PLHHX vs. VYM
PLHHX (Principal LifeTime Hybrid 2065 Fund) and VYM (Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF) are both funds - PLHHX is a Target Retirement Date fund managed by Principal, while VYM is a Dividend fund tracking the FTSE High Dividend Yield Index. Over the past 5 years, PLHHX returned 10.32%/yr vs 11.88%/yr for VYM. Their correlation of 0.83 suggests significant overlap in exposure. PLHHX charges 0.05%/yr vs 0.04%/yr for VYM.
Performance
PLHHX vs. VYM - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PLHHX achieves a 10.60% return, which is significantly lower than VYM's 11.51% return.
PLHHX
- 1D
- -0.25%
- 1M
- 1.54%
- YTD
- 10.60%
- 6M
- 9.96%
- 1Y
- 25.86%
- 3Y*
- 19.26%
- 5Y*
- 10.32%
- 10Y*
- —
VYM
- 1D
- -0.16%
- 1M
- 0.26%
- YTD
- 11.51%
- 6M
- 10.83%
- 1Y
- 24.08%
- 3Y*
- 18.41%
- 5Y*
- 11.88%
- 10Y*
- 11.98%
PLHHX vs. VYM - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PLHHX Principal LifeTime Hybrid 2065 Fund | 10.60% | 19.91% | 17.00% | 20.33% | -18.53% | 20.30% | 16.50% | 27.02% | -10.19% | 7.77% |
VYM Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF | 11.51% | 15.42% | 17.60% | 6.57% | -0.43% | 26.20% | 1.15% | 24.06% | -5.92% | 10.15% |
Correlation
The correlation between PLHHX and VYM is 0.73, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.73 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.79 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.83 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 6, 2017 | 0.83 |
The correlation between PLHHX and VYM shifts across timeframes, from 0.73 (1 year) to 0.83 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
PLHHX vs. VYM — Risk / Return Rank
PLHHX
VYM
PLHHX vs. VYM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Principal LifeTime Hybrid 2065 Fund (PLHHX) and Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM). 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.
| PLHHX | VYM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.20 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.41 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.39 | 1.42 | -0.03 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.13 | 3.61 | -0.48 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 13.94 | 13.43 | +0.52 |
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Drawdowns
PLHHX vs. VYM - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PLHHX drawdown since its inception was -33.47%, smaller than the maximum VYM drawdown of -56.98%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PLHHX and VYM.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PLHHX | VYM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -33.47% | -56.98% | +23.51% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.64% | -6.69% | -1.95% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -16.62% | -14.46% | -2.16% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.44% | -15.84% | -9.60% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -35.21% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.95% | -1.28% | +0.33% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.37% | -7.18% | +1.81% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.94% | 1.80% | +0.14% |
Volatility
PLHHX vs. VYM - Volatility Comparison
Principal LifeTime Hybrid 2065 Fund (PLHHX) has a higher volatility of 5.03% compared to Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM) at 3.02%. This indicates that PLHHX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VYM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PLHHX | VYM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.03% | 3.02% | +2.01% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.46% | 7.64% | +2.82% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.75% | 10.39% | +2.36% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.63% | 13.93% | +1.70% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.83% | 16.32% | +0.51% |
PLHHX vs. VYM - Expense Ratio Comparison
PLHHX has a 0.05% expense ratio, which is higher than VYM's 0.04% 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%.
Dividends
PLHHX vs. VYM - Dividend Comparison
PLHHX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.51%, more than VYM's 2.30% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PLHHX Principal LifeTime Hybrid 2065 Fund | 3.51% | 3.88% | 4.03% | 2.64% | 7.08% | 2.27% | 2.00% | 1.65% | 3.49% | 1.87% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VYM Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF | 2.30% | 2.44% | 2.74% | 3.12% | 3.01% | 2.76% | 3.18% | 3.03% | 3.40% | 2.80% | 2.91% | 3.22% |
Frequently Asked Questions
PLHHX and VYM have a correlation of 0.73, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
PLHHX has higher volatility (5.03%) compared to VYM (3.02%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PLHHX dropped -33.47% vs VYM's -56.98%.
VYM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.33 vs 2.13), 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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