PDBAX vs. AGG
PDBAX (PGIM Total Return Bond Fund) and AGG (iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) are both funds - PDBAX is a Intermediate Core-Plus Bond fund managed by PGIM, while AGG is a Total Bond Market fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. Over the past 10 years, PDBAX returned 2.47%/yr vs 1.57%/yr for AGG. Their correlation of 0.81 suggests significant overlap in exposure. PDBAX charges 0.76%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for AGG.
Performance
PDBAX vs. AGG - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PDBAX achieves a 0.53% return, which is significantly higher than AGG's 0.25% return. Over the past 10 years, PDBAX has outperformed AGG with an annualized return of 2.47%, while AGG has yielded a comparatively lower 1.57% annualized return.
PDBAX
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- 0.55%
- YTD
- 0.53%
- 6M
- 0.48%
- 1Y
- 5.96%
- 3Y*
- 4.53%
- 5Y*
- 0.34%
- 10Y*
- 2.47%
AGG
- 1D
- -0.21%
- 1M
- 0.24%
- YTD
- 0.25%
- 6M
- 0.09%
- 1Y
- 5.14%
- 3Y*
- 3.95%
- 5Y*
- 0.10%
- 10Y*
- 1.57%
PDBAX vs. AGG - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PDBAX PGIM Total Return Bond Fund | 0.53% | 7.50% | 1.82% | 6.51% | -14.52% | -1.77% | 7.78% | 14.71% | -0.97% | 6.30% |
AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 0.25% | 7.19% | 1.31% | 5.65% | -13.02% | -1.77% | 7.48% | 8.46% | 0.09% | 3.55% |
Correlation
The correlation between PDBAX and AGG is 0.91, 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 | 0.91 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.94 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.94 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.90 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 29, 2003 | 0.81 |
The correlation between PDBAX and AGG shifts across timeframes, from 0.81 (all time) to 0.94 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
PDBAX vs. AGG — Risk / Return Rank
PDBAX
AGG
PDBAX vs. AGG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for PGIM Total Return Bond Fund (PDBAX) and iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG). 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.
| PDBAX | AGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.02 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.06 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.25 | 1.24 | +0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.95 | 1.87 | +0.08 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.73 | 5.73 | 0.00 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| PDBAX | AGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.36 | 1.34 | +0.02 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.06 | 0.02 | +0.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.46 | 0.29 | +0.17 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.09 | 0.59 | +0.50 |
Drawdowns
PDBAX vs. AGG - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PDBAX drawdown since its inception was -21.24%, which is greater than AGG's maximum drawdown of -18.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PDBAX and AGG.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PDBAX | AGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -21.24% | -18.43% | -2.81% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.07% | -2.76% | -0.31% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.99% | -6.11% | +0.12% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.01% | -17.82% | -3.19% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -21.24% | -18.43% | -2.81% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.59% | -2.14% | +0.55% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.47% | -2.71% | +0.24% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.04% | 0.90% | +0.14% |
Volatility
PDBAX vs. AGG - Volatility Comparison
PGIM Total Return Bond Fund (PDBAX) has a higher volatility of 2.09% compared to iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG) at 1.30%. This indicates that PDBAX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than AGG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PDBAX | AGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.09% | 1.30% | +0.79% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.31% | 2.74% | +0.57% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.40% | 3.85% | +0.55% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.04% | 6.09% | -0.05% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.35% | 5.40% | -0.05% |
PDBAX vs. AGG - Expense Ratio Comparison
PDBAX has a 0.76% expense ratio, which is higher than AGG's 0.03% expense ratio.
Dividends
PDBAX vs. AGG - Dividend Comparison
PDBAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.31%, more than AGG's 3.99% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 3.99% | 3.89% | 3.74% | 3.13% | 2.39% | 1.77% | 2.14% | 2.70% | 2.72% | 2.32% | 2.39% | 2.45% |
PDBAX PGIM Total Return Bond Fund | 4.31% | 4.27% | 3.76% | 3.55% | 5.49% | 2.47% | 2.68% | 10.32% | 3.74% | 2.60% | 3.65% | 2.94% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.91, PDBAX and AGG 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.
PDBAX has higher volatility (2.09%) compared to AGG (1.30%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PDBAX dropped -21.24% vs AGG's -18.43%.
PDBAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.36 vs 1.34), 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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