PCBAX vs. FTLS

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

PCBAX (BlackRock Tactical Opportunities Fund) and FTLS (First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF) are both funds - PCBAX is a Macro Trading fund managed by BlackRock, while FTLS is a Long-Short fund actively managed by First Trust. Over the past 10 years, PCBAX returned 5.83%/yr vs 9.81%/yr for FTLS. At a 0.26 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. PCBAX charges 1.08%/yr vs 1.60%/yr for FTLS.

Performance

PCBAX vs. FTLS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in BlackRock Tactical Opportunities Fund (PCBAX) and First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF (FTLS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PCBAX achieves a 10.12% return, which is significantly higher than FTLS's 5.21% return. Over the past 10 years, PCBAX has underperformed FTLS with an annualized return of 5.83%, while FTLS has yielded a comparatively higher 9.81% annualized return.

PCBAX

• 1D: 0.53%
• 1M: 2.34%
• YTD: 10.12%
• 6M: 10.97%
• 1Y: 13.18%
• 3Y*: 10.05%
• 5Y*: 6.99%
• 10Y*: 5.83%

FTLS

• 1D: 0.67%
• 1M: 1.31%
• YTD: 5.21%
• 6M: 4.51%
• 1Y: 14.78%
• 3Y*: 14.27%
• 5Y*: 10.33%
• 10Y*: 9.81%

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

PCBAX vs. FTLS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PCBAX BlackRock Tactical Opportunities Fund	10.12%	6.16%	11.77%	2.37%	5.77%	0.29%	6.50%	1.41%	4.32%	7.71%
FTLS First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF	5.21%	9.09%	18.80%	16.94%	-5.56%	19.65%	2.56%	16.16%	-4.81%	14.41%

Correlation

The correlation between PCBAX and FTLS is 0.00, 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	0.00
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.23
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.18
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.18
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 11, 2014	0.26

Over the past year, the correlation between PCBAX and FTLS has dropped to 0.00 - well below their long-term average of 0.26, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

PCBAX vs. FTLS — Risk / Return Rank

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

PCBAX

PCBAX Risk / Return Rank: 72
PCBAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 68
PCBAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 75
PCBAX Omega Ratio Rank: 71
PCBAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 90
PCBAX Martin Ratio Rank: 56

FTLS

FTLS Risk / Return Rank: 60
FTLS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 52
FTLS Sortino Ratio Rank: 54
FTLS Omega Ratio Rank: 52
FTLS Calmar Ratio Rank: 77
FTLS Martin Ratio Rank: 67

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.

PCBAX vs. FTLS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BlackRock Tactical Opportunities Fund (PCBAX) and First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF (FTLS). 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.

	PCBAX	FTLS	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.41	1.81	+0.60
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.61	2.64	+0.97
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.47	1.33	+0.15
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.66	3.96	+0.70
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	11.30	12.34	-1.05
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PCBAX vs. FTLS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PCBAX Sharpe Ratio is 2.41, which is higher than the FTLS Sharpe Ratio of 1.81. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PCBAX and FTLS, 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

	PCBAX	FTLS	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.41	1.81	+0.60
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.08	0.98	+0.10
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.95	0.87	+0.08
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.58	0.81	-0.22

Drawdowns

PCBAX vs. FTLS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PCBAX drawdown since its inception was -39.55%, which is greater than FTLS's maximum drawdown of -20.54%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PCBAX and FTLS.

Drawdown Indicators

	PCBAX	FTLS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-39.55%	-20.54%	-19.01%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-3.04%	-3.79%	+0.75%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-6.75%	-11.69%	+4.94%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-6.75%	-11.69%	+4.94%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-9.00%	-20.54%	+11.54%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.06%	-0.15%	+0.09%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.37%	-2.69%	-1.68%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.25%	1.21%	+0.04%

Volatility

PCBAX vs. FTLS - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for BlackRock Tactical Opportunities Fund (PCBAX) is 1.68%, while First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF (FTLS) has a volatility of 1.93%. This indicates that PCBAX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than FTLS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PCBAX	FTLS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.68%	1.93%	-0.25%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	4.81%	5.65%	-0.84%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	5.81%	8.19%	-2.38%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	6.47%	10.55%	-4.08%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	6.14%	11.30%	-5.16%

PCBAX vs. FTLS - Expense Ratio Comparison

PCBAX has a 1.08% expense ratio, which is lower than FTLS's 1.60% expense ratio.

Dividends

PCBAX vs. FTLS - Dividend Comparison

PCBAX has not paid dividends to shareholders, while FTLS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.90%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
FTLS First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF	0.90%	1.07%	1.50%	1.49%	0.81%	0.01%	0.44%	0.83%	0.87%	0.43%	1.04%	0.49%
PCBAX BlackRock Tactical Opportunities Fund	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	11.67%	3.36%	0.00%	2.44%	3.08%	9.91%	0.80%	1.41%	4.86%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PCBAX and FTLS in my portfolio?

PCBAX and FTLS have a correlation of 0.00, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PCBAX or FTLS?

FTLS has higher volatility (1.93%) compared to PCBAX (1.68%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PCBAX dropped -39.55% vs FTLS's -20.54%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PCBAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.41 vs 1.81), 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.