PDIZX vs. PNSAX

Last updated Jun 16, 2026

PDIZX (Putnam Retirement Advantage 2030 Fund) and PNSAX (Putnam Small Cap Growth Fund) are both mutual funds - PDIZX is a Target Retirement Date fund managed by Putnam, while PNSAX is a Small Cap Growth Equities fund managed by Putnam. Over the past 5 years, PDIZX returned 5.92%/yr vs 9.62%/yr for PNSAX. Their correlation of 0.81 suggests significant overlap in exposure. PDIZX charges 0.45%/yr vs 1.23%/yr for PNSAX.

Performance

PDIZX vs. PNSAX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Putnam Retirement Advantage 2030 Fund (PDIZX) and Putnam Small Cap Growth Fund (PNSAX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PDIZX achieves a 4.06% return, which is significantly lower than PNSAX's 22.07% return.

PDIZX

• 1D: 0.18%
• 1M: 1.16%
• YTD: 4.06%
• 6M: 4.55%
• 1Y: 12.80%
• 3Y*: 12.02%
• 5Y*: 5.92%
• 10Y*: —

PNSAX

• 1D: 1.02%
• 1M: 5.76%
• YTD: 22.07%
• 6M: 20.52%
• 1Y: 35.56%
• 3Y*: 21.01%
• 5Y*: 9.62%
• 10Y*: 16.26%

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

PDIZX vs. PNSAX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
PDIZX Putnam Retirement Advantage 2030 Fund	4.06%	11.93%	8.54%	18.82%	-14.27%	12.07%	11.36%
PNSAX Putnam Small Cap Growth Fund	22.07%	8.91%	22.98%	22.87%	-28.10%	14.38%	47.65%

Correlation

The correlation between PDIZX and PNSAX is 0.75, 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	0.75
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.77
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.80
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 2, 2020	0.81

The correlation between PDIZX and PNSAX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.75 to 0.81 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

PDIZX vs. PNSAX — Risk / Return Rank

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

PDIZX

PDIZX Risk / Return Rank: 76
PDIZX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 74
PDIZX Sortino Ratio Rank: 75
PDIZX Omega Ratio Rank: 73
PDIZX Calmar Ratio Rank: 76
PDIZX Martin Ratio Rank: 84

PNSAX

PNSAX Risk / Return Rank: 38
PNSAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 33
PNSAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 32
PNSAX Omega Ratio Rank: 31
PNSAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 50
PNSAX Martin Ratio Rank: 45

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.

PDIZX vs. PNSAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Putnam Retirement Advantage 2030 Fund (PDIZX) and Putnam Small Cap Growth Fund (PNSAX). 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.

	PDIZX	PNSAX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.14	1.43	+0.71
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.10	2.04	+1.06
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.41	1.25	+0.15
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.06	2.41	+0.65
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	13.57	8.37	+5.20

PDIZX vs. PNSAX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PDIZX Sharpe Ratio is 2.14, which is higher than the PNSAX Sharpe Ratio of 1.43. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PDIZX and PNSAX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

PDIZX vs. PNSAX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PDIZX drawdown since its inception was -21.03%, smaller than the maximum PNSAX drawdown of -69.47%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PDIZX and PNSAX.

Drawdown Indicators

	PDIZX	PNSAX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-21.03%	-69.47%	+48.44%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-3.96%	-14.00%	+10.04%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-7.31%	-26.25%	+18.94%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-18.97%	-38.77%	+19.80%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-38.77%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.62%	0.00%	-0.62%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.32%	-23.53%	+19.21%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.89%	4.02%	-3.13%

Volatility

PDIZX vs. PNSAX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Putnam Retirement Advantage 2030 Fund (PDIZX) is 2.32%, while Putnam Small Cap Growth Fund (PNSAX) has a volatility of 9.51%. This indicates that PDIZX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than PNSAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PDIZX	PNSAX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.32%	9.51%	-7.19%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	4.58%	19.40%	-14.82%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	5.66%	23.58%	-17.92%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	8.65%	23.40%	-14.75%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	10.46%	23.66%	-13.20%

PDIZX vs. PNSAX - Expense Ratio Comparison

PDIZX has a 0.45% expense ratio, which is lower than PNSAX's 1.23% expense ratio.

Dividends

PDIZX vs. PNSAX - Dividend Comparison

PDIZX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.33%, more than PNSAX's 0.35% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
PDIZX Putnam Retirement Advantage 2030 Fund	7.33%	7.63%	4.91%	3.15%	7.76%	12.48%	1.28%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
PNSAX Putnam Small Cap Growth Fund	0.35%	0.42%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	15.27%	4.87%	1.93%	1.88%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PDIZX and PNSAX in my portfolio?

PDIZX and PNSAX have a correlation of 0.75, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PDIZX or PNSAX?

PNSAX has higher volatility (9.51%) compared to PDIZX (2.32%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PDIZX dropped -21.03% vs PNSAX's -69.47%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PDIZX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.14 vs 1.43), 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.