PMTIX vs. TBLEX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

PMTIX (Principal LifeTime 2030 Fund) and TBLEX (T. Rowe Price Retirement Blend 2025 Fund) are both Target Retirement Date funds. Over the past 3 years, PMTIX returned 13.63%/yr vs 13.23%/yr for TBLEX. With a 0.96 correlation, they move nearly in lockstep. PMTIX charges 0.01%/yr vs 0.22%/yr for TBLEX.

Performance

PMTIX vs. TBLEX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Principal LifeTime 2030 Fund (PMTIX) and T. Rowe Price Retirement Blend 2025 Fund (TBLEX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PMTIX achieves a 6.02% return, which is significantly lower than TBLEX's 7.21% return.

PMTIX

• 1D: 0.26%
• 1M: 2.99%
• YTD: 6.02%
• 6M: 6.25%
• 1Y: 15.56%
• 3Y*: 13.63%
• 5Y*: 6.27%
• 10Y*: 8.80%

TBLEX

• 1D: 0.26%
• 1M: 2.98%
• YTD: 7.21%
• 6M: 7.58%
• 1Y: 17.25%
• 3Y*: 13.23%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

PMTIX vs. TBLEX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
PMTIX Principal LifeTime 2030 Fund	6.02%	13.25%	12.86%	15.11%	-16.81%	2.53%
TBLEX T. Rowe Price Retirement Blend 2025 Fund	7.21%	13.88%	10.29%	15.00%	-15.23%	2.43%

Correlation

The correlation between PMTIX and TBLEX is 0.97 - these two move nearly in lockstep. At this level, holding both provides almost no diversification benefit. If you already own one, adding the other does little to reduce portfolio risk.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.97
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.96
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 2, 2021	0.96

The correlation between PMTIX and TBLEX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.96 to 0.97 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

PMTIX vs. TBLEX — Risk / Return Rank

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

PMTIX

PMTIX Risk / Return Rank: 53
PMTIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 50
PMTIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 51
PMTIX Omega Ratio Rank: 52
PMTIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 51
PMTIX Martin Ratio Rank: 61

TBLEX

TBLEX Risk / Return Rank: 70
TBLEX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 73
TBLEX Sortino Ratio Rank: 72
TBLEX Omega Ratio Rank: 73
TBLEX Calmar Ratio Rank: 62
TBLEX Martin Ratio Rank: 70

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.

PMTIX vs. TBLEX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Principal LifeTime 2030 Fund (PMTIX) and T. Rowe Price Retirement Blend 2025 Fund (TBLEX). 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.

	PMTIX	TBLEX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.09	2.48	-0.40
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.01	3.56	-0.55
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.40	1.48	-0.09
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.71	3.02	-0.31
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	12.06	13.48	-1.42
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PMTIX vs. TBLEX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PMTIX Sharpe Ratio is 2.09, which is comparable to the TBLEX Sharpe Ratio of 2.48. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PMTIX and TBLEX, 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

	PMTIX	TBLEX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.09	2.48	-0.40
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.60	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.79	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.49	0.65	-0.15

Drawdowns

PMTIX vs. TBLEX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PMTIX drawdown since its inception was -52.14%, which is greater than TBLEX's maximum drawdown of -21.51%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PMTIX and TBLEX.

Drawdown Indicators

	PMTIX	TBLEX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-52.14%	-21.51%	-30.63%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-5.85%	-5.80%	-0.05%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-9.62%	-8.94%	-0.68%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-23.05%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-25.87%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.79%	-5.41%	-1.38%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.31%	1.30%	+0.01%

Volatility

PMTIX vs. TBLEX - Volatility Comparison

Principal LifeTime 2030 Fund (PMTIX) has a higher volatility of 2.40% compared to T. Rowe Price Retirement Blend 2025 Fund (TBLEX) at 2.26%. This indicates that PMTIX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than TBLEX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PMTIX	TBLEX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.40%	2.26%	+0.14%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	6.15%	5.75%	+0.40%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	7.61%	7.07%	+0.54%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	10.55%	9.80%	+0.75%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	11.22%	9.80%	+1.42%

PMTIX vs. TBLEX - Expense Ratio Comparison

PMTIX has a 0.01% expense ratio, which is lower than TBLEX's 0.22% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

PMTIX vs. TBLEX - Dividend Comparison

PMTIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 9.14%, more than TBLEX's 3.03% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PMTIX Principal LifeTime 2030 Fund	9.14%	9.69%	9.60%	4.26%	10.05%	8.87%	6.37%	6.49%	8.21%	5.87%	3.97%	9.44%
TBLEX T. Rowe Price Retirement Blend 2025 Fund	3.03%	3.25%	2.73%	2.41%	3.09%	2.07%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PMTIX and TBLEX in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.97, PMTIX and TBLEX 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, PMTIX or TBLEX?

PMTIX has higher volatility (2.40%) compared to TBLEX (2.26%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PMTIX dropped -52.14% vs TBLEX's -21.51%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

TBLEX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.48 vs 2.09), 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.