PDAHX vs. PPLIX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

PDAHX (Prudential Day One Income Fund) and PPLIX (Principal LifeTime 2050 Fund) are both Target Retirement Date funds. Over the past 5 years, PDAHX returned 4.86%/yr vs 9.59%/yr for PPLIX. Their correlation of 0.80 suggests significant overlap in exposure. PDAHX charges 0.16%/yr vs 0.01%/yr for PPLIX.

Performance

PDAHX vs. PPLIX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Prudential Day One Income Fund (PDAHX) and Principal LifeTime 2050 Fund (PPLIX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PDAHX achieves a 5.42% return, which is significantly lower than PPLIX's 9.45% return.

PDAHX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 1.10%
• YTD: 5.42%
• 6M: 5.37%
• 1Y: 12.44%
• 3Y*: 9.91%
• 5Y*: 4.86%
• 10Y*: —

PPLIX

• 1D: 0.41%
• 1M: 4.65%
• YTD: 9.45%
• 6M: 9.80%
• 1Y: 22.45%
• 3Y*: 19.31%
• 5Y*: 9.59%
• 10Y*: 11.60%

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

PDAHX vs. PPLIX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PDAHX Prudential Day One Income Fund	5.42%	10.37%	8.27%	8.89%	-11.69%	9.21%	8.22%	13.58%	-3.26%	8.25%
PPLIX Principal LifeTime 2050 Fund	9.45%	17.55%	19.12%	20.36%	-18.78%	17.04%	16.56%	26.67%	-8.74%	21.22%

Correlation

The correlation between PDAHX and PPLIX is 0.78, 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	0.78
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.80
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.82
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 4, 2017	0.80

The correlation between PDAHX and PPLIX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.78 to 0.81 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

PDAHX vs. PPLIX — Risk / Return Rank

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

PDAHX

PDAHX Risk / Return Rank: 85
PDAHX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 88
PDAHX Sortino Ratio Rank: 88
PDAHX Omega Ratio Rank: 84
PDAHX Calmar Ratio Rank: 79
PDAHX Martin Ratio Rank: 88

PPLIX

PPLIX Risk / Return Rank: 49
PPLIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 46
PPLIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 45
PPLIX Omega Ratio Rank: 46
PPLIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 49
PPLIX Martin Ratio Rank: 61

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.

PDAHX vs. PPLIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Prudential Day One Income Fund (PDAHX) and Principal LifeTime 2050 Fund (PPLIX). 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.

	PDAHX	PPLIX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.89	1.99	+0.90
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	4.20	2.81	+1.39
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.57	1.37	+0.20
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.59	2.68	+0.92
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	17.13	12.05	+5.08
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PDAHX vs. PPLIX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PDAHX Sharpe Ratio is 2.89, which is higher than the PPLIX Sharpe Ratio of 1.99. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PDAHX and PPLIX, 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

	PDAHX	PPLIX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.89	1.99	+0.90
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.75	0.62	+0.12
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.75	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.91	0.46	+0.46

Drawdowns

PDAHX vs. PPLIX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PDAHX drawdown since its inception was -15.65%, smaller than the maximum PPLIX drawdown of -55.61%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PDAHX and PPLIX.

Drawdown Indicators

	PDAHX	PPLIX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-15.65%	-55.61%	+39.96%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-3.51%	-8.57%	+5.06%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-5.61%	-15.59%	+9.98%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-15.65%	-26.85%	+11.20%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-32.67%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.67%	-8.30%	+5.63%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.73%	1.90%	-1.17%

Volatility

PDAHX vs. PPLIX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Prudential Day One Income Fund (PDAHX) is 1.42%, while Principal LifeTime 2050 Fund (PPLIX) has a volatility of 3.25%. This indicates that PDAHX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than PPLIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PDAHX	PPLIX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.42%	3.25%	-1.83%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	3.49%	9.22%	-5.73%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.36%	11.56%	-7.20%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	6.55%	15.47%	-8.92%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	6.38%	15.59%	-9.21%

PDAHX vs. PPLIX - Expense Ratio Comparison

PDAHX has a 0.16% expense ratio, which is higher than PPLIX's 0.01% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

PDAHX vs. PPLIX - Dividend Comparison

PDAHX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.60%, less than PPLIX's 9.09% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PDAHX Prudential Day One Income Fund	4.60%	4.92%	7.35%	3.54%	7.78%	7.72%	2.22%	4.25%	3.70%	1.88%	0.00%	0.00%
PPLIX Principal LifeTime 2050 Fund	9.09%	9.95%	11.56%	4.41%	9.40%	8.04%	5.23%	7.16%	8.64%	5.12%	4.82%	6.07%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PDAHX and PPLIX in my portfolio?

PDAHX and PPLIX have a correlation of 0.78, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PDAHX or PPLIX?

PPLIX has higher volatility (3.25%) compared to PDAHX (1.42%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PDAHX dropped -15.65% vs PPLIX's -55.61%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PDAHX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.89 vs 1.99), 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.