PSC vs. IG

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

PSC (Principal U.S. Small Cap Multi-Factor ETF) and IG (Principal Investment Grade Corporate Active ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - PSC is a Small Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Nasdaq US Small Cap Select Leaders TR Index, while IG is a Corporate Bonds fund actively managed by Principal. PSC is passively managed, while IG is actively managed. Their correlation of 0.82 suggests significant overlap in exposure. PSC charges 0.38%/yr vs 0.26%/yr for IG.

Performance

PSC vs. IG - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Principal U.S. Small Cap Multi-Factor ETF (PSC) and Principal Investment Grade Corporate Active ETF (IG). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

PSC

• 1D: -0.94%
• 1M: 3.79%
• YTD: 13.84%
• 6M: 13.56%
• 1Y: 27.15%
• 3Y*: 18.36%
• 5Y*: 8.06%
• 10Y*: —

IG

• 1D: -0.23%
• 1M: 0.57%
• YTD: —
• 6M: —
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

PSC vs. IG - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)
PSC Principal U.S. Small Cap Multi-Factor ETF	4.05%
IG Principal Investment Grade Corporate Active ETF	-0.22%

Correlation

The correlation between PSC and IG is 0.82, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 23, 2026	0.82

PSC vs. IG - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	PSC	IG
Technology	20.3%	-
Industrials	17.7%	-
Financial Services	16.5%	2.9%
Healthcare	15.3%	-
Consumer Cyclical	8.1%	-
Energy	6.0%	-
Real Estate	4.6%	-
Basic Materials	4.2%	-
Utilities	2.9%	-
Consumer Defensive	2.3%	-
Communication Services	2.2%	-

Return for Risk

PSC vs. IG — Risk / Return Rank

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

PSC

PSC Risk / Return Rank: 46
PSC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 41
PSC Sortino Ratio Rank: 42
PSC Omega Ratio Rank: 38
PSC Calmar Ratio Rank: 55
PSC Martin Ratio Rank: 55

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.

PSC vs. IG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Principal U.S. Small Cap Multi-Factor ETF (PSC) and Principal Investment Grade Corporate Active ETF (IG). 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.

	PSC	IG	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.46	—	—
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.14	—	—
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.25	—	—
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.74	—	—
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	9.55	—	—
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	PSC	IG	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.46	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.39	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.50	-0.40	+0.90

Drawdowns

PSC vs. IG - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PSC drawdown since its inception was -46.69%, which is greater than IG's maximum drawdown of -1.75%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PSC and IG.

Drawdown Indicators

	PSC	IG	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-46.69%	-1.75%	-44.94%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.95%	—	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-23.49%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-25.86%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.94%	-0.32%	-0.62%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.28%	-0.53%	-7.75%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.85%	—	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	PSC	IG	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.93%	—	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.77%	—	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	18.65%	4.90%	+13.75%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	20.99%	4.90%	+16.09%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	23.30%	4.90%	+18.40%

PSC vs. IG - Expense Ratio Comparison

PSC has a 0.38% expense ratio, which is higher than IG's 0.26% expense ratio.

Dividends

PSC vs. IG - Dividend Comparison

PSC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.58%, less than IG's 0.84% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
IG Principal Investment Grade Corporate Active ETF	0.84%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
PSC Principal U.S. Small Cap Multi-Factor ETF	0.58%	0.67%	0.75%	0.73%	1.92%	1.45%	1.25%	1.47%	1.30%	0.95%	0.35%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PSC and IG in my portfolio?

PSC and IG have a correlation of 0.82, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, PSC or IG?

On fees, IG is cheaper at 0.26% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, PSC or IG?

IG is cheaper with a 0.26% expense ratio, compared with 0.38% for PSC.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, PSC or IG?

IG has the higher dividend yield at 0.84%, compared with 0.58% for PSC.

What is the main difference between PSC and IG?

PSC is categorized as Small Cap Blend Equities, while IG is Corporate Bonds. Their fees differ too: 0.38% for PSC and 0.26% for IG.