PFF vs. O
PFF (iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF) is Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds fund tracking the ICE Exchange-Listed Preferred & Hybrid Securities Index, while O (Realty Income Corporation) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, PFF returned 2.91%/yr vs 4.28%/yr for O. At a 0.34 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
PFF vs. O - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PFF achieves a 0.49% return, which is significantly lower than O's 16.83% return. Over the past 10 years, PFF has underperformed O with an annualized return of 2.91%, while O has yielded a comparatively higher 4.28% annualized return.
PFF
- 1D
- -0.62%
- 1M
- -1.86%
- 6M
- -1.60%
- YTD
- 0.49%
- 1Y
- 2.62%
- 3Y*
- 5.73%
- 5Y*
- 0.76%
- 10Y*
- 2.91%
O
- 1D
- 1.36%
- 1M
- 2.75%
- 6M
- 11.83%
- YTD
- 16.83%
- 1Y
- 18.48%
- 3Y*
- 7.62%
- 5Y*
- 4.44%
- 10Y*
- 4.28%
PFF vs. O - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PFF iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF | 0.49% | 4.87% | 7.24% | 9.22% | -18.19% | 7.15% | 7.89% | 15.93% | -4.64% | 8.10% |
O Realty Income Corporation | 16.83% | 12.20% | -2.11% | -4.55% | -7.38% | 23.95% | -11.60% | 21.27% | 15.94% | 3.67% |
Correlation
The correlation between PFF and O is 0.08, 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 | 0.08 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.35 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.35 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 30, 2007 | 0.34 |
Over the past year, the correlation between PFF and O has dropped to 0.08 - well below their long-term average of 0.34, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
PFF vs. O — Risk / Return Rank
PFF
O
PFF vs. O - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF (PFF) and Realty Income Corporation (O). 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.
| PFF | O | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.73 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.97 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.07 | 1.19 | -0.12 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.50 | 1.67 | -1.17 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.40 | 3.78 | -2.38 |
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Drawdowns
PFF vs. O - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PFF drawdown since its inception was -65.55%, which is greater than O's maximum drawdown of -48.45%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PFF and O.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PFF | O | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -65.55% | -48.45% | -17.10% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -5.28% | -11.10% | +5.82% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -10.63% | -26.49% | +15.86% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.05% | -34.48% | +13.43% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -34.10% | -48.28% | +14.18% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.45% | -3.35% | -0.10% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.75% | -9.20% | +3.45% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.88% | 4.90% | -3.02% |
Volatility
PFF vs. O - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF (PFF) is 2.68%, while Realty Income Corporation (O) has a volatility of 5.94%. This indicates that PFF experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than O based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PFF | O | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.68% | 5.94% | -3.26% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 5.61% | 12.55% | -6.94% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 7.09% | 16.87% | -9.78% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 10.37% | 18.98% | -8.61% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 12.69% | 25.65% | -12.96% |
Dividends
PFF vs. O - Dividend Comparison
PFF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.52%, more than O's 5.05% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
O Realty Income Corporation | 5.05% | 6.19% | 5.37% | 5.33% | 4.68% | 3.87% | 4.51% | 3.69% | 4.19% | 4.45% | 4.18% | 4.41% |
PFF iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF | 5.52% | 6.30% | 6.32% | 6.63% | 6.01% | 4.45% | 4.79% | 5.31% | 6.32% | 5.59% | 5.85% | 5.76% |
Frequently Asked Questions
PFF and O have a correlation of 0.08, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
O has higher volatility (5.94%) compared to PFF (2.68%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PFF dropped -65.55% vs O's -48.45%.
O currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.10 vs 0.37), 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.
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