PLTQX vs. PCBIX
PLTQX (Principal LifeTime Hybrid 2040 Fund) and PCBIX (Principal MidCap Fund Institutional Class) are both mutual funds - PLTQX is a Target Retirement Date fund managed by Principal, while PCBIX is a Mid Cap Growth Equities fund managed by Principal. Over the past 10 years, PLTQX returned 10.17%/yr vs 11.94%/yr for PCBIX. Their correlation of 0.88 means they have usually moved in the same direction. PLTQX charges 0.05%/yr vs 0.67%/yr for PCBIX.
Performance
PLTQX vs. PCBIX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PLTQX achieves a 9.16% return, which is significantly higher than PCBIX's -2.78% return. Over the past 10 years, PLTQX has underperformed PCBIX with an annualized return of 10.17%, while PCBIX has yielded a comparatively higher 11.94% annualized return.
PLTQX
- 1D
- 0.78%
- 1M
- 0.95%
- 6M
- 6.32%
- YTD
- 9.16%
- 1Y
- 17.80%
- 3Y*
- 15.78%
- 5Y*
- 8.22%
- 10Y*
- 10.17%
- ALL TIME*
- 9.53%
PCBIX
- 1D
- 1.76%
- 1M
- 0.39%
- 6M
- 0.14%
- YTD
- -2.78%
- 1Y
- -8.19%
- 3Y*
- 10.19%
- 5Y*
- 4.58%
- 10Y*
- 11.94%
- ALL TIME*
- 10.96%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
PLTQX vs. PCBIX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PLTQX Principal LifeTime Hybrid 2040 Fund | 9.16% | 17.25% | 14.58% | 18.16% | -17.90% | 17.09% | 15.41% | 23.86% | -8.61% | 19.16% |
PCBIX Principal MidCap Fund Institutional Class | -2.78% | 1.62% | 23.63% | 25.92% | -23.16% | 25.22% | 18.25% | 49.40% | -6.86% | 25.32% |
Correlation
The correlation between PLTQX and PCBIX is 0.61, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.61 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.78 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.85 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.87 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 1, 2014 | 0.88 |
Over the past year, the correlation between PLTQX and PCBIX has dropped to 0.61 - well below their long-term average of 0.88, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
PLTQX vs. PCBIX — Risk / Return Rank
PLTQX
PCBIX
PLTQX vs. PCBIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Principal LifeTime Hybrid 2040 Fund (PLTQX) and Principal MidCap Fund Institutional Class (PCBIX). 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.
| PLTQX | PCBIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +2.20 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +3.02 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.33 | 0.94 | +0.38 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.65 | -0.33 | +2.98 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 11.39 | -0.65 | +12.04 |
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Drawdowns
PLTQX vs. PCBIX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PLTQX drawdown since its inception was -29.05%, smaller than the maximum PCBIX drawdown of -50.25%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PLTQX and PCBIX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PLTQX | PCBIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -29.05% | -50.25% | +21.20% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.29% | -19.29% | +12.00% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -13.75% | -19.29% | +5.54% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.18% | -31.17% | +6.99% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -29.05% | -40.56% | +11.51% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.22% | -9.13% | +8.91% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.36% | -6.59% | +2.23% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.69% | 9.86% | -8.17% |
Volatility
PLTQX vs. PCBIX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Principal LifeTime Hybrid 2040 Fund (PLTQX) is 3.10%, while Principal MidCap Fund Institutional Class (PCBIX) has a volatility of 5.29%. This indicates that PLTQX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than PCBIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PLTQX | PCBIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.10% | 5.29% | -2.19% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 8.97% | 12.13% | -3.16% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 10.87% | 15.24% | -4.37% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 13.49% | 18.77% | -5.28% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 13.77% | 19.15% | -5.38% |
PLTQX vs. PCBIX - Expense Ratio Comparison
PLTQX has a 0.05% expense ratio, which is lower than PCBIX's 0.67% expense ratio.
Dividends
PLTQX vs. PCBIX - Dividend Comparison
PLTQX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.12%, less than PCBIX's 5.98% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PCBIX Principal MidCap Fund Institutional Class | 5.98% | 5.81% | 6.40% | 2.51% | 3.18% | 7.96% | 1.08% | 9.02% | 12.24% | 3.31% | 2.49% | 6.30% |
PLTQX Principal LifeTime Hybrid 2040 Fund | 4.12% | 4.50% | 4.19% | 3.14% | 8.95% | 5.00% | 3.85% | 3.84% | 4.47% | 2.37% | 2.34% | 1.65% |
Frequently Asked Questions
PLTQX and PCBIX have a correlation of 0.61, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
PCBIX has higher volatility (5.29%) compared to PLTQX (3.10%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PLTQX dropped -29.05% vs PCBIX's -50.25%.
PLTQX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.78 vs -0.42), 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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