PFF vs. SCHD

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

PFF (iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF) and SCHD (Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - PFF is a Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds fund tracking the ICE Exchange-Listed Preferred & Hybrid Securities Index, while SCHD is a Dividend fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, PFF returned 3.27%/yr vs 12.65%/yr for SCHD. At a 0.49 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. PFF charges 0.46%/yr vs 0.06%/yr for SCHD.

Performance

PFF vs. SCHD - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF (PFF) and Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PFF achieves a 2.07% return, which is significantly lower than SCHD's 18.71% return. Over the past 10 years, PFF has underperformed SCHD with an annualized return of 3.27%, while SCHD has yielded a comparatively higher 12.65% annualized return.

PFF

• 1D: 0.19%
• 1M: -1.93%
• YTD: 2.07%
• 6M: 2.58%
• 1Y: 8.08%
• 3Y*: 6.61%
• 5Y*: 1.33%
• 10Y*: 3.27%

SCHD

• 1D: -0.03%
• 1M: 2.12%
• YTD: 18.71%
• 6M: 19.28%
• 1Y: 26.37%
• 3Y*: 14.73%
• 5Y*: 8.49%
• 10Y*: 12.65%

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

PFF vs. SCHD - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PFF iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF	2.07%	4.87%	7.24%	9.22%	-18.19%	7.15%	7.89%	15.93%	-4.64%	8.10%
SCHD Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF	18.71%	4.34%	11.66%	4.54%	-3.26%	29.87%	15.03%	27.29%	-5.56%	20.85%

Correlation

The correlation between PFF and SCHD is 0.45, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.45
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.50
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.55
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.51
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 20, 2011	0.49

The correlation between PFF and SCHD shifts across timeframes, from 0.45 (1 year) to 0.55 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

PFF vs. SCHD - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	PFF	SCHD
Financial Services	51.6%	9.3%
Real Estate	10.5%	-
Utilities	8.7%	0.0%
Industrials	5.6%	7.5%
Technology	4.9%	16.4%
Communication Services	3.4%	6.3%
Basic Materials	1.6%	1.2%
Healthcare	1.4%	18.8%
Consumer Cyclical	1.3%	6.3%
Consumer Defensive	1.2%	19.2%
Energy	0.4%	16.2%

Return for Risk

PFF vs. SCHD — Risk / Return Rank

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

PFF

PFF Risk / Return Rank: 35
PFF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 36
PFF Sortino Ratio Rank: 35
PFF Omega Ratio Rank: 34
PFF Calmar Ratio Rank: 34
PFF Martin Ratio Rank: 34

SCHD

SCHD Risk / Return Rank: 85
SCHD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 83
SCHD Sortino Ratio Rank: 89
SCHD Omega Ratio Rank: 81
SCHD Calmar Ratio Rank: 92
SCHD Martin Ratio Rank: 80

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.

PFF vs. SCHD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF (PFF) and Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD). 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.

	PFF	SCHD	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.19	2.43	-1.24
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.71	3.75	-2.04
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.21	1.43	-0.23
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.54	5.74	-4.20
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	4.73	14.06	-9.33
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PFF vs. SCHD - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PFF Sharpe Ratio is 1.19, which is lower than the SCHD Sharpe Ratio of 2.43. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PFF and SCHD, 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

	PFF	SCHD	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.19	2.43	-1.24
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.13	0.59	-0.46
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.26	0.76	-0.50
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.21	0.86	-0.65

Drawdowns

PFF vs. SCHD - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PFF drawdown since its inception was -65.55%, which is greater than SCHD's maximum drawdown of -33.37%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PFF and SCHD.

Drawdown Indicators

	PFF	SCHD	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-65.55%	-33.37%	-32.18%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-5.28%	-4.61%	-0.67%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-10.63%	-16.13%	+5.50%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-21.05%	-16.85%	-4.20%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-34.10%	-33.37%	-0.73%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.93%	-1.64%	-0.29%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.76%	-3.32%	-2.44%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.71%	1.88%	-0.17%

Volatility

PFF vs. SCHD - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF (PFF) is 2.20%, while Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) has a volatility of 2.83%. This indicates that PFF experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SCHD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PFF	SCHD	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.20%	2.83%	-0.63%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	5.17%	7.60%	-2.43%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	6.84%	10.94%	-4.10%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	10.31%	14.38%	-4.07%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	12.67%	16.72%	-4.05%

PFF vs. SCHD - Expense Ratio Comparison

PFF has a 0.46% expense ratio, which is higher than SCHD's 0.06% expense ratio.

Dividends

PFF vs. SCHD - Dividend Comparison

PFF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.52%, more than SCHD's 3.27% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
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%
SCHD Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF	3.27%	3.82%	3.64%	3.49%	3.39%	2.78%	3.16%	2.98%	3.06%	2.63%	2.89%	2.97%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PFF and SCHD in my portfolio?

PFF and SCHD have a correlation of 0.45, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PFF or SCHD?

SCHD has higher volatility (2.83%) compared to PFF (2.20%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PFF dropped -65.55% vs SCHD's -33.37%.

Which ETF is better, PFF or SCHD?

On 10-year performance, SCHD leads with 12.65% vs 3.27% for PFF. On fees, SCHD is cheaper at 0.06% per year. On volatility, PFF has been the lower-risk option at 2.20%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, PFF or SCHD?

Over the 10-year period, SCHD has performed better with a 12.65% return vs 3.27%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, PFF or SCHD?

SCHD is cheaper with a 0.06% expense ratio, compared with 0.46% for PFF.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, PFF or SCHD?

PFF has the higher dividend yield at 5.52%, compared with 3.27% for SCHD.

What is the main difference between PFF and SCHD?

PFF is categorized as Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds, while SCHD is Dividend. PFF tracks ICE Exchange-Listed Preferred & Hybrid Securities Index, while SCHD tracks Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Charles Schwab. Their fees differ too: 0.46% for PFF and 0.06% for SCHD.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SCHD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.43 vs 1.19), 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.