PLSAX vs. USMC
Compare and contrast key facts about Principal LargeCap S&P 500 Index Fund Class A (PLSAX) and Principal U.S. Mega-Cap ETF (USMC).
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. USMC is a passively managed fund by Principal that tracks the performance of the Nasdaq US Mega Cap Select Leaders Index. It was launched on Oct 12, 2017. Both PLSAX and USMC 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. USMC - Performance Comparison
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PLSAX vs. USMC - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% | 5.15% |
USMC Principal U.S. Mega-Cap ETF | -6.05% | 14.99% | 29.82% | 31.57% | -17.17% | 26.30% | 16.05% | 27.37% | -2.30% | 5.48% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PLSAX achieves a -7.11% return, which is significantly lower than USMC's -6.05% return.
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%
USMC
- 1D
- 2.86%
- 1M
- -4.04%
- YTD
- -6.05%
- 6M
- -5.28%
- 1Y
- 14.22%
- 3Y*
- 18.68%
- 5Y*
- 13.10%
- 10Y*
- —
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PLSAX vs. USMC - Expense Ratio Comparison
PLSAX has a 0.38% expense ratio, which is higher than USMC's 0.12% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
PLSAX vs. USMC — Risk / Return Rank
PLSAX
USMC
PLSAX vs. USMC - 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 Principal U.S. Mega-Cap ETF (USMC). 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.
| PLSAX | USMC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.83 | 0.80 | +0.03 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.31 | 1.26 | +0.05 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.18 | +0.01 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.03 | 1.31 | -0.28 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.02 | 4.89 | +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. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| PLSAX | USMC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.83 | 0.80 | +0.03 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.67 | 0.81 | -0.13 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.77 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.39 | 0.74 | -0.35 |
Correlation
The correlation between PLSAX and USMC is 0.92, 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. USMC - Dividend Comparison
PLSAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.96%, more than USMC's 0.84% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
USMC Principal U.S. Mega-Cap ETF | 0.84% | 0.79% | 1.04% | 1.35% | 1.78% | 1.53% | 1.55% | 2.01% | 2.28% | 0.24% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Drawdowns
PLSAX vs. USMC - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PLSAX drawdown since its inception was -55.67%, which is greater than USMC's maximum drawdown of -29.97%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PLSAX and USMC.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PLSAX | USMC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -55.67% | -29.97% | -25.70% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.13% | -11.16% | -0.97% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.69% | -24.09% | -0.60% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -33.79% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -8.94% | -7.74% | -1.20% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.22% | -4.47% | -5.75% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.49% | 2.99% | -0.50% |
Volatility
PLSAX vs. USMC - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Principal LargeCap S&P 500 Index Fund Class A (PLSAX) is 4.22%, while Principal U.S. Mega-Cap ETF (USMC) has a volatility of 5.00%. This indicates that PLSAX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than USMC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PLSAX | USMC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.22% | 5.00% | -0.78% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.07% | 9.23% | -0.16% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 17.87% | 17.82% | +0.05% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.87% | 16.36% | +0.51% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.46% | 18.36% | -0.90% |