PLFIX vs. VOO

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Principal Large Cap S&P 500 Index Fund Institutional (PLFIX) and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO).

PLFIX is a passively managed fund by Principal that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index. It was launched on Mar 1, 2001. VOO is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index. It was launched on Sep 7, 2010. Both PLFIX and VOO are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

PLFIX vs. VOO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Principal Large Cap S&P 500 Index Fund Institutional (PLFIX) and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

PLFIX vs. VOO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PLFIX Principal Large Cap S&P 500 Index Fund Institutional	-7.07%	17.77%	26.77%	26.00%	-18.21%	28.25%	18.11%	31.35%	-4.66%	21.65%
VOO Vanguard S&P 500 ETF	-4.42%	17.82%	24.98%	26.32%	-18.17%	28.79%	18.32%	31.37%	-4.50%	21.77%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PLFIX achieves a -7.07% return, which is significantly lower than VOO's -4.42% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with PLFIX having a 13.72% annualized return and VOO not far ahead at 14.05%.

PLFIX

• 1D: -0.40%
• 1M: -7.67%
• YTD: -7.07%
• 6M: -4.61%
• 1Y: 14.37%
• 3Y*: 17.60%
• 5Y*: 11.56%
• 10Y*: 13.72%

VOO

• 1D: 2.86%
• 1M: -5.01%
• YTD: -4.42%
• 6M: -1.84%
• 1Y: 17.67%
• 3Y*: 18.27%
• 5Y*: 11.75%
• 10Y*: 14.05%

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

PLFIX vs. VOO - Expense Ratio Comparison

PLFIX has a 0.11% expense ratio, which is higher than VOO's 0.03% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

PLFIX

Principal Large Cap S&P 500 Index Fund Institutional

VOO

Vanguard S&P 500 ETF

Return for Risk

PLFIX vs. VOO — Risk / Return Rank

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

PLFIX

PLFIX Risk / Return Rank: 43
PLFIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 38
PLFIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 42
PLFIX Omega Ratio Rank: 44
PLFIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 39
PLFIX Martin Ratio Rank: 52

VOO

VOO Risk / Return Rank: 65
VOO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 59
VOO Sortino Ratio Rank: 62
VOO Omega Ratio Rank: 66
VOO Calmar Ratio Rank: 65
VOO Martin Ratio Rank: 75

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.

PLFIX vs. VOO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Principal Large Cap S&P 500 Index Fund Institutional (PLFIX) and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO). 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.

	PLFIX	VOO	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.85	0.98	-0.14
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.33	1.50	-0.16
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.20	1.23	-0.03
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.05	1.53	-0.48
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	5.14	7.29	-2.15
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PLFIX vs. VOO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PLFIX Sharpe Ratio is 0.85, which is comparable to the VOO Sharpe Ratio of 0.98. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PLFIX and VOO, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	PLFIX	VOO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.85	0.98	-0.14
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.69	0.70	-0.01
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.79	0.78	0.00
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.45	0.83	-0.38

Correlation

The correlation between PLFIX and VOO is 0.99, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

PLFIX vs. VOO - Dividend Comparison

PLFIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.17%, more than VOO's 1.19% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PLFIX Principal Large Cap S&P 500 Index Fund Institutional	3.17%	2.95%	4.28%	4.13%	2.96%	13.60%	7.57%	3.83%	7.52%	7.01%	3.23%	2.69%
VOO Vanguard S&P 500 ETF	1.19%	1.13%	1.24%	1.46%	1.69%	1.25%	1.54%	1.88%	2.06%	1.78%	2.02%	2.10%

Drawdowns

PLFIX vs. VOO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PLFIX drawdown since its inception was -55.28%, which is greater than VOO's maximum drawdown of -33.99%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PLFIX and VOO.

Drawdown Indicators

	PLFIX	VOO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-55.28%	-33.99%	-21.29%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.13%	-11.98%	-0.15%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-24.58%	-24.52%	-0.06%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-33.77%	-33.99%	+0.22%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-8.90%	-6.29%	-2.61%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.91%	-3.72%	-5.19%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.48%	2.52%	-0.04%

Volatility

PLFIX vs. VOO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Principal Large Cap S&P 500 Index Fund Institutional (PLFIX) is 4.24%, while Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) has a volatility of 5.29%. This indicates that PLFIX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VOO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PLFIX	VOO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.24%	5.29%	-1.05%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.06%	9.44%	-0.38%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.85%	18.10%	-0.25%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.87%	16.82%	+0.05%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.48%	17.99%	-0.51%