PAFMX vs. PLWIX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

PAFMX (Putnam Retirement Advantage 2045 Fund) and PLWIX (Principal LifeTime 2020 Fund) are both Target Retirement Date funds. Over the past 5 years, PAFMX returned 10.87%/yr vs 5.37%/yr for PLWIX. Their correlation of 0.93 suggests significant overlap in exposure. PAFMX charges 0.45%/yr vs 0.01%/yr for PLWIX.

Performance

PAFMX vs. PLWIX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Putnam Retirement Advantage 2045 Fund (PAFMX) and Principal LifeTime 2020 Fund (PLWIX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PAFMX achieves a 10.06% return, which is significantly higher than PLWIX's 4.62% return.

PAFMX

• 1D: 0.38%
• 1M: 4.38%
• YTD: 10.06%
• 6M: 10.99%
• 1Y: 24.51%
• 3Y*: 19.94%
• 5Y*: 10.87%
• 10Y*: —

PLWIX

• 1D: 0.24%
• 1M: 2.26%
• YTD: 4.62%
• 6M: 4.75%
• 1Y: 12.52%
• 3Y*: 11.76%
• 5Y*: 5.37%
• 10Y*: 7.37%

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

PAFMX vs. PLWIX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
PAFMX Putnam Retirement Advantage 2045 Fund	10.06%	18.27%	15.76%	25.02%	-16.53%	17.61%	14.31%
PLWIX Principal LifeTime 2020 Fund	4.62%	11.32%	12.21%	12.23%	-14.36%	9.05%	12.21%

Correlation

The correlation between PAFMX and PLWIX is 0.93, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.93
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.90
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.92
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 3, 2020	0.93

The correlation between PAFMX and PLWIX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.90 to 0.93 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

PAFMX vs. PLWIX — Risk / Return Rank

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

PAFMX

PAFMX Risk / Return Rank: 75
PAFMX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 76
PAFMX Sortino Ratio Rank: 72
PAFMX Omega Ratio Rank: 69
PAFMX Calmar Ratio Rank: 76
PAFMX Martin Ratio Rank: 83

PLWIX

PLWIX Risk / Return Rank: 55
PLWIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 54
PLWIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 55
PLWIX Omega Ratio Rank: 57
PLWIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 49
PLWIX Martin Ratio Rank: 60

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.

PAFMX vs. PLWIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Putnam Retirement Advantage 2045 Fund (PAFMX) and Principal LifeTime 2020 Fund (PLWIX). 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.

	PAFMX	PLWIX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.53	2.17	+0.37
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.54	3.13	+0.41
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.47	1.42	+0.05
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.44	2.69	+0.75
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	15.70	11.98	+3.71
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PAFMX vs. PLWIX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PAFMX Sharpe Ratio is 2.53, which is comparable to the PLWIX Sharpe Ratio of 2.17. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PAFMX and PLWIX, 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

	PAFMX	PLWIX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.53	2.17	+0.37
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.82	0.65	+0.17
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.86	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.79	0.53	+0.26

Drawdowns

PAFMX vs. PLWIX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PAFMX drawdown since its inception was -29.22%, smaller than the maximum PLWIX drawdown of -49.07%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PAFMX and PLWIX.

Drawdown Indicators

	PAFMX	PLWIX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-29.22%	-49.07%	+19.85%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.22%	-4.75%	-2.47%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-14.04%	-6.97%	-7.07%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-22.63%	-19.73%	-2.90%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-20.29%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.12%	-5.72%	+0.60%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.58%	1.06%	+0.52%

Volatility

PAFMX vs. PLWIX - Volatility Comparison

Putnam Retirement Advantage 2045 Fund (PAFMX) has a higher volatility of 2.73% compared to Principal LifeTime 2020 Fund (PLWIX) at 1.92%. This indicates that PAFMX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PLWIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PAFMX	PLWIX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.73%	1.92%	+0.81%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.69%	4.79%	+2.90%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	9.81%	5.89%	+3.92%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.26%	8.24%	+5.02%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.76%	8.57%	+7.19%

PAFMX vs. PLWIX - Expense Ratio Comparison

PAFMX has a 0.45% expense ratio, which is higher than PLWIX's 0.01% expense ratio.

Dividends

PAFMX vs. PLWIX - Dividend Comparison

PAFMX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.74%, more than PLWIX's 9.63% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PAFMX Putnam Retirement Advantage 2045 Fund	10.74%	11.82%	5.67%	2.72%	12.24%	15.59%	1.22%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
PLWIX Principal LifeTime 2020 Fund	9.63%	10.08%	11.91%	5.12%	9.82%	9.40%	5.90%	8.69%	7.35%	5.74%	3.73%	8.75%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PAFMX and PLWIX in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.93, PAFMX and PLWIX move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which is riskier, PAFMX or PLWIX?

PAFMX has higher volatility (2.73%) compared to PLWIX (1.92%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PAFMX dropped -29.22% vs PLWIX's -49.07%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PAFMX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.53 vs 2.17), 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.