PIEQ vs. PQDI
PIEQ (Principal International Equity ETF) and PQDI (Principal Spectrum Preferred and Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - PIEQ is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund actively managed by Principal, while PQDI is a Preferred Stock fund tracking the ICE BofA 7% Constrained DRD Eligible Preferred Securities Index. PIEQ is actively managed, while PQDI is passively managed. Over the past year, PIEQ returned 27.27% vs 5.21% for PQDI. Their 0.55 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. PIEQ charges 0.48%/yr vs 0.60%/yr for PQDI.
Performance
PIEQ vs. PQDI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PIEQ achieves a 10.07% return, which is significantly higher than PQDI's 1.57% return.
PIEQ
- 1D
- -0.55%
- 1M
- 2.25%
- 6M
- 5.01%
- YTD
- 10.07%
- 1Y
- 27.27%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 25.17%
PQDI
- 1D
- 0.26%
- 1M
- -0.57%
- 6M
- 0.87%
- YTD
- 1.57%
- 1Y
- 5.21%
- 3Y*
- 8.21%
- 5Y*
- 3.08%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 4.63%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1.59M | $1.39M | $4.05M | |
| $194.13K | $147.05K | $129.07K |
PIEQ vs. PQDI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
PIEQ Principal International Equity ETF | 10.07% | 38.10% | -2.98% |
PQDI Principal Spectrum Preferred and Income ETF | 1.57% | 8.46% | 0.20% |
Correlation
The correlation between PIEQ and PQDI is 0.62, 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. | 0.62 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 6, 2024 | 0.55 |
The correlation between PIEQ and PQDI has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.55 to 0.62 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
PIEQ vs. PQDI — Risk / Return Rank
PIEQ
PQDI
PIEQ vs. PQDI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Principal International Equity ETF (PIEQ) and Principal Spectrum Preferred and Income ETF (PQDI). 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.
| PIEQ | PQDI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.03 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.11 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.28 | 1.32 | -0.03 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.80 | 1.60 | +1.20 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.22 | 6.84 | +3.38 |
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Drawdowns
PIEQ vs. PQDI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PIEQ drawdown since its inception was -15.17%, smaller than the maximum PQDI drawdown of -17.41%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PIEQ and PQDI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PIEQ | PQDI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -15.17% | -17.41% | +2.24% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.53% | -3.31% | -6.22% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | — | -3.31% | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -17.41% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.87% | -0.67% | -0.20% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.00% | -3.42% | +1.42% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.60% | 0.77% | +1.83% |
Volatility
PIEQ vs. PQDI - Volatility Comparison
Principal International Equity ETF (PIEQ) has a higher volatility of 4.74% compared to Principal Spectrum Preferred and Income ETF (PQDI) at 0.92%. This indicates that PIEQ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PQDI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PIEQ | PQDI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.74% | 0.92% | +3.82% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 15.19% | 2.94% | +12.25% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 17.37% | 3.36% | +14.01% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.69% | 4.71% | +12.98% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.69% | 4.52% | +13.17% |
PIEQ vs. PQDI - Expense Ratio Comparison
PIEQ has a 0.48% expense ratio, which is lower than PQDI's 0.60% expense ratio.
Dividends
PIEQ vs. PQDI - Dividend Comparison
PIEQ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.17%, less than PQDI's 5.58% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PIEQ Principal International Equity ETF | 1.17% | 1.28% | 0.10% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
PQDI Principal Spectrum Preferred and Income ETF | 5.16% | 5.02% | 4.93% | 5.35% | 5.60% | 5.21% | 2.69% |
Frequently Asked Questions
PIEQ and PQDI have a correlation of 0.62, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
PIEQ has higher volatility (4.74%) compared to PQDI (0.92%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PIEQ dropped -15.17% vs PQDI's -17.41%.
On 1-year performance, PIEQ leads with 27.27% vs 5.21% for PQDI. On fees, PIEQ is cheaper at 0.48% per year. On volatility, PQDI has been the lower-risk option at 0.92%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, PIEQ has performed better with a 27.27% return vs 5.21%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
PIEQ is cheaper with a 0.48% expense ratio, compared with 0.60% for PQDI.
PQDI has the higher dividend yield at 5.16%, compared with 1.17% for PIEQ.
PIEQ is categorized as Foreign Large Cap Equities, while PQDI is Preferred Stock. Their fees differ too: 0.48% for PIEQ and 0.60% for PQDI.
PQDI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.57 vs 1.54), 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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