PFXF vs. YCS
PFXF (VanEck Vectors Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF) and YCS (ProShares UltraShort Yen) are both exchange-traded funds - PFXF is a Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds fund tracking the Wells Fargo Hybrid and Preferred Securities ex Financials Index, while YCS is a Leveraged Currency fund tracking the USD/JPY Exchange Rate (-200%). Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, PFXF returned 5.01%/yr vs 13.66%/yr for YCS. At a 0.00 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. PFXF charges 0.41%/yr vs 1.00%/yr for YCS.
Performance
PFXF vs. YCS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PFXF achieves a 4.20% return, which is significantly lower than YCS's 10.06% return. Over the past 10 years, PFXF has underperformed YCS with an annualized return of 5.01%, while YCS has yielded a comparatively higher 13.66% annualized return.
PFXF
- 1D
- -0.99%
- 1M
- -2.14%
- YTD
- 4.20%
- 6M
- 3.47%
- 1Y
- 13.02%
- 3Y*
- 9.04%
- 5Y*
- 3.56%
- 10Y*
- 5.01%
YCS
- 1D
- 0.39%
- 1M
- 3.97%
- YTD
- 10.06%
- 6M
- 11.27%
- 1Y
- 34.18%
- 3Y*
- 18.53%
- 5Y*
- 23.65%
- 10Y*
- 13.66%
PFXF vs. YCS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PFXF VanEck Vectors Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF | 4.20% | 9.64% | 8.42% | 11.20% | -18.83% | 11.61% | 7.61% | 20.52% | -4.17% | 7.93% |
YCS ProShares UltraShort Yen | 10.06% | 9.04% | 35.41% | 28.70% | 29.09% | 22.38% | -11.18% | 3.37% | -1.49% | -6.57% |
Correlation
The correlation between PFXF and YCS is -0.14, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.14 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.17 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.14 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.07 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 19, 2012 | 0.00 |
The correlation between PFXF and YCS shifts across timeframes, from -0.17 (3 years) to 0.00 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
PFXF vs. YCS — Risk / Return Rank
PFXF
YCS
PFXF vs. YCS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Vectors Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF (PFXF) and ProShares UltraShort Yen (YCS). 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 | YCS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.66 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.56 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.24 | 1.38 | -0.14 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.24 | 4.14 | -1.89 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.30 | 13.04 | -5.74 |
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Drawdowns
PFXF vs. YCS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PFXF drawdown since its inception was -35.49%, smaller than the maximum YCS drawdown of -49.56%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PFXF and YCS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PFXF | YCS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -35.49% | -49.56% | +14.07% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -5.83% | -8.30% | +2.47% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -11.90% | -23.05% | +11.15% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.80% | -27.32% | +5.52% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.49% | -27.32% | -8.17% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.91% | 0.00% | -4.91% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.90% | -19.87% | +15.97% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.79% | 2.63% | -0.84% |
Volatility
PFXF vs. YCS - Volatility Comparison
VanEck Vectors Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF (PFXF) has a higher volatility of 3.82% compared to ProShares UltraShort Yen (YCS) at 2.25%. This indicates that PFXF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than YCS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PFXF | YCS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.82% | 2.25% | +1.57% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 7.38% | 11.91% | -4.53% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 9.47% | 16.93% | -7.46% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 11.01% | 21.10% | -10.09% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 13.25% | 18.82% | -5.57% |
PFXF vs. YCS - Expense Ratio Comparison
PFXF has a 0.41% expense ratio, which is lower than YCS's 1.00% expense ratio.
Dividends
PFXF vs. YCS - Dividend Comparison
PFXF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.34%, while YCS has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PFXF VanEck Vectors Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF | 6.34% | 6.72% | 7.82% | 7.88% | 6.74% | 4.66% | 5.19% | 5.35% | 6.56% | 5.93% | 5.81% | 5.99% |
YCS ProShares UltraShort Yen | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
PFXF and YCS have a correlation of -0.14, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
PFXF has higher volatility (3.82%) compared to YCS (2.25%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PFXF dropped -35.49% vs YCS's -49.56%.
On 10-year performance, YCS leads with 13.66% vs 5.01% for PFXF. On fees, PFXF is cheaper at 0.41% per year. On volatility, YCS has been the lower-risk option at 2.25%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, YCS has performed better with a 13.66% return vs 5.01%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
PFXF is cheaper with a 0.41% expense ratio, compared with 1.00% for YCS.
PFXF has the higher dividend yield at 6.34%, compared with 0.00% for YCS.
PFXF is categorized as Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds, while YCS is Leveraged Currency. PFXF tracks Wells Fargo Hybrid and Preferred Securities ex Financials Index, while YCS tracks USD/JPY Exchange Rate (-200%). They also come from different issuers: VanEck and ProShares. Their fees differ too: 0.41% for PFXF and 1.00% for YCS.
YCS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.04 vs 1.38), 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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