PFXF vs. PFFA
PFXF (VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF) and PFFA (Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF) are both Preferred Stock funds. PFXF is passively managed, while PFFA is actively managed. Over the past 5 years, PFXF returned 2.77%/yr vs 5.57%/yr for PFFA. Their 0.72 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. PFXF charges 0.40%/yr vs 1.47%/yr for PFFA.
Performance
PFXF vs. PFFA - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PFXF achieves a 2.28% return, which is significantly higher than PFFA's 1.20% return.
PFXF
- 1D
- -0.17%
- 1M
- -0.96%
- 6M
- -1.19%
- YTD
- 2.28%
- 1Y
- 7.52%
- 3Y*
- 7.62%
- 5Y*
- 2.77%
- 10Y*
- 4.56%
- ALL TIME*
- 5.21%
PFFA
- 1D
- 0.44%
- 1M
- -0.04%
- 6M
- -0.75%
- YTD
- 1.20%
- 1Y
- 6.02%
- 3Y*
- 11.42%
- 5Y*
- 5.57%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 7.21%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15.74M | $17.23M | $20.45M | |
| $13.22M | $13.44M | $17.06M |
PFXF vs. PFFA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PFXF VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF | 2.28% | 9.64% | 8.42% | 11.20% | -18.83% | 11.61% | 7.61% | 20.52% | -3.22% |
PFFA Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF | 1.20% | 8.22% | 16.11% | 26.45% | -20.91% | 23.53% | -7.87% | 31.99% | -7.29% |
Correlation
The correlation between PFXF and PFFA is 0.73, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.73 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.73 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.76 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 16, 2018 | 0.72 |
The correlation between PFXF and PFFA has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.72 to 0.76 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
PFXF vs. PFFA — Risk / Return Rank
PFXF
PFFA
PFXF vs. PFFA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF (PFXF) and Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF (PFFA). 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.
| PFXF | PFFA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.05 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.06 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.13 | 1.14 | -0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.87 | 0.89 | -0.02 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.56 | 2.56 | +0.01 |
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Drawdowns
PFXF vs. PFFA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PFXF drawdown since its inception was -35.49%, smaller than the maximum PFFA drawdown of -70.52%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PFXF and PFFA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PFXF | PFFA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -35.49% | -70.52% | +35.03% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.04% | -6.49% | -1.55% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -11.90% | -12.15% | +0.25% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.80% | -22.70% | +0.90% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.49% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.66% | -3.29% | -3.37% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.92% | -6.57% | +2.65% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.73% | 2.25% | +0.48% |
Volatility
PFXF vs. PFFA - Volatility Comparison
VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF (PFXF) has a higher volatility of 3.70% compared to Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF (PFFA) at 2.32%. This indicates that PFXF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PFFA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PFXF | PFFA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.70% | 2.32% | +1.38% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 7.98% | 6.46% | +1.52% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 9.94% | 7.62% | +2.32% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 11.11% | 11.59% | -0.48% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 13.29% | 31.55% | -18.26% |
PFXF vs. PFFA - Expense Ratio Comparison
PFXF has a 0.40% expense ratio, which is lower than PFFA's 1.47% expense ratio.
Dividends
PFXF vs. PFFA - Dividend Comparison
PFXF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.56%, less than PFFA's 9.98% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PFFA Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF | 9.98% | 9.47% | 9.18% | 9.56% | 10.75% | 7.64% | 8.54% | 10.02% | 5.15% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
PFXF VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF | 6.16% | 6.72% | 7.82% | 7.88% | 6.74% | 4.66% | 5.19% | 5.35% | 6.56% | 5.93% | 5.81% | 5.99% |
Frequently Asked Questions
PFXF and PFFA have a correlation of 0.73, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
PFXF has higher volatility (3.70%) compared to PFFA (2.32%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PFXF dropped -35.49% vs PFFA's -70.52%.
On 5-year performance, PFFA leads with 5.57% vs 2.77% for PFXF. On fees, PFXF is cheaper at 0.40% per year. On volatility, PFFA has been the lower-risk option at 2.32%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, PFFA has performed better with a 5.57% return vs 2.77%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
PFXF is cheaper with a 0.40% expense ratio, compared with 1.47% for PFFA.
PFFA has the higher dividend yield at 9.98%, compared with 6.16% for PFXF.
They also come from different issuers: VanEck and Virtus. Their fees differ too: 0.40% for PFXF and 1.47% for PFFA.
PFFA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.76 vs 0.70), 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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