PQIAX vs. VHYAX
PQIAX (Principal Equity Income Fund) and VHYAX (Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - PQIAX is a Dividend fund managed by Principal, while VHYAX is a Large Cap Value Equities fund tracking the FTSE High Dividend Yield Index. Over the past 5 years, PQIAX returned 11.48%/yr vs 12.16%/yr for VHYAX. Their correlation of 0.93 means they have usually moved in the same direction. PQIAX charges 0.86%/yr vs 0.08%/yr for VHYAX.
Performance
PQIAX vs. VHYAX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PQIAX achieves a 12.73% return, which is significantly lower than VHYAX's 14.17% return.
PQIAX
- 1D
- 0.48%
- 1M
- 1.55%
- 6M
- 8.92%
- YTD
- 12.73%
- 1Y
- 23.38%
- 3Y*
- 19.10%
- 5Y*
- 11.48%
- 10Y*
- 12.49%
- ALL TIME*
- 6.33%
VHYAX
- 1D
- 0.18%
- 1M
- 1.48%
- 6M
- 9.25%
- YTD
- 14.17%
- 1Y
- 24.78%
- 3Y*
- 16.81%
- 5Y*
- 12.16%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 12.69%
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 |
PQIAX vs. VHYAX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PQIAX Principal Equity Income Fund | 12.73% | 15.29% | 26.56% | 10.77% | -10.82% | 21.88% | 6.12% | 18.92% |
VHYAX Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund Admiral Shares | 14.17% | 15.39% | 17.39% | 6.68% | -0.45% | 26.08% | 1.06% | 16.67% |
Correlation
The correlation between PQIAX and VHYAX is 0.90, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.90 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.93 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.94 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 7, 2019 | 0.93 |
The correlation between PQIAX and VHYAX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.90 to 0.94 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
PQIAX vs. VHYAX — Risk / Return Rank
PQIAX
VHYAX
PQIAX vs. VHYAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Principal Equity Income Fund (PQIAX) and Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund Admiral Shares (VHYAX). 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.
| PQIAX | VHYAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.17 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.18 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.36 | 1.39 | -0.03 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.01 | 3.31 | -0.30 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.01 | 12.56 | -0.55 |
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Drawdowns
PQIAX vs. VHYAX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PQIAX drawdown since its inception was -54.68%, which is greater than VHYAX's maximum drawdown of -35.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PQIAX and VHYAX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PQIAX | VHYAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -54.68% | -35.14% | -19.54% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.07% | -6.75% | -0.32% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -15.47% | -14.42% | -1.05% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.22% | -15.87% | -5.35% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -37.67% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.80% | -1.13% | +0.33% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.99% | -3.71% | -3.28% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.77% | 1.79% | -0.02% |
Volatility
PQIAX vs. VHYAX - Volatility Comparison
Principal Equity Income Fund (PQIAX) has a higher volatility of 3.02% compared to Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund Admiral Shares (VHYAX) at 2.45%. This indicates that PQIAX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VHYAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PQIAX | VHYAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.02% | 2.45% | +0.57% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 7.87% | 7.48% | +0.39% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 10.75% | 10.37% | +0.38% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.24% | 13.91% | +1.33% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.35% | 17.82% | -1.47% |
PQIAX vs. VHYAX - Expense Ratio Comparison
PQIAX has a 0.86% expense ratio, which is higher than VHYAX's 0.08% expense ratio.
Dividends
PQIAX vs. VHYAX - Dividend Comparison
PQIAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.90%, more than VHYAX's 2.22% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PQIAX Principal Equity Income Fund | 8.90% | 9.92% | 20.62% | 2.58% | 5.37% | 5.05% | 1.52% | 4.30% | 7.41% | 6.28% | 3.73% | 2.11% |
VHYAX Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund Admiral Shares | 2.22% | 2.42% | 2.72% | 3.09% | 2.98% | 2.74% | 3.16% | 3.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
PQIAX and VHYAX have a correlation of 0.90, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
PQIAX has higher volatility (3.02%) compared to VHYAX (2.45%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PQIAX dropped -54.68% vs VHYAX's -35.14%.
VHYAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.16 vs 1.99), 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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