PFG vs. COST
PFG (Principal Financial Group, Inc.) and COST (Costco Wholesale Corporation) are both stocks. PFG operates in Insurance - Diversified (Financial Services), while COST operates in Discount Stores (Consumer Defensive). Over the past 10 years, PFG returned 13.19%/yr vs 22.43%/yr for COST. At a 0.34 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
PFG vs. COST - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PFG achieves a 19.35% return, which is significantly higher than COST's 13.08% return. Over the past 10 years, PFG has underperformed COST with an annualized return of 13.19%, while COST has yielded a comparatively higher 22.43% annualized return.
PFG
- 1D
- 2.29%
- 1M
- 3.44%
- YTD
- 19.35%
- 6M
- 22.51%
- 1Y
- 40.57%
- 3Y*
- 18.99%
- 5Y*
- 13.42%
- 10Y*
- 13.19%
COST
- 1D
- 1.09%
- 1M
- -4.34%
- YTD
- 13.08%
- 6M
- 8.84%
- 1Y
- -7.02%
- 3Y*
- 24.99%
- 5Y*
- 21.51%
- 10Y*
- 22.43%
PFG vs. COST - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PFG Principal Financial Group, Inc. | 19.35% | 18.38% | 1.87% | -2.83% | 20.10% | 51.35% | -5.19% | 29.71% | -34.96% | 25.52% |
COST Costco Wholesale Corporation | 13.08% | -5.39% | 39.62% | 49.00% | -19.05% | 51.82% | 32.67% | 45.70% | 10.60% | 22.37% |
Correlation
The correlation between PFG and COST 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 | 0.12 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.23 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.23 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 24, 2001 | 0.34 |
Over the past year, the correlation between PFG and COST has dropped to 0.02 - well below their long-term average of 0.34, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
Fundamentals
PFG:
$6.97
COST:
$26.51
PFG:
14.84
COST:
36.68
PFG:
0.21
COST:
2.87
PFG:
1.92
COST:
1.10
PFG:
$12.07B
COST:
$293.59B
PFG:
$5.76B
COST:
$11.12B
PFG:
$1.39B
COST:
$12.48B
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Return for Risk
PFG vs. COST — Risk / Return Rank
PFG
COST
PFG vs. COST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Principal Financial Group, Inc. (PFG) and Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST). 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.
| PFG | COST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +2.25 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.86 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.32 | 0.95 | +0.37 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.41 | -0.44 | +3.85 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 11.04 | -0.99 | +12.03 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| PFG | COST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.88 | -0.37 | +2.25 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.51 | 0.95 | -0.44 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.41 | 1.03 | -0.61 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.23 | 0.59 | -0.36 |
Drawdowns
PFG vs. COST - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PFG drawdown since its inception was -91.50%, which is greater than COST's maximum drawdown of -53.39%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PFG and COST.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PFG | COST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -91.50% | -53.39% | -38.11% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.96% | -16.02% | +4.06% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -22.43% | -20.74% | -1.69% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.32% | -31.40% | +2.08% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -64.73% | -31.40% | -33.33% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.36% | -11.15% | +10.79% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -21.86% | -13.36% | -8.50% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.69% | 9.60% | -5.91% |
Volatility
PFG vs. COST - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Principal Financial Group, Inc. (PFG) is 5.01%, while Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) has a volatility of 8.14%. This indicates that PFG experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than COST based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PFG | COST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.01% | 8.14% | -3.13% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 15.79% | 14.83% | +0.96% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.73% | 19.15% | +2.58% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 26.63% | 22.73% | +3.90% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 31.95% | 21.94% | +10.01% |
Dividends
PFG vs. COST - Dividend Comparison
PFG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.08%, more than COST's 0.55% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
COST Costco Wholesale Corporation | 0.55% | 0.59% | 0.49% | 2.87% | 0.76% | 0.54% | 3.38% | 0.86% | 1.08% | 4.81% | 1.09% | 4.06% |
PFG Principal Financial Group, Inc. | 3.08% | 3.49% | 3.68% | 3.30% | 3.05% | 3.37% | 4.52% | 3.96% | 4.75% | 2.65% | 2.78% | 3.33% |
Financials
PFG vs. COST - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Principal Financial Group, Inc. and Costco Wholesale Corporation. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
Frequently Asked Questions
PFG and COST 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.
COST has higher volatility (8.14%) compared to PFG (5.01%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PFG dropped -91.50% vs COST's -53.39%.
PFG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.88 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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