PCBIX vs. PLSAX
PCBIX (Principal MidCap Fund Institutional Class) and PLSAX (Principal LargeCap S&P 500 Index Fund Class A) are both mutual funds - PCBIX is a Mid Cap Growth Equities fund managed by Principal, while PLSAX is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 10 years, PCBIX returned 11.82%/yr vs 14.68%/yr for PLSAX. Their correlation of 0.90 means they have usually moved in the same direction. PCBIX charges 0.67%/yr vs 0.38%/yr for PLSAX.
Performance
PCBIX vs. PLSAX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PCBIX achieves a -3.74% return, which is significantly lower than PLSAX's 9.18% return. Over the past 10 years, PCBIX has underperformed PLSAX with an annualized return of 11.82%, while PLSAX has yielded a comparatively higher 14.68% annualized return.
PCBIX
- 1D
- -1.39%
- 1M
- -0.60%
- 6M
- -3.13%
- YTD
- -3.74%
- 1Y
- -7.35%
- 3Y*
- 9.29%
- 5Y*
- 4.47%
- 10Y*
- 11.82%
- ALL TIME*
- 10.93%
PLSAX
- 1D
- 1.64%
- 1M
- -0.59%
- 6M
- 7.65%
- YTD
- 9.18%
- 1Y
- 20.30%
- 3Y*
- 19.22%
- 5Y*
- 12.59%
- 10Y*
- 14.68%
- ALL TIME*
- 8.01%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
PCBIX vs. PLSAX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PCBIX Principal MidCap Fund Institutional Class | -3.74% | 1.62% | 23.63% | 25.92% | -23.16% | 25.22% | 18.25% | 49.40% | -6.86% | 25.32% |
PLSAX Principal LargeCap S&P 500 Index Fund Class A | 9.18% | 17.50% | 26.46% | 25.70% | -18.41% | 27.93% | 17.85% | 30.97% | -4.93% | 21.23% |
Correlation
The correlation between PCBIX and PLSAX is 0.58, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.58 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.73 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.83 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.85 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 28, 2001 | 0.90 |
Over the past year, the correlation between PCBIX and PLSAX has dropped to 0.58 - well below their long-term average of 0.90, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
PCBIX vs. PLSAX — Risk / Return Rank
PCBIX
PLSAX
PCBIX vs. PLSAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Principal MidCap Fund Institutional Class (PCBIX) and Principal LargeCap S&P 500 Index Fund Class A (PLSAX). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| PCBIX | PLSAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.02 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.76 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.91 | 1.25 | -0.34 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.48 | 2.02 | -2.50 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.94 | 8.64 | -9.58 |
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Drawdowns
PCBIX vs. PLSAX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PCBIX drawdown since its inception was -50.25%, smaller than the maximum PLSAX drawdown of -55.67%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PCBIX and PLSAX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PCBIX | PLSAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -50.25% | -55.67% | +5.42% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -19.29% | -8.94% | -10.35% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.29% | -18.78% | -0.51% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -31.17% | -24.69% | -6.48% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -40.56% | -33.79% | -6.77% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -10.03% | -2.16% | -7.87% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.58% | -10.10% | +3.52% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 9.82% | 2.08% | +7.74% |
Volatility
PCBIX vs. PLSAX - Volatility Comparison
Principal MidCap Fund Institutional Class (PCBIX) has a higher volatility of 5.19% compared to Principal LargeCap S&P 500 Index Fund Class A (PLSAX) at 3.42%. This indicates that PCBIX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PLSAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PCBIX | PLSAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.19% | 3.42% | +1.77% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.00% | 10.07% | +1.93% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.15% | 12.84% | +2.31% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.75% | 17.03% | +1.72% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.14% | 17.50% | +1.64% |
PCBIX vs. PLSAX - Expense Ratio Comparison
PCBIX has a 0.67% expense ratio, which is higher than PLSAX's 0.38% expense ratio.
Dividends
PCBIX vs. PLSAX - Dividend Comparison
PCBIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.04%, more than PLSAX's 2.52% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PCBIX Principal MidCap Fund Institutional Class | 6.04% | 5.81% | 6.40% | 2.51% | 3.18% | 7.96% | 1.08% | 9.02% | 12.24% | 3.31% | 2.49% | 6.30% |
PLSAX Principal LargeCap S&P 500 Index Fund Class A | 2.52% | 2.75% | 4.07% | 3.90% | 2.70% | 13.38% | 7.35% | 3.57% | 7.19% | 6.72% | 2.93% | 2.36% |
Frequently Asked Questions
PCBIX and PLSAX have a correlation of 0.58, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
PCBIX has higher volatility (5.19%) compared to PLSAX (3.42%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PCBIX dropped -50.25% vs PLSAX's -55.67%.
PLSAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.40 vs -0.61), 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.
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