PCBIX vs. PLTHX
PCBIX (Principal MidCap Fund Institutional Class) and PLTHX (Principal LifeTime Hybrid 2060 Fund) are both mutual funds - PCBIX is a Mid Cap Growth Equities fund managed by Principal, while PLTHX is a Target Retirement Date fund managed by Principal. Over the past 10 years, PCBIX returned 12.26%/yr vs 12.37%/yr for PLTHX. Their correlation of 0.89 suggests significant overlap in exposure. PCBIX charges 0.67%/yr vs 0.05%/yr for PLTHX.
Performance
PCBIX vs. PLTHX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PCBIX achieves a -6.91% return, which is significantly lower than PLTHX's 10.63% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with PCBIX having a 12.26% annualized return and PLTHX not far ahead at 12.37%.
PCBIX
- 1D
- -1.02%
- 1M
- 2.71%
- YTD
- -6.91%
- 6M
- -8.20%
- 1Y
- -8.90%
- 3Y*
- 9.65%
- 5Y*
- 4.75%
- 10Y*
- 12.26%
PLTHX
- 1D
- -0.28%
- 1M
- 1.56%
- YTD
- 10.63%
- 6M
- 9.95%
- 1Y
- 25.90%
- 3Y*
- 19.31%
- 5Y*
- 10.35%
- 10Y*
- 12.37%
PCBIX vs. PLTHX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PCBIX Principal MidCap Fund Institutional Class | -6.91% | 1.62% | 23.63% | 25.92% | -23.16% | 25.22% | 18.25% | 49.40% | -6.86% | 25.32% |
PLTHX Principal LifeTime Hybrid 2060 Fund | 10.63% | 19.91% | 17.18% | 20.28% | -18.52% | 20.05% | 16.11% | 26.46% | -9.93% | 21.32% |
Correlation
The correlation between PCBIX and PLTHX is 0.68, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.68 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.80 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.87 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.88 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 1, 2014 | 0.89 |
Over the past year, the correlation between PCBIX and PLTHX has dropped to 0.68 - well below their long-term average of 0.89, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
PCBIX vs. PLTHX — Risk / Return Rank
PCBIX
PLTHX
PCBIX vs. PLTHX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Principal MidCap Fund Institutional Class (PCBIX) and Principal LifeTime Hybrid 2060 Fund (PLTHX). 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 | PLTHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.67 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -3.61 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.93 | 1.39 | -0.47 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.41 | 3.15 | -3.56 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.85 | 14.01 | -14.87 |
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Drawdowns
PCBIX vs. PLTHX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PCBIX drawdown since its inception was -50.25%, which is greater than PLTHX's maximum drawdown of -33.26%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PCBIX and PLTHX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PCBIX | PLTHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -50.25% | -33.26% | -16.99% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -19.29% | -8.60% | -10.69% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.29% | -16.64% | -2.65% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -31.17% | -25.49% | -5.68% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -40.56% | -33.26% | -7.30% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -13.00% | -0.97% | -12.03% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.57% | -4.79% | -1.78% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 9.16% | 1.93% | +7.23% |
Volatility
PCBIX vs. PLTHX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Principal MidCap Fund Institutional Class (PCBIX) is 4.40%, while Principal LifeTime Hybrid 2060 Fund (PLTHX) has a volatility of 5.05%. This indicates that PCBIX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than PLTHX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PCBIX | PLTHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.40% | 5.05% | -0.65% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.64% | 10.44% | +1.20% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.67% | 12.70% | +1.97% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.69% | 15.62% | +3.07% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.18% | 16.02% | +3.16% |
PCBIX vs. PLTHX - Expense Ratio Comparison
PCBIX has a 0.67% expense ratio, which is higher than PLTHX's 0.05% expense ratio.
Dividends
PCBIX vs. PLTHX - Dividend Comparison
PCBIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.25%, more than PLTHX's 3.95% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PCBIX Principal MidCap Fund Institutional Class | 6.25% | 5.81% | 6.40% | 2.51% | 3.18% | 7.96% | 1.08% | 9.02% | 12.24% | 3.31% | 2.49% | 6.30% |
PLTHX Principal LifeTime Hybrid 2060 Fund | 3.95% | 4.37% | 4.30% | 2.76% | 7.91% | 3.84% | 2.91% | 3.67% | 3.47% | 2.37% | 2.20% | 1.65% |
Frequently Asked Questions
PCBIX and PLTHX have a correlation of 0.68, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
PLTHX has higher volatility (5.05%) compared to PCBIX (4.40%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PCBIX dropped -50.25% vs PLTHX's -33.26%.
PLTHX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.14 vs -0.53), 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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