PFXF vs. SCHD
PFXF (VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF) and SCHD (Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - PFXF is a Preferred Stock fund tracking the ICE Exchange-Listed Fixed & Adjustable Rate Non-Financial Preferred Securities Index, while SCHD is a Dividend fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, PFXF returned 4.73%/yr vs 12.70%/yr for SCHD. Their 0.54 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. PFXF charges 0.40%/yr vs 0.06%/yr for SCHD.
Performance
PFXF vs. SCHD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PFXF achieves a 4.43% return, which is significantly lower than SCHD's 24.36% return. Over the past 10 years, PFXF has underperformed SCHD with an annualized return of 4.73%, while SCHD has yielded a comparatively higher 12.70% annualized return.
PFXF
- 1D
- 2.10%
- 1M
- 1.13%
- 6M
- 1.23%
- YTD
- 4.43%
- 1Y
- 9.79%
- 3Y*
- 8.72%
- 5Y*
- 3.13%
- 10Y*
- 4.73%
- ALL TIME*
- 5.36%
SCHD
- 1D
- 0.27%
- 1M
- 3.61%
- 6M
- 13.71%
- YTD
- 24.36%
- 1Y
- 31.89%
- 3Y*
- 14.88%
- 5Y*
- 9.66%
- 10Y*
- 12.70%
- ALL TIME*
- 13.40%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $14.01M | $13.64M | $16.82M | |
| $806.58M | $724.91M | $690.35M |
PFXF vs. SCHD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PFXF VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF | 4.43% | 9.64% | 8.42% | 11.20% | -18.83% | 11.61% | 7.61% | 20.52% | -4.17% | 7.93% |
SCHD Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF | 24.36% | 4.34% | 11.66% | 4.54% | -3.26% | 29.87% | 15.03% | 27.29% | -5.56% | 20.85% |
Correlation
The correlation between PFXF and SCHD is 0.32, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.32 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.47 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.57 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.53 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 19, 2012 | 0.54 |
Over the past year, the correlation between PFXF and SCHD has dropped to 0.32 - well below their long-term average of 0.54, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
PFXF vs. SCHD — Risk / Return Rank
PFXF
SCHD
PFXF vs. SCHD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF (PFXF) and Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD). 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 | SCHD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.93 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -3.07 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.17 | 1.52 | -0.35 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.22 | 6.94 | -5.72 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.58 | 17.53 | -13.95 |
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Drawdowns
PFXF vs. SCHD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PFXF drawdown since its inception was -35.49%, which is greater than SCHD's maximum drawdown of -33.37%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PFXF and SCHD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PFXF | SCHD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -35.49% | -33.37% | -2.12% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.04% | -4.61% | -3.43% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -11.90% | -16.13% | +4.23% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.80% | -16.85% | -4.95% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.49% | -33.37% | -2.12% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.70% | -0.97% | -3.73% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.92% | -3.29% | -0.63% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.74% | 1.82% | +0.92% |
Volatility
PFXF vs. SCHD - Volatility Comparison
VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF (PFXF) has a higher volatility of 4.27% compared to Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) at 3.82%. This indicates that PFXF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SCHD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PFXF | SCHD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.27% | 3.82% | +0.45% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 8.25% | 7.99% | +0.26% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 10.15% | 11.06% | -0.91% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 11.15% | 14.39% | -3.24% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 13.31% | 16.73% | -3.42% |
PFXF vs. SCHD - Expense Ratio Comparison
PFXF has a 0.40% expense ratio, which is higher than SCHD's 0.06% expense ratio.
Dividends
PFXF vs. SCHD - Dividend Comparison
PFXF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.56%, more than SCHD's 3.12% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PFXF VanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF | 6.56% | 6.72% | 7.82% | 7.88% | 6.74% | 4.66% | 5.19% | 5.35% | 6.56% | 5.93% | 5.81% | 5.99% |
SCHD Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF | 3.12% | 3.82% | 3.64% | 3.49% | 3.39% | 2.78% | 3.16% | 2.98% | 3.06% | 2.63% | 2.89% | 2.97% |
Frequently Asked Questions
PFXF and SCHD have a correlation of 0.32, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
PFXF has higher volatility (4.27%) compared to SCHD (3.82%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PFXF dropped -35.49% vs SCHD's -33.37%.
On 10-year performance, SCHD leads with 12.70% vs 4.73% for PFXF. On fees, SCHD is cheaper at 0.06% per year. On volatility, SCHD has been the lower-risk option at 3.82%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, SCHD has performed better with a 12.70% return vs 4.73%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SCHD is cheaper with a 0.06% expense ratio, compared with 0.40% for PFXF.
PFXF has the higher dividend yield at 6.56%, compared with 3.12% for SCHD.
PFXF is categorized as Preferred Stock, while SCHD is Dividend. PFXF tracks ICE Exchange-Listed Fixed & Adjustable Rate Non-Financial Preferred Securities Index, while SCHD tracks Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index. They also come from different issuers: VanEck and Charles Schwab. Their fees differ too: 0.40% for PFXF and 0.06% for SCHD.
SCHD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.90 vs 0.97), 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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