PRTLX vs. SSFNX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

PRTLX (Putnam RetirementReady 2055 Fund) and SSFNX (State Street Target Retirement Fund) are both Target Retirement Date funds. Over the past 10 years, PRTLX returned 10.63%/yr vs 5.89%/yr for SSFNX. Their correlation of 0.88 suggests significant overlap in exposure. PRTLX charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.10%/yr for SSFNX.

Performance

PRTLX vs. SSFNX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Putnam RetirementReady 2055 Fund (PRTLX) and State Street Target Retirement Fund (SSFNX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PRTLX achieves a 7.64% return, which is significantly higher than SSFNX's 5.58% return. Over the past 10 years, PRTLX has outperformed SSFNX with an annualized return of 10.63%, while SSFNX has yielded a comparatively lower 5.89% annualized return.

PRTLX

• 1D: 0.43%
• 1M: 4.85%
• YTD: 7.64%
• 6M: 7.16%
• 1Y: 18.92%
• 3Y*: 16.35%
• 5Y*: 9.15%
• 10Y*: 10.63%

SSFNX

• 1D: 0.17%
• 1M: 1.53%
• YTD: 5.58%
• 6M: 5.73%
• 1Y: 13.09%
• 3Y*: 9.93%
• 5Y*: 4.57%
• 10Y*: 5.89%

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

PRTLX vs. SSFNX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PRTLX Putnam RetirementReady 2055 Fund	7.64%	13.42%	15.59%	22.31%	-15.71%	17.39%	14.17%	20.75%	-9.44%	20.69%
SSFNX State Street Target Retirement Fund	5.58%	10.93%	7.05%	10.73%	-12.21%	6.87%	10.26%	13.97%	-2.49%	8.92%

Correlation

The correlation between PRTLX and SSFNX is 0.87, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.87
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.85
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.87
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.88
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 2, 2014	0.88

The correlation between PRTLX and SSFNX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.85 to 0.88 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

PRTLX vs. SSFNX — Risk / Return Rank

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

PRTLX

PRTLX Risk / Return Rank: 37
PRTLX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 36
PRTLX Sortino Ratio Rank: 34
PRTLX Omega Ratio Rank: 35
PRTLX Calmar Ratio Rank: 34
PRTLX Martin Ratio Rank: 43

SSFNX

SSFNX Risk / Return Rank: 88
SSFNX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 90
SSFNX Sortino Ratio Rank: 90
SSFNX Omega Ratio Rank: 88
SSFNX Calmar Ratio Rank: 81
SSFNX Martin Ratio Rank: 88

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.

PRTLX vs. SSFNX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Putnam RetirementReady 2055 Fund (PRTLX) and State Street Target Retirement Fund (SSFNX). 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.

	PRTLX	SSFNX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.74	3.00	-1.26
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.46	4.41	-1.95
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.31	1.62	-0.30
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.19	3.73	-1.54
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.14	16.97	-7.83
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PRTLX vs. SSFNX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PRTLX Sharpe Ratio is 1.74, which is lower than the SSFNX Sharpe Ratio of 3.00. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PRTLX and SSFNX, 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

	PRTLX	SSFNX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.74	3.00	-1.26
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.66	0.70	-0.04
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.73	0.90	-0.17
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.59	0.84	-0.25

Drawdowns

PRTLX vs. SSFNX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PRTLX drawdown since its inception was -28.52%, which is greater than SSFNX's maximum drawdown of -16.62%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PRTLX and SSFNX.

Drawdown Indicators

	PRTLX	SSFNX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-28.52%	-16.62%	-11.90%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.87%	-3.52%	-5.35%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.55%	-5.40%	-13.15%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-21.71%	-16.62%	-5.09%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-28.52%	-16.62%	-11.90%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.57%	-2.52%	-3.05%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.12%	0.77%	+1.35%

Volatility

PRTLX vs. SSFNX - Volatility Comparison

Putnam RetirementReady 2055 Fund (PRTLX) has a higher volatility of 2.86% compared to State Street Target Retirement Fund (SSFNX) at 1.41%. This indicates that PRTLX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SSFNX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PRTLX	SSFNX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.86%	1.41%	+1.45%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.69%	3.53%	+5.16%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.19%	4.38%	+6.81%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.96%	6.58%	+7.38%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.59%	6.57%	+8.02%

PRTLX vs. SSFNX - Expense Ratio Comparison

PRTLX has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than SSFNX's 0.10% 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

PRTLX vs. SSFNX - Dividend Comparison

PRTLX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.56%, less than SSFNX's 4.61% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PRTLX Putnam RetirementReady 2055 Fund	1.56%	1.68%	1.20%	1.60%	10.10%	12.83%	1.09%	7.44%	15.18%	5.47%	1.14%	9.07%
SSFNX State Street Target Retirement Fund	4.61%	4.86%	5.78%	5.26%	5.12%	6.69%	1.61%	3.35%	4.40%	2.72%	1.84%	2.05%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PRTLX and SSFNX in my portfolio?

PRTLX and SSFNX have a correlation of 0.87, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PRTLX or SSFNX?

PRTLX has higher volatility (2.86%) compared to SSFNX (1.41%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PRTLX dropped -28.52% vs SSFNX's -16.62%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SSFNX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.00 vs 1.74), 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.