PLJIX vs. VOO

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

PLJIX (Principal LifeTime 2065) and VOO (Vanguard S&P 500 ETF) are both funds - PLJIX is a Target Retirement Date fund managed by Principal, while VOO is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 5 years, PLJIX returned 8.90%/yr vs 14.26%/yr for VOO. Their correlation of 0.94 suggests significant overlap in exposure. PLJIX charges 0.05%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VOO.

Performance

PLJIX vs. VOO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Principal LifeTime 2065 (PLJIX) and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PLJIX achieves a 9.18% return, which is significantly lower than VOO's 11.69% return.

PLJIX

• 1D: 0.65%
• 1M: 3.94%
• YTD: 9.18%
• 6M: 9.97%
• 1Y: 22.63%
• 3Y*: 18.14%
• 5Y*: 8.90%
• 10Y*: —

VOO

• 1D: 0.14%
• 1M: 5.39%
• YTD: 11.69%
• 6M: 12.11%
• 1Y: 29.68%
• 3Y*: 22.73%
• 5Y*: 14.26%
• 10Y*: 15.65%

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

PLJIX vs. VOO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PLJIX Principal LifeTime 2065	9.18%	17.76%	15.83%	20.27%	-18.82%	18.18%	16.87%	27.36%	-9.36%	7.78%
VOO Vanguard S&P 500 ETF	11.69%	17.82%	24.98%	26.32%	-18.17%	28.79%	18.32%	31.37%	-4.50%	9.23%

Correlation

The correlation between PLJIX and VOO is 0.93, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.93
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.92
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.94
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 7, 2017	0.94

The correlation between PLJIX and VOO has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.92 to 0.94 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

PLJIX vs. VOO — Risk / Return Rank

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

PLJIX

PLJIX Risk / Return Rank: 49
PLJIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 46
PLJIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 44
PLJIX Omega Ratio Rank: 45
PLJIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 48
PLJIX Martin Ratio Rank: 60

VOO

VOO Risk / Return Rank: 75
VOO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 77
VOO Sortino Ratio Rank: 75
VOO Omega Ratio Rank: 76
VOO Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
VOO Martin Ratio Rank: 80

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.

PLJIX vs. VOO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Principal LifeTime 2065 (PLJIX) 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.

	PLJIX	VOO	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.98	2.53	-0.56
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.78	3.43	-0.65
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.37	1.46	-0.10
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.65	3.42	-0.77
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	11.97	15.95	-3.97
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PLJIX vs. VOO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PLJIX Sharpe Ratio is 1.98, which is comparable to the VOO Sharpe Ratio of 2.53. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PLJIX and VOO, 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

	PLJIX	VOO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.98	2.53	-0.56
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.58	0.85	-0.27
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.87	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.66	0.89	-0.23

Drawdowns

PLJIX vs. VOO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PLJIX drawdown since its inception was -34.13%, roughly equal to the maximum VOO drawdown of -33.99%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PLJIX and VOO.

Drawdown Indicators

	PLJIX	VOO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-34.13%	-33.99%	-0.14%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.72%	-8.90%	+0.18%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-15.72%	-18.69%	+2.97%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-26.81%	-24.52%	-2.29%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-33.99%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.60%	-3.69%	-1.91%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.93%	1.91%	+0.02%

Volatility

PLJIX vs. VOO - Volatility Comparison

Principal LifeTime 2065 (PLJIX) has a higher volatility of 3.31% compared to Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) at 2.74%. This indicates that PLJIX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VOO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PLJIX	VOO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.31%	2.74%	+0.57%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.44%	8.88%	+0.56%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.82%	11.78%	+0.04%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.40%	16.81%	-1.41%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.73%	18.01%	-1.28%

PLJIX vs. VOO - Expense Ratio Comparison

PLJIX has a 0.05% 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%.

Dividends

PLJIX vs. VOO - Dividend Comparison

PLJIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.30%, more than VOO's 1.02% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PLJIX Principal LifeTime 2065	6.30%	6.88%	6.05%	3.59%	6.54%	3.83%	2.45%	3.83%	3.34%	1.87%	0.00%	0.00%
VOO Vanguard S&P 500 ETF	1.02%	1.13%	1.24%	1.46%	1.69%	1.25%	1.54%	1.88%	2.06%	1.78%	2.02%	2.10%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PLJIX and VOO in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.93, PLJIX and VOO move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which is riskier, PLJIX or VOO?

PLJIX has higher volatility (3.31%) compared to VOO (2.74%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PLJIX dropped -34.13% vs VOO's -33.99%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VOO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.53 vs 1.98), 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.