PAA vs. VWO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

PAA (Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.) is a stock, while VWO (Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF) is Emerging Markets Equities fund tracking the FTSE Emerging Index. Over the past 10 years, PAA returned 6.90%/yr vs 8.85%/yr for VWO. At a 0.34 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

PAA vs. VWO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (PAA) and Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PAA achieves a 32.73% return, which is significantly higher than VWO's 12.22% return. Over the past 10 years, PAA has underperformed VWO with an annualized return of 6.90%, while VWO has yielded a comparatively higher 8.85% annualized return.

PAA

• 1D: -0.22%
• 1M: 1.15%
• YTD: 32.73%
• 6M: 34.61%
• 1Y: 45.13%
• 3Y*: 29.04%
• 5Y*: 24.34%
• 10Y*: 6.90%

VWO

• 1D: -1.41%
• 1M: 2.72%
• YTD: 12.22%
• 6M: 13.79%
• 1Y: 30.72%
• 3Y*: 18.02%
• 5Y*: 5.17%
• 10Y*: 8.85%

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

PAA vs. VWO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PAA Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.	32.73%	14.30%	21.38%	39.18%	35.79%	22.24%	-50.79%	-2.28%	2.31%	-31.34%
VWO Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF	12.22%	25.60%	10.59%	9.25%	-17.98%	1.26%	15.17%	20.75%	-14.76%	31.49%

Correlation

The correlation between PAA and VWO is -0.12, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.12
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.16
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.26
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.31
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 11, 2005	0.34

The correlation between PAA and VWO shifts across timeframes, from -0.12 (1 year) to 0.34 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

PAA vs. VWO — Risk / Return Rank

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

PAA

PAA Risk / Return Rank: 87
PAA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 91
PAA Sortino Ratio Rank: 90
PAA Omega Ratio Rank: 87
PAA Calmar Ratio Rank: 83
PAA Martin Ratio Rank: 85

VWO

VWO Risk / Return Rank: 56
VWO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 56
VWO Sortino Ratio Rank: 55
VWO Omega Ratio Rank: 57
VWO Calmar Ratio Rank: 54
VWO Martin Ratio Rank: 56

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.

PAA vs. VWO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (PAA) and Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO). 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.

	PAA	VWO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.44	1.94	+0.49
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.28	2.69	+0.59
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.40	1.36	+0.04
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.12	2.76	+0.36
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.10	9.96	-0.86
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PAA vs. VWO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PAA Sharpe Ratio is 2.44, which is comparable to the VWO Sharpe Ratio of 1.94. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PAA and VWO, 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

	PAA	VWO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.44	1.94	+0.49
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.91	0.30	+0.61
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.17	0.46	-0.30
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.31	0.27	+0.04

Drawdowns

PAA vs. VWO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PAA drawdown since its inception was -91.99%, which is greater than VWO's maximum drawdown of -67.68%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PAA and VWO.

Drawdown Indicators

	PAA	VWO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-91.99%	-67.68%	-24.31%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.53%	-11.17%	-3.36%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-22.26%	-17.37%	-4.89%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-26.11%	-32.64%	+6.53%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-87.92%	-36.39%	-51.53%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-8.14%	-1.41%	-6.73%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-25.77%	-15.82%	-9.95%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.97%	3.09%	+1.88%

Volatility

PAA vs. VWO - Volatility Comparison

Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (PAA) has a higher volatility of 7.38% compared to Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO) at 5.61%. This indicates that PAA's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VWO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PAA	VWO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.38%	5.61%	+1.77%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.05%	13.22%	+0.83%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	18.70%	15.89%	+2.81%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	26.87%	17.37%	+9.50%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	41.87%	19.20%	+22.67%

Dividends

PAA vs. VWO - Dividend Comparison

PAA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.96%, more than VWO's 2.40% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PAA Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.	6.96%	8.46%	7.44%	7.06%	7.08%	7.71%	10.92%	7.50%	5.99%	9.45%	8.21%	11.93%
VWO Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF	2.40%	2.79%	3.20%	3.52%	4.11%	2.63%	1.91%	3.23%	2.88%	2.30%	2.52%	3.26%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PAA and VWO in my portfolio?

PAA and VWO have a correlation of -0.12, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PAA or VWO?

PAA has higher volatility (7.38%) compared to VWO (5.61%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PAA dropped -91.99% vs VWO's -67.68%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PAA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.44 vs 1.94), 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.