PFO vs. HPI

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

PFO (Flaherty & Crumrine Preferred and Income Opportunity Fund) and HPI (John Hancock Preferred Income Fund) are both Preferred Stock funds. Over the past 10 years, PFO returned 3.96%/yr vs 4.68%/yr for HPI. Their 0.37 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. PFO charges 1.40%/yr vs 0.01%/yr for HPI.

Performance

PFO vs. HPI - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Flaherty & Crumrine Preferred and Income Opportunity Fund (PFO) and John Hancock Preferred Income Fund (HPI). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PFO achieves a 0.83% return, which is significantly lower than HPI's 3.74% return. Over the past 10 years, PFO has underperformed HPI with an annualized return of 3.96%, while HPI has yielded a comparatively higher 4.68% annualized return.

PFO

• 1D: 0.55%
• 1M: -0.36%
• 6M: -1.72%
• YTD: 0.83%
• 1Y: 5.86%
• 3Y*: 12.55%
• 5Y*: 0.10%
• 10Y*: 3.96%
• ALL TIME*: 5.16%

HPI

• 1D: 0.44%
• 1M: -0.79%
• 6M: 3.61%
• YTD: 3.74%
• 1Y: 9.67%
• 3Y*: 10.14%
• 5Y*: 2.86%
• 10Y*: 4.68%
• ALL TIME*: 6.76%

*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)
HPI John Hancock Preferred Income Fund	$745.58K	$720.50K	$807.51K
PFO Flaherty & Crumrine Preferred and Income Opportunity Fund	$273.61K	$212.78K	$249.77K

PFO vs. HPI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PFO Flaherty & Crumrine Preferred and Income Opportunity Fund	0.83%	12.47%	21.42%	-0.59%	-27.25%	3.57%	14.06%	24.93%	-4.20%	13.98%
HPI John Hancock Preferred Income Fund	3.74%	6.54%	14.95%	8.34%	-15.79%	13.16%	-7.02%	30.89%	-4.79%	13.78%

Correlation

The correlation between PFO and HPI is 0.41, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.41
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.43
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.49
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.43
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 15, 2003	0.37

The correlation between PFO and HPI shifts across timeframes, from 0.37 (all time) to 0.49 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

PFO vs. HPI — Risk / Return Rank

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

PFO

PFO Risk / Return Rank: 17
PFO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 20
PFO Sortino Ratio Rank: 18
PFO Omega Ratio Rank: 20
PFO Calmar Ratio Rank: 15
PFO Martin Ratio Rank: 14

HPI

HPI Risk / Return Rank: 27
HPI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 31
HPI Sortino Ratio Rank: 30
HPI Omega Ratio Rank: 32
HPI Calmar Ratio Rank: 21
HPI Martin Ratio Rank: 19

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.

PFO vs. HPI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Flaherty & Crumrine Preferred and Income Opportunity Fund (PFO) and John Hancock Preferred Income Fund (HPI). 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.

	PFO	HPI	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.80	1.04	-0.23
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.13	1.50	-0.37
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.15	1.20	-0.05
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.80	1.03	-0.22
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	2.17	2.73	-0.56

PFO vs. HPI - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PFO Sharpe Ratio is 0.80, which is comparable to the HPI Sharpe Ratio of 1.04. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PFO and HPI, 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

PFO vs. HPI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PFO drawdown since its inception was -77.36%, which is greater than HPI's maximum drawdown of -67.67%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PFO and HPI.

Drawdown Indicators

	PFO	HPI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-77.36%	-67.67%	-9.69%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.47%	-9.12%	+1.65%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-11.64%	-18.91%	+7.27%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-39.29%	-30.10%	-9.19%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-48.97%	-57.99%	+9.02%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-3.89%	-2.07%	-1.82%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-12.46%	-8.42%	-4.04%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.77%	3.43%	-0.66%

Volatility

PFO vs. HPI - Volatility Comparison

Flaherty & Crumrine Preferred and Income Opportunity Fund (PFO) and John Hancock Preferred Income Fund (HPI) have volatilities of 1.91% and 1.91%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PFO	HPI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.91%	1.91%	0.00%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	5.29%	7.55%	-2.26%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	7.49%	9.08%	-1.59%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.81%	15.74%	-0.93%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.78%	24.31%	-2.53%

PFO vs. HPI - Expense Ratio Comparison

PFO has a 1.40% expense ratio, which is higher than HPI's 0.01% expense ratio.

Dividends

PFO vs. HPI - Dividend Comparison

PFO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.39%, less than HPI's 9.24% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
HPI John Hancock Preferred Income Fund	9.24%	9.15%	8.91%	9.39%	9.23%	7.14%	7.53%	7.69%	8.92%	7.84%	8.26%	7.69%
PFO Flaherty & Crumrine Preferred and Income Opportunity Fund	7.39%	6.84%	6.75%	7.18%	8.73%	6.49%	6.10%	6.31%	7.55%	7.25%	8.03%	8.21%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PFO and HPI in my portfolio?

PFO and HPI have a correlation of 0.41, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PFO or HPI?

HPI has higher volatility (1.91%) compared to PFO (1.91%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PFO dropped -77.36% vs HPI's -67.67%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

HPI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.04 vs 0.80), 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.