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PLSAX vs. SPINX
Performance
Return for Risk
Dividends
Drawdowns
Volatility

PLSAX vs. SPINX

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Principal LargeCap S&P 500 Index Fund Class A (PLSAX) and SEI Institutional Investments Trust S&P 500 Index Fund (SPINX).

PLSAX is a passively managed fund by Principal Funds that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index. It was launched on Feb 2, 2001. SPINX is a passively managed fund by SEI that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index. It was launched on Dec 18, 2013. Both PLSAX and SPINX 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

PLSAX vs. SPINX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Principal LargeCap S&P 500 Index Fund Class A (PLSAX) and SEI Institutional Investments Trust S&P 500 Index Fund (SPINX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

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PLSAX vs. SPINX - Yearly Performance Comparison

2026 (YTD)202520242023202220212020201920182017
PLSAX
Principal LargeCap S&P 500 Index Fund Class A		-7.11%17.50%26.46%25.70%-18.41%27.93%17.85%30.97%-4.93%21.23%
SPINX
SEI Institutional Investments Trust S&P 500 Index Fund		-7.09%17.89%24.02%26.24%-18.27%28.62%18.35%31.42%-4.46%21.74%

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with PLSAX having a -7.11% return and SPINX slightly higher at -7.09%. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with PLSAX having a 13.42% annualized return and SPINX not far ahead at 13.59%.

PLSAX

1D
-0.40%
1M
-7.71%
YTD
-7.11%
6M
-4.72%
1Y
14.11%
3Y*
17.33%
5Y*
11.29%
10Y*
13.42%

SPINX

1D
-0.41%
1M
-7.71%
YTD
-7.09%
6M
-4.55%
1Y
14.42%
3Y*
16.85%
5Y*
11.17%
10Y*
13.59%
*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

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Principal LargeCap S&P 500 Index Fund Class A

SEI Institutional Investments Trust S&P 500 Index Fund

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Often compared with SPINX:
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PLSAX vs. SPINX - Expense Ratio Comparison

PLSAX has a 0.38% expense ratio, which is higher than SPINX's 0.12% expense ratio.

PLSAX
Principal LargeCap S&P 500 Index Fund Class A
SPINX
SEI Institutional Investments Trust S&P 500 Index Fund

Return for Risk

PLSAX vs. SPINX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.
PLSAX
PLSAX Risk / Return Rank: 4545
Overall Rank
PLSAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 4040
Sharpe Ratio Rank
PLSAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 4545
Sortino Ratio Rank
PLSAX Omega Ratio Rank: 4747
Omega Ratio Rank
PLSAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 4040
Calmar Ratio Rank
PLSAX Martin Ratio Rank: 5252
Martin Ratio Rank
SPINX
SPINX Risk / Return Rank: 4545
Overall Rank
SPINX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 3939
Sharpe Ratio Rank
SPINX Sortino Ratio Rank: 4343
Sortino Ratio Rank
SPINX Omega Ratio Rank: 4848
Omega Ratio Rank
SPINX Calmar Ratio Rank: 4141
Calmar Ratio Rank
SPINX Martin Ratio Rank: 5353
Martin Ratio Rank
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.

PLSAX vs. SPINX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Principal LargeCap S&P 500 Index Fund Class A (PLSAX) and SEI Institutional Investments Trust S&P 500 Index Fund (SPINX). 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.

PLSAXSPINXDifference

Sharpe ratio

Return per unit of total volatility

0.83

0.84

-0.01

Sortino ratio

Return per unit of downside risk

1.31

1.29

+0.02

Omega ratio

Gain probability vs. loss probability

1.19

1.20

0.00

Calmar ratio

Return relative to maximum drawdown

1.03

1.06

-0.03

Martin ratio

Return relative to average drawdown

5.02

5.13

-0.12

Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PLSAX vs. SPINX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PLSAX Sharpe Ratio is 0.83, which is comparable to the SPINX Sharpe Ratio of 0.84. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PLSAX and SPINX, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

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Sharpe Ratios by Period

PLSAXSPINXDifference

Sharpe Ratio (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

0.83

0.84

-0.01

Sharpe Ratio (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period

0.67

0.50

+0.17

Sharpe Ratio (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period

0.77

0.65

+0.12

Sharpe Ratio (All Time)

Calculated using the full available price history

0.39

0.64

-0.25

Correlation

The correlation between PLSAX and SPINX is 0.98, 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

PLSAX vs. SPINX - Dividend Comparison

PLSAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.96%, less than SPINX's 12.81% yield.

TTM20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
PLSAX
Principal LargeCap S&P 500 Index Fund Class A		2.96%2.75%4.07%3.90%2.70%13.38%7.35%3.57%7.19%6.72%2.93%2.36%
SPINX
SEI Institutional Investments Trust S&P 500 Index Fund		12.81%11.90%26.02%9.77%9.59%6.58%3.58%3.01%4.94%2.32%1.97%2.29%

Drawdowns

PLSAX vs. SPINX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PLSAX drawdown since its inception was -55.67%, which is greater than SPINX's maximum drawdown of -33.82%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PLSAX and SPINX.

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Drawdown Indicators

PLSAXSPINXDifference

Max Drawdown

Largest peak-to-trough decline

-55.67%

-33.82%

-21.85%

Max Drawdown (1Y)

Largest decline over 1 year

-12.13%

-12.11%

-0.02%

Max Drawdown (5Y)

Largest decline over 5 years

-24.69%

-32.91%

+8.22%

Max Drawdown (10Y)

Largest decline over 10 years

-33.79%

-33.82%

+0.03%

Current Drawdown

Current decline from peak

-8.94%

-13.57%

+4.63%

Average Drawdown

Average peak-to-trough decline

-10.22%

-5.25%

-4.97%

Ulcer Index

Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks

2.49%

2.50%

-0.01%

Volatility

PLSAX vs. SPINX - Volatility Comparison

Principal LargeCap S&P 500 Index Fund Class A (PLSAX) and SEI Institutional Investments Trust S&P 500 Index Fund (SPINX) have volatilities of 4.22% and 4.25%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

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Volatility by Period

PLSAXSPINXDifference

Volatility (1M)

Calculated over the trailing 1-month period

4.22%

4.25%

-0.03%

Volatility (6M)

Calculated over the trailing 6-month period

9.07%

9.13%

-0.06%

Volatility (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

17.87%

18.15%

-0.28%

Volatility (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized

16.87%

22.47%

-5.60%

Volatility (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized

17.46%

20.92%

-3.46%