PFF vs. SCHD
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 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 2.93%/yr vs 12.76%/yr for SCHD. Their 0.49 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. PFF charges 0.46%/yr vs 0.06%/yr for SCHD.
Performance
PFF vs. SCHD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PFF achieves a 0.89% return, which is significantly lower than SCHD's 24.03% return. Over the past 10 years, PFF has underperformed SCHD with an annualized return of 2.93%, while SCHD has yielded a comparatively higher 12.76% annualized return.
PFF
- 1D
- 0.10%
- 1M
- -0.03%
- 6M
- -1.43%
- YTD
- 0.89%
- 1Y
- 3.06%
- 3Y*
- 5.64%
- 5Y*
- 0.71%
- 10Y*
- 2.93%
- ALL TIME*
- 3.72%
SCHD
- 1D
- 0.18%
- 1M
- 3.33%
- 6M
- 14.09%
- YTD
- 24.03%
- 1Y
- 31.54%
- 3Y*
- 14.19%
- 5Y*
- 9.54%
- 10Y*
- 12.76%
- ALL TIME*
- 13.39%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $85.47M | $81.60M | $92.33M | |
| $786.88M | $715.86M | $685.58M |
PFF vs. SCHD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PFF iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF | 0.89% | 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 | 24.03% | 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 0.32, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.32 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.46 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.53 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.50 |
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 0.32 (1 year) to 0.53 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
PFF vs. SCHD — Risk / Return Rank
PFF
SCHD
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.
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 | SCHD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.42 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -3.77 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.07 | 1.51 | -0.44 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.55 | 6.74 | -6.19 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.42 | 17.01 | -15.60 |
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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.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PFF | SCHD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest 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 DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.07% | -1.24% | -1.83% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.74% | -3.30% | -2.44% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.05% | 1.82% | +0.23% |
Volatility
PFF vs. SCHD - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF (PFF) is 2.60%, while Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) has a volatility of 4.11%. 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.
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Volatility by Period
| PFF | SCHD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.60% | 4.11% | -1.51% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 5.87% | 8.11% | -2.24% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 7.31% | 11.13% | -3.82% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 10.40% | 14.39% | -3.99% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 12.70% | 16.72% | -4.02% |
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 5.50%, more than SCHD's 3.13% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PFF iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF | 4.97% | 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 | 3.13% | 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
PFF and SCHD have a correlation of 0.32, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SCHD has higher volatility (4.11%) compared to PFF (2.60%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PFF dropped -65.55% vs SCHD's -33.37%.
On 10-year performance, SCHD leads with 12.76% vs 2.93% for PFF. On fees, SCHD is cheaper at 0.06% per year. On volatility, PFF has been the lower-risk option at 2.60%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, SCHD has performed better with a 12.76% return vs 2.93%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SCHD is cheaper with a 0.06% expense ratio, compared with 0.46% for PFF.
PFF has the higher dividend yield at 4.97%, compared with 3.13% for SCHD.
PFF is categorized as Preferred Stock, 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.
SCHD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.81 vs 0.40), 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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