PFL vs. THQ

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

PFL (PIMCO Income Strategy Fund) and THQ (Abrdn Healthcare Opportunities Fund) are both mutual funds - PFL is a Multisector Bonds fund actively managed by PIMCO, while THQ is a Health & Biotech Equities fund managed by Aberdeen. Over the past 10 years, PFL returned 7.76%/yr vs 9.22%/yr for THQ. Their 0.31 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship.

Performance

PFL vs. THQ - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in PIMCO Income Strategy Fund (PFL) and Abrdn Healthcare Opportunities Fund (THQ). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PFL achieves a -1.73% return, which is significantly lower than THQ's 4.81% return. Over the past 10 years, PFL has underperformed THQ with an annualized return of 7.76%, while THQ has yielded a comparatively higher 9.22% annualized return.

PFL

• 1D: -0.52%
• 1M: -0.62%
• 6M: -2.45%
• YTD: -1.73%
• 1Y: 2.73%
• 3Y*: 9.90%
• 5Y*: 1.68%
• 10Y*: 7.76%
• ALL TIME*: 6.40%

THQ

• 1D: -0.53%
• 1M: -0.31%
• 6M: 3.77%
• YTD: 4.81%
• 1Y: 30.09%
• 3Y*: 10.44%
• 5Y*: 3.90%
• 10Y*: 9.22%
• ALL TIME*: 7.96%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
PFL PIMCO Income Strategy Fund	$1.23M	$2.37M	$1.78M
THQ Abrdn Healthcare Opportunities Fund	$3.38M	$4.74M	$3.75M

PFL vs. THQ - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PFL PIMCO Income Strategy Fund	-1.73%	13.03%	11.51%	17.29%	-17.92%	4.62%	7.11%	19.65%	2.06%	21.26%
THQ Abrdn Healthcare Opportunities Fund	4.81%	13.88%	15.51%	-1.62%	-17.53%	33.39%	15.20%	22.70%	3.41%	21.84%

Correlation

The correlation between PFL and THQ is 0.22, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.22
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.25
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.33
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.30
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 29, 2014	0.31

The correlation between PFL and THQ shifts across timeframes, from 0.22 (1 year) to 0.33 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

PFL vs. THQ — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

PFL

PFL Risk / Return Rank: 9
PFL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 9
PFL Sortino Ratio Rank: 8
PFL Omega Ratio Rank: 10
PFL Calmar Ratio Rank: 10
PFL Martin Ratio Rank: 9

THQ

THQ Risk / Return Rank: 59
THQ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 70
THQ Sortino Ratio Rank: 68
THQ Omega Ratio Rank: 67
THQ Calmar Ratio Rank: 46
THQ Martin Ratio Rank: 42

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

PFL vs. THQ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for PIMCO Income Strategy Fund (PFL) and Abrdn Healthcare Opportunities Fund (THQ). 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.

	PFL	THQ	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.34	1.61	-1.27
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.54	2.26	-1.73
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.08	1.29	-0.21
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.42	1.74	-1.32
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.13	5.95	-4.82

PFL vs. THQ - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PFL Sharpe Ratio is 0.34, which is lower than the THQ Sharpe Ratio of 1.61. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PFL and THQ, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

PFL vs. THQ - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PFL drawdown since its inception was -77.97%, which is greater than THQ's maximum drawdown of -39.35%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PFL and THQ.

Drawdown Indicators

	PFL	THQ	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-77.97%	-39.35%	-38.62%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.64%	-16.74%	+9.10%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-12.89%	-25.86%	+12.97%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-33.30%	-32.20%	-1.10%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-48.40%	-39.35%	-9.05%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-3.61%	-1.37%	-2.24%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.95%	-8.54%	-2.41%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.86%	4.90%	-2.04%

Volatility

PFL vs. THQ - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for PIMCO Income Strategy Fund (PFL) is 2.24%, while Abrdn Healthcare Opportunities Fund (THQ) has a volatility of 4.57%. This indicates that PFL experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than THQ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PFL	THQ	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.24%	4.57%	-2.33%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.45%	13.68%	-5.23%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	9.55%	18.24%	-8.69%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.60%	19.22%	-5.62%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.32%	20.53%	-2.21%

Dividends

PFL vs. THQ - Dividend Comparison

PFL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 12.65%, more than THQ's 11.53% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PFL PIMCO Income Strategy Fund	12.65%	11.59%	11.66%	11.57%	12.04%	9.53%	9.44%	9.11%	9.94%	9.25%	10.22%	11.09%
THQ Abrdn Healthcare Opportunities Fund	11.53%	11.29%	11.09%	7.45%	6.81%	5.27%	6.62%	7.08%	8.05%	7.71%	8.70%	9.50%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PFL and THQ in my portfolio?

PFL and THQ have a correlation of 0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PFL or THQ?

THQ has higher volatility (4.57%) compared to PFL (2.24%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PFL dropped -77.97% vs THQ's -39.35%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

THQ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.61 vs 0.34), 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.