG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 43
NXG Sortino Ratio Rank: 37
NXG Omega Ratio Rank: 41
NXG Calmar Ratio Rank: 53
NXG Martin Ratio Rank: 34

GCOW

GCOW Risk / Return Rank: 83
GCOW Sharpe Ratio Rank: 82
GCOW Sortino Ratio Rank: 85
GCOW Omega Ratio Rank: 78
GCOW Calmar Ratio Rank: 92
GCOW Martin Ratio Rank: 79

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.

NXG vs. GCOW - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for NXG NextGen Infrastructure Income Fund (NXG) and Pacer Global Cash Cows Dividend ETF (GCOW). 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.

	NXG	GCOW	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.83	2.39	-0.57
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.44	3.45	-1.01
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.33	1.42	-0.09
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.67	5.44	-2.77
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	7.35	14.07	-6.72
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

NXG vs. GCOW - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NXG Sharpe Ratio is 1.83, which is comparable to the GCOW Sharpe Ratio of 2.39. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NXG and GCOW, 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

	NXG	GCOW	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.83	2.39	-0.57
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.91	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.62	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.97	0.58	+0.38

Drawdowns

NXG vs. GCOW - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NXG drawdown since its inception was -26.14%, smaller than the maximum GCOW drawdown of -37.64%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NXG and GCOW.

Drawdown Indicators

	NXG	GCOW	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-26.14%	-37.64%	+11.50%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.19%	-4.77%	-8.42%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-26.14%	-12.35%	-13.79%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-21.48%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-37.64%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-3.26%	-3.42%	+0.16%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.58%	-5.84%	-0.74%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.79%	1.84%	+2.95%

Volatility

NXG vs. GCOW - Volatility Comparison

NXG NextGen Infrastructure Income Fund (NXG) has a higher volatility of 6.48% compared to Pacer Global Cash Cows Dividend ETF (GCOW) at 2.48%. This indicates that NXG's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than GCOW based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NXG	GCOW	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.48%	2.48%	+4.00%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.33%	8.02%	+6.31%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	19.35%	10.86%	+8.49%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	26.89%	13.49%	+13.40%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	26.89%	16.20%	+10.69%

NXG vs. GCOW - Expense Ratio Comparison

NXG has a 1.00% expense ratio, which is higher than GCOW's 0.60% expense ratio.

Dividends

NXG vs. GCOW - Dividend Comparison

NXG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 11.10%, more than GCOW's 4.72% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
GCOW Pacer Global Cash Cows Dividend ETF	4.72%	4.06%	5.14%	5.28%	4.39%	4.23%	4.12%	4.40%	3.94%	2.79%	1.95%
NXG NXG NextGen Infrastructure Income Fund	11.10%	12.83%	14.15%	12.00%	1.11%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NXG and GCOW in my portfolio?

NXG and GCOW have a correlation of 0.08, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, NXG or GCOW?

NXG has higher volatility (6.48%) compared to GCOW (2.48%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NXG dropped -26.14% vs GCOW's -37.64%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

GCOW currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.39 vs 1.83), 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.