PDRDX vs. PLSAX

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

PDRDX (Principal Diversified Real Asset Fund) and PLSAX (Principal LargeCap S&P 500 Index Fund Class A) are both mutual funds - PDRDX is a Global Allocation fund managed by Principal, while PLSAX is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 10 years, PDRDX returned 6.37%/yr vs 14.68%/yr for PLSAX. Their 0.70 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. PDRDX charges 0.83%/yr vs 0.38%/yr for PLSAX.

Performance

PDRDX vs. PLSAX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Principal Diversified Real Asset Fund (PDRDX) and Principal LargeCap S&P 500 Index Fund Class A (PLSAX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PDRDX achieves a 13.53% return, which is significantly higher than PLSAX's 9.18% return. Over the past 10 years, PDRDX has underperformed PLSAX with an annualized return of 6.37%, while PLSAX has yielded a comparatively higher 14.68% annualized return.

PDRDX

• 1D: 0.73%
• 1M: 2.99%
• 6M: 7.22%
• YTD: 13.53%
• 1Y: 21.77%
• 3Y*: 10.30%
• 5Y*: 6.41%
• 10Y*: 6.37%
• ALL TIME*: 5.30%

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%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
PDRDX Principal Diversified Real Asset Fund	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
PLSAX Principal LargeCap S&P 500 Index Fund Class A	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

PDRDX vs. PLSAX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PDRDX Principal Diversified Real Asset Fund	13.53%	14.63%	3.09%	3.22%	-6.19%	17.30%	3.97%	15.02%	-7.90%	10.18%
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 PDRDX and PLSAX is 0.41, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.41
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.53
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.61
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.67
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 17, 2010	0.70

Over the past year, the correlation between PDRDX and PLSAX has dropped to 0.41 - well below their long-term average of 0.70, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

PDRDX vs. PLSAX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

PDRDX

PDRDX Risk / Return Rank: 87
PDRDX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 88
PDRDX Sortino Ratio Rank: 85
PDRDX Omega Ratio Rank: 83
PDRDX Calmar Ratio Rank: 92
PDRDX Martin Ratio Rank: 88

PLSAX

PLSAX Risk / Return Rank: 60
PLSAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 57
PLSAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 54
PLSAX Omega Ratio Rank: 54
PLSAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 60
PLSAX Martin Ratio Rank: 72

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

PDRDX vs. PLSAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Principal Diversified Real Asset Fund (PDRDX) 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.

	PDRDX	PLSAX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.20	1.40	+0.80
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.02	1.97	+1.05
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.40	1.25	+0.14
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.59	2.02	+1.57
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	11.79	8.64	+3.14

PDRDX vs. PLSAX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PDRDX Sharpe Ratio is 2.20, which is higher than the PLSAX Sharpe Ratio of 1.40. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PDRDX and PLSAX, 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

PDRDX vs. PLSAX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PDRDX drawdown since its inception was -28.55%, smaller than the maximum PLSAX drawdown of -55.67%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PDRDX and PLSAX.

Drawdown Indicators

	PDRDX	PLSAX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-28.55%	-55.67%	+27.12%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-5.88%	-8.94%	+3.06%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-10.94%	-18.78%	+7.84%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-19.35%	-24.69%	+5.34%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-28.55%	-33.79%	+5.24%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.11%	-2.16%	+1.05%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.95%	-10.10%	+4.15%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.79%	2.08%	-0.29%

Volatility

PDRDX vs. PLSAX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Principal Diversified Real Asset Fund (PDRDX) is 2.55%, while Principal LargeCap S&P 500 Index Fund Class A (PLSAX) has a volatility of 3.42%. This indicates that PDRDX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than PLSAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PDRDX	PLSAX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.55%	3.42%	-0.87%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.05%	10.07%	-2.02%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	9.64%	12.84%	-3.20%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	11.01%	17.03%	-6.02%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	10.80%	17.50%	-6.70%

PDRDX vs. PLSAX - Expense Ratio Comparison

PDRDX has a 0.83% expense ratio, which is higher than PLSAX's 0.38% expense ratio.

Dividends

PDRDX vs. PLSAX - Dividend Comparison

PDRDX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.64%, more than PLSAX's 2.52% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PDRDX Principal Diversified Real Asset Fund	3.64%	4.19%	2.43%	2.52%	12.88%	6.56%	0.52%	2.36%	3.47%	2.21%	2.61%	0.99%
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

Can I hold both PDRDX and PLSAX in my portfolio?

PDRDX and PLSAX have a correlation of 0.41, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PDRDX or PLSAX?

PLSAX has higher volatility (3.42%) compared to PDRDX (2.55%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PDRDX dropped -28.55% vs PLSAX's -55.67%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PDRDX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.20 vs 1.40), 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.