PDX vs. PTTRX

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

PDX (PIMCO Dynamic Income Strategy Fund) and PTTRX (PIMCO Total Return Fund Institutional Class) are both mutual funds - PDX is a Tactical Allocation fund actively managed by PIMCO, while PTTRX is a Total Bond Market fund managed by PIMCO. Over the past 5 years, PDX returned 22.66%/yr vs 0.61%/yr for PTTRX. At a correlation of -0.02, they often move in opposite directions. PDX charges 2.31%/yr vs 0.47%/yr for PTTRX.

Performance

PDX vs. PTTRX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in PIMCO Dynamic Income Strategy Fund (PDX) and PIMCO Total Return Fund Institutional Class (PTTRX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PDX achieves a 18.28% return, which is significantly higher than PTTRX's 0.30% return.

PDX

• 1D: -0.09%
• 1M: 0.92%
• YTD: 18.28%
• 6M: 19.91%
• 1Y: 11.83%
• 3Y*: 27.51%
• 5Y*: 22.66%
• 10Y*: —

PTTRX

• 1D: -0.34%
• 1M: 0.30%
• YTD: 0.30%
• 6M: 0.58%
• 1Y: 6.34%
• 3Y*: 5.33%
• 5Y*: 0.61%
• 10Y*: 2.27%

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

PDX vs. PTTRX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
PDX PIMCO Dynamic Income Strategy Fund	18.28%	-10.59%	36.99%	44.51%	23.02%	68.79%	-44.20%	-10.78%
PTTRX PIMCO Total Return Fund Institutional Class	0.30%	9.35%	2.62%	6.33%	-14.72%	-0.59%	8.88%	7.82%

Correlation

The correlation between PDX and PTTRX is -0.02, 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	-0.02
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.07
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.04
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 31, 2019	-0.02

Return for Risk

PDX vs. PTTRX — Risk / Return Rank

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

PDX

PDX Risk / Return Rank: 9
PDX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 10
PDX Sortino Ratio Rank: 11
PDX Omega Ratio Rank: 10
PDX Calmar Ratio Rank: 8
PDX Martin Ratio Rank: 7

PTTRX

PTTRX Risk / Return Rank: 27
PTTRX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 28
PTTRX Sortino Ratio Rank: 29
PTTRX Omega Ratio Rank: 29
PTTRX Calmar Ratio Rank: 27
PTTRX Martin Ratio Rank: 24

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. PTTRX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for PIMCO Dynamic Income Strategy Fund (PDX) and PIMCO Total Return Fund Institutional Class (PTTRX). 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	PTTRX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.83	1.53	-0.70
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.24	2.25	-1.01
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.15	1.28	-0.13
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.76	1.94	-1.18
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.73	5.97	-4.23
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. PTTRX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PDX Sharpe Ratio is 0.83, which is lower than the PTTRX Sharpe Ratio of 1.53. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PDX and PTTRX, 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	PTTRX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.83	1.53	-0.70
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.89	0.10	+0.79
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.44	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.30	1.15	-0.84

Drawdowns

PDX vs. PTTRX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PDX drawdown since its inception was -80.63%, which is greater than PTTRX's maximum drawdown of -19.28%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PDX and PTTRX.

Drawdown Indicators

	PDX	PTTRX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-80.63%	-19.28%	-61.35%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-15.65%	-3.69%	-11.96%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-37.24%	-6.18%	-31.06%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-37.24%	-19.28%	-17.96%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-19.28%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-14.08%	-1.82%	-12.26%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-18.84%	-2.19%	-16.65%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.84%	1.19%	+5.65%

Volatility

PDX vs. PTTRX - Volatility Comparison

PIMCO Dynamic Income Strategy Fund (PDX) has a higher volatility of 3.04% compared to PIMCO Total Return Fund Institutional Class (PTTRX) at 1.78%. This indicates that PDX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PTTRX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PDX	PTTRX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.04%	1.78%	+1.26%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.14%	3.55%	+6.59%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.34%	4.67%	+9.67%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	25.62%	6.27%	+19.35%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	36.47%	5.23%	+31.24%

PDX vs. PTTRX - Expense Ratio Comparison

PDX has a 2.31% expense ratio, which is higher than PTTRX's 0.47% expense ratio.

Dividends

PDX vs. PTTRX - Dividend Comparison

PDX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 21.26%, more than PTTRX's 4.56% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PDX PIMCO Dynamic Income Strategy Fund	21.26%	24.34%	6.31%	4.30%	5.89%	5.28%	14.11%	9.58%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
PTTRX PIMCO Total Return Fund Institutional Class	4.56%	4.47%	4.61%	3.81%	3.63%	2.59%	6.11%	3.96%	3.13%	2.63%	3.02%	6.64%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PDX and PTTRX in my portfolio?

PDX and PTTRX have a correlation of -0.02, 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 PTTRX?

PDX has higher volatility (3.04%) compared to PTTRX (1.78%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PDX dropped -80.63% vs PTTRX's -19.28%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PTTRX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.53 vs 0.83), 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.