PFINX vs. NPFD

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

PFINX (PIMCO Preferred and Capital Securities Fund) and NPFD (Nuveen Variable Rate Preferred & Income Fund) are both Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds funds. Over the past 3 years, PFINX returned 10.34%/yr vs 17.27%/yr for NPFD. At a 0.37 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

PFINX vs. NPFD - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in PIMCO Preferred and Capital Securities Fund (PFINX) and Nuveen Variable Rate Preferred & Income Fund (NPFD). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PFINX achieves a 1.82% return, which is significantly lower than NPFD's 3.06% return.

PFINX

• 1D: 0.10%
• 1M: 0.62%
• YTD: 1.82%
• 6M: 0.78%
• 1Y: 8.47%
• 3Y*: 10.34%
• 5Y*: 2.98%
• 10Y*: 6.06%

NPFD

• 1D: -0.84%
• 1M: -1.02%
• YTD: 3.06%
• 6M: 0.11%
• 1Y: 9.94%
• 3Y*: 17.27%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

PFINX vs. NPFD - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
PFINX PIMCO Preferred and Capital Securities Fund	1.82%	8.73%	10.84%	7.03%	-12.82%	0.49%
NPFD Nuveen Variable Rate Preferred & Income Fund	3.06%	15.94%	23.52%	-1.10%	-25.33%	1.40%

Correlation

The correlation between PFINX and NPFD is 0.35, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.35
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.36
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 17, 2021	0.37

Return for Risk

PFINX vs. NPFD — Risk / Return Rank

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

PFINX

PFINX Risk / Return Rank: 74
PFINX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 82
PFINX Sortino Ratio Rank: 86
PFINX Omega Ratio Rank: 92
PFINX Calmar Ratio Rank: 54
PFINX Martin Ratio Rank: 56

NPFD

NPFD Risk / Return Rank: 14
NPFD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 13
NPFD Sortino Ratio Rank: 13
NPFD Omega Ratio Rank: 15
NPFD Calmar Ratio Rank: 10
NPFD Martin Ratio Rank: 18

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.

PFINX vs. NPFD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for PIMCO Preferred and Capital Securities Fund (PFINX) and Nuveen Variable Rate Preferred & Income Fund (NPFD). 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.

	PFINX	NPFD	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.66	1.01	+1.65
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	4.12	1.44	+2.68
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.70	1.21	+0.49
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.81	1.01	+1.80
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	11.32	5.01	+6.31
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PFINX vs. NPFD - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PFINX Sharpe Ratio is 2.66, which is higher than the NPFD Sharpe Ratio of 1.01. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PFINX and NPFD, 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

	PFINX	NPFD	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.66	1.01	+1.65
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.54	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.99	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.92	0.15	+0.77

Drawdowns

PFINX vs. NPFD - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PFINX drawdown since its inception was -23.93%, smaller than the maximum NPFD drawdown of -39.18%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PFINX and NPFD.

Drawdown Indicators

	PFINX	NPFD	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-23.93%	-39.18%	+15.25%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-3.09%	-9.88%	+6.79%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-3.93%	-9.88%	+5.95%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-22.11%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-23.93%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.33%	-2.43%	+2.10%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.46%	-17.44%	+13.98%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.76%	1.99%	-1.23%

Volatility

PFINX vs. NPFD - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for PIMCO Preferred and Capital Securities Fund (PFINX) is 0.85%, while Nuveen Variable Rate Preferred & Income Fund (NPFD) has a volatility of 2.44%. This indicates that PFINX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than NPFD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PFINX	NPFD	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.85%	2.44%	-1.59%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.57%	8.29%	-5.72%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.26%	9.85%	-6.59%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	5.52%	15.22%	-9.70%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	6.13%	15.22%	-9.09%

Dividends

PFINX vs. NPFD - Dividend Comparison

PFINX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.77%, less than NPFD's 10.32% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
NPFD Nuveen Variable Rate Preferred & Income Fund	10.32%	10.50%	9.57%	6.61%	8.33%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
PFINX PIMCO Preferred and Capital Securities Fund	3.77%	3.74%	5.30%	6.26%	8.54%	5.79%	3.06%	6.40%	6.43%	7.08%	6.19%	2.34%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PFINX and NPFD in my portfolio?

PFINX and NPFD have a correlation of 0.35, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PFINX or NPFD?

NPFD has higher volatility (2.44%) compared to PFINX (0.85%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PFINX dropped -23.93% vs NPFD's -39.18%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PFINX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.66 vs 1.01), 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.