PEQIX vs. CAIFX

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

PEQIX (Pioneer Equity Income Fund) and CAIFX (American Funds Capital Income Builder Fund Class F-2) are both Dividend funds. Over the past 10 years, PEQIX returned 9.41%/yr vs 8.14%/yr for CAIFX. Their correlation of 0.86 means they have usually moved in the same direction. PEQIX charges 1.02%/yr vs 0.37%/yr for CAIFX.

Performance

PEQIX vs. CAIFX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Pioneer Equity Income Fund (PEQIX) and American Funds Capital Income Builder Fund Class F-2 (CAIFX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PEQIX achieves a 13.77% return, which is significantly higher than CAIFX's 10.50% return. Over the past 10 years, PEQIX has outperformed CAIFX with an annualized return of 9.41%, while CAIFX has yielded a comparatively lower 8.14% annualized return.

PEQIX

• 1D: -0.47%
• 1M: 2.29%
• 6M: 8.94%
• YTD: 13.77%
• 1Y: 22.90%
• 3Y*: 12.35%
• 5Y*: 8.28%
• 10Y*: 9.41%
• ALL TIME*: 9.36%

CAIFX

• 1D: 0.76%
• 1M: 1.61%
• 6M: 7.05%
• YTD: 10.50%
• 1Y: 19.06%
• 3Y*: 14.97%
• 5Y*: 9.39%
• 10Y*: 8.14%
• ALL TIME*: 6.77%

*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)
CAIFX American Funds Capital Income Builder Fund Class F-2	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
PEQIX Pioneer Equity Income Fund	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

PEQIX vs. CAIFX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PEQIX Pioneer Equity Income Fund	13.77%	11.30%	11.18%	6.84%	-8.08%	25.28%	-0.20%	25.46%	-8.93%	15.00%
CAIFX American Funds Capital Income Builder Fund Class F-2	10.50%	20.63%	10.47%	9.21%	-6.95%	15.26%	3.41%	17.49%	-7.10%	14.19%

Correlation

The correlation between PEQIX and CAIFX is 0.69, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.69
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.75
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.84
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.83
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 1, 2008	0.86

The correlation between PEQIX and CAIFX shifts across timeframes, from 0.69 (1 year) to 0.86 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

PEQIX vs. CAIFX — Risk / Return Rank

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

PEQIX

PEQIX Risk / Return Rank: 74
PEQIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 76
PEQIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 75
PEQIX Omega Ratio Rank: 71
PEQIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 79
PEQIX Martin Ratio Rank: 68

CAIFX

CAIFX Risk / Return Rank: 85
CAIFX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 88
CAIFX Sortino Ratio Rank: 86
CAIFX Omega Ratio Rank: 85
CAIFX Calmar Ratio Rank: 82
CAIFX Martin Ratio Rank: 86

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.

PEQIX vs. CAIFX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Pioneer Equity Income Fund (PEQIX) and American Funds Capital Income Builder Fund Class F-2 (CAIFX). 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.

	PEQIX	CAIFX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.80	2.19	-0.40
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.56	3.14	-0.58
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.31	1.41	-0.10
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.57	2.77	-0.20
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	8.44	11.12	-2.68

PEQIX vs. CAIFX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PEQIX Sharpe Ratio is 1.80, which is comparable to the CAIFX Sharpe Ratio of 2.19. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PEQIX and CAIFX, 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

PEQIX vs. CAIFX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PEQIX drawdown since its inception was -54.08%, which is greater than CAIFX's maximum drawdown of -36.83%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PEQIX and CAIFX.

Drawdown Indicators

	PEQIX	CAIFX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-54.08%	-36.83%	-17.25%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.01%	-6.47%	-1.54%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-16.84%	-8.88%	-7.96%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-20.24%	-17.51%	-2.73%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-37.93%	-25.27%	-12.66%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.07%	0.00%	-1.07%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.56%	-4.67%	-1.89%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.44%	1.61%	+0.83%

Volatility

PEQIX vs. CAIFX - Volatility Comparison

Pioneer Equity Income Fund (PEQIX) has a higher volatility of 3.49% compared to American Funds Capital Income Builder Fund Class F-2 (CAIFX) at 1.96%. This indicates that PEQIX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than CAIFX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PEQIX	CAIFX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.49%	1.96%	+1.53%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.40%	6.55%	+1.85%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.51%	8.19%	+3.32%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.23%	9.98%	+5.25%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.16%	10.77%	+6.39%

PEQIX vs. CAIFX - Expense Ratio Comparison

PEQIX has a 1.02% expense ratio, which is higher than CAIFX's 0.37% expense ratio.

Dividends

PEQIX vs. CAIFX - Dividend Comparison

PEQIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.03%, more than CAIFX's 7.31% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CAIFX American Funds Capital Income Builder Fund Class F-2	7.31%	7.93%	5.98%	3.69%	3.66%	3.36%	3.60%	4.31%	3.76%	4.63%	3.73%	3.82%
PEQIX Pioneer Equity Income Fund	8.03%	9.08%	40.97%	17.42%	12.72%	9.34%	1.59%	4.00%	7.75%	5.31%	13.11%	10.13%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PEQIX and CAIFX in my portfolio?

PEQIX and CAIFX have a correlation of 0.69, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PEQIX or CAIFX?

PEQIX has higher volatility (3.49%) compared to CAIFX (1.96%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PEQIX dropped -54.08% vs CAIFX's -36.83%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

CAIFX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.19 vs 1.80), 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.