PHK vs. VABS

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

PHK (PIMCO High Income Fund) is a stock, while VABS (Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF) is Mortgage Backed Securities fund actively managed by Virtus Investment Partners. Over the past 5 years, PHK returned 2.65%/yr vs 3.22%/yr for VABS. At a 0.10 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

PHK vs. VABS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in PIMCO High Income Fund (PHK) and Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF (VABS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PHK achieves a -1.99% return, which is significantly lower than VABS's 1.39% return.

PHK

• 1D: -0.88%
• 1M: -1.98%
• YTD: -1.99%
• 6M: -1.42%
• 1Y: 6.54%
• 3Y*: 11.17%
• 5Y*: 2.65%
• 10Y*: 3.79%

VABS

• 1D: -0.14%
• 1M: 0.28%
• YTD: 1.39%
• 6M: 1.54%
• 1Y: 4.26%
• 3Y*: 6.31%
• 5Y*: 3.22%
• 10Y*: —

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

PHK vs. VABS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
PHK PIMCO High Income Fund	-1.99%	12.63%	9.46%	18.84%	-14.41%	6.27%
VABS Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF	1.39%	5.40%	7.59%	7.61%	-5.24%	0.45%

Correlation

The correlation between PHK and VABS is 0.14, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.14
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.10
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.11
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 11, 2021	0.10

Return for Risk

PHK vs. VABS — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

PHK

PHK Risk / Return Rank: 57
PHK Sharpe Ratio Rank: 60
PHK Sortino Ratio Rank: 51
PHK Omega Ratio Rank: 55
PHK Calmar Ratio Rank: 56
PHK Martin Ratio Rank: 63

VABS

VABS Risk / Return Rank: 69
VABS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 62
VABS Sortino Ratio Rank: 61
VABS Omega Ratio Rank: 77
VABS Calmar Ratio Rank: 82
VABS Martin Ratio Rank: 62

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

PHK vs. VABS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for PIMCO High Income Fund (PHK) and Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF (VABS). 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.

	PHK	VABS	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.60	2.10	-1.50
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.89	2.88	-1.99
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.14	1.46	-0.32
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.71	4.34	-3.63
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	2.54	11.20	-8.66
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PHK vs. VABS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PHK Sharpe Ratio is 0.60, which is lower than the VABS Sharpe Ratio of 2.10. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PHK and VABS, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	PHK	VABS	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.60	2.10	-1.50
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.19	1.41	-1.22
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.18	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.26	1.40	-1.14

Drawdowns

PHK vs. VABS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PHK drawdown since its inception was -75.29%, which is greater than VABS's maximum drawdown of -7.12%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PHK and VABS.

Drawdown Indicators

	PHK	VABS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-75.29%	-7.12%	-68.17%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.22%	-0.98%	-8.24%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-16.41%	-1.42%	-14.99%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-26.76%	-7.12%	-19.64%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-51.30%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.43%	-0.14%	-5.29%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.78%	-1.42%	-8.36%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.58%	0.38%	+2.20%

Volatility

PHK vs. VABS - Volatility Comparison

PIMCO High Income Fund (PHK) has a higher volatility of 2.94% compared to Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF (VABS) at 0.40%. This indicates that PHK's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VABS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PHK	VABS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.94%	0.40%	+2.54%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.71%	1.07%	+8.64%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.97%	2.04%	+8.93%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.38%	2.30%	+12.08%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	20.59%	2.24%	+18.35%

Dividends

PHK vs. VABS - Dividend Comparison

PHK's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 12.72%, more than VABS's 5.18% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PHK PIMCO High Income Fund	12.72%	11.85%	11.85%	11.54%	12.18%	9.37%	10.62%	10.57%	12.09%	13.29%	13.54%	16.98%
VABS Virtus Newfleet ABS/MBS ETF	5.18%	4.94%	5.05%	4.13%	2.47%	1.47%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PHK and VABS in my portfolio?

PHK and VABS 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.

Which is riskier, PHK or VABS?

PHK has higher volatility (2.94%) compared to VABS (0.40%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PHK dropped -75.29% vs VABS's -7.12%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VABS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.10 vs 0.60), 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.