PDX vs. PFFA

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

PDX (PIMCO Dynamic Income Strategy Fund) and PFFA (Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF) are both funds - PDX is a Tactical Allocation fund actively managed by PIMCO, while PFFA is a Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds fund actively managed by Virtus Investment Partners. Both are actively managed. Over the past 5 years, PDX returned 22.68%/yr vs 6.57%/yr for PFFA. At a 0.38 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. PDX charges 2.31%/yr vs 1.47%/yr for PFFA.

Performance

PDX vs. PFFA - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in PIMCO Dynamic Income Strategy Fund (PDX) and Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF (PFFA). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PDX achieves a 18.39% return, which is significantly higher than PFFA's 3.08% return.

PDX

• 1D: -0.69%
• 1M: 2.06%
• YTD: 18.39%
• 6M: 20.19%
• 1Y: 12.82%
• 3Y*: 27.81%
• 5Y*: 22.68%
• 10Y*: —

PFFA

• 1D: -0.70%
• 1M: -0.26%
• YTD: 3.08%
• 6M: 4.03%
• 1Y: 14.79%
• 3Y*: 14.46%
• 5Y*: 6.57%
• 10Y*: —

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

PDX vs. PFFA - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
PDX PIMCO Dynamic Income Strategy Fund	18.39%	-10.59%	36.99%	44.51%	23.02%	68.79%	-44.20%	-10.78%
PFFA Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF	3.08%	8.22%	16.11%	26.45%	-20.91%	23.53%	-7.87%	21.44%

Correlation

The correlation between PDX and PFFA is 0.07, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.07
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.23
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.34
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 31, 2019	0.38

Over the past year, the correlation between PDX and PFFA has dropped to 0.07 - well below their long-term average of 0.38, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

PDX vs. PFFA — Risk / Return Rank

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

PDX

PDX Risk / Return Rank: 10
PDX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 12
PDX Sortino Ratio Rank: 11
PDX Omega Ratio Rank: 11
PDX Calmar Ratio Rank: 8
PDX Martin Ratio Rank: 7

PFFA

PFFA Risk / Return Rank: 56
PFFA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 61
PFFA Sortino Ratio Rank: 63
PFFA Omega Ratio Rank: 64
PFFA Calmar Ratio Rank: 45
PFFA Martin Ratio Rank: 46

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.

PDX vs. PFFA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for PIMCO Dynamic Income Strategy Fund (PDX) and Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF (PFFA). 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.

	PDX	PFFA	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.90	2.12	-1.22
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.34	3.00	-1.66
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.17	1.40	-0.23
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.82	2.29	-1.47
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.88	7.79	-5.91
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PDX vs. PFFA - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PDX Sharpe Ratio is 0.90, which is lower than the PFFA Sharpe Ratio of 2.12. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PDX and PFFA, 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

	PDX	PFFA	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.90	2.12	-1.22
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.89	0.57	+0.32
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.31	0.24	+0.06

Drawdowns

PDX vs. PFFA - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PDX drawdown since its inception was -80.63%, which is greater than PFFA's maximum drawdown of -70.52%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PDX and PFFA.

Drawdown Indicators

	PDX	PFFA	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-80.63%	-70.52%	-10.11%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-15.65%	-6.49%	-9.16%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-37.24%	-12.15%	-25.09%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-37.24%	-22.70%	-14.54%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-14.00%	-1.50%	-12.50%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-18.84%	-6.65%	-12.19%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.83%	1.90%	+4.93%

Volatility

PDX vs. PFFA - Volatility Comparison

PIMCO Dynamic Income Strategy Fund (PDX) has a higher volatility of 3.19% compared to Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF (PFFA) at 1.87%. This indicates that PDX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PFFA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PDX	PFFA	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.19%	1.87%	+1.32%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.24%	5.68%	+4.56%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.70%	7.02%	+7.68%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	25.64%	11.51%	+14.13%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	36.48%	31.84%	+4.64%

PDX vs. PFFA - Expense Ratio Comparison

PDX has a 2.31% expense ratio, which is higher than PFFA's 1.47% expense ratio.

Dividends

PDX vs. PFFA - Dividend Comparison

PDX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 21.24%, more than PFFA's 9.62% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
PDX PIMCO Dynamic Income Strategy Fund	21.24%	24.34%	6.31%	4.30%	5.89%	5.28%	14.11%	9.58%	0.00%
PFFA Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF	9.62%	9.47%	9.18%	9.56%	10.75%	7.64%	8.54%	10.02%	5.15%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PDX and PFFA in my portfolio?

PDX and PFFA have a correlation of 0.07, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PDX or PFFA?

PDX has higher volatility (3.19%) compared to PFFA (1.87%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PDX dropped -80.63% vs PFFA's -70.52%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PFFA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.12 vs 0.90), 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.