PTEAX vs. PLFIX
Compare and contrast key facts about Principal Tax-Exempt Bond Fund (PTEAX) and Principal Large Cap S&P 500 Index Fund Institutional (PLFIX).
PTEAX is managed by Principal. It was launched on Jan 2, 1977. PLFIX is a passively managed fund by Principal that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index. It was launched on Mar 1, 2001.
Performance
PTEAX vs. PLFIX - Performance Comparison
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PTEAX vs. PLFIX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PTEAX Principal Tax-Exempt Bond Fund | -1.06% | 4.68% | 2.10% | 6.35% | -12.18% | 2.71% | 4.80% | 9.05% | 0.44% | 6.44% |
PLFIX Principal Large Cap S&P 500 Index Fund Institutional | -7.07% | 17.77% | 26.77% | 26.00% | -18.21% | 28.25% | 18.11% | 31.35% | -4.66% | 21.65% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PTEAX achieves a -1.06% return, which is significantly higher than PLFIX's -7.07% return. Over the past 10 years, PTEAX has underperformed PLFIX with an annualized return of 1.93%, while PLFIX has yielded a comparatively higher 13.72% annualized return.
PTEAX
- 1D
- 0.15%
- 1M
- -2.95%
- YTD
- -1.06%
- 6M
- 0.39%
- 1Y
- 3.32%
- 3Y*
- 3.01%
- 5Y*
- 0.29%
- 10Y*
- 1.93%
PLFIX
- 1D
- -0.40%
- 1M
- -7.67%
- YTD
- -7.07%
- 6M
- -4.61%
- 1Y
- 14.37%
- 3Y*
- 17.60%
- 5Y*
- 11.56%
- 10Y*
- 13.72%
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PTEAX vs. PLFIX - Expense Ratio Comparison
PTEAX has a 0.73% expense ratio, which is higher than PLFIX's 0.11% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
PTEAX vs. PLFIX — Risk / Return Rank
PTEAX
PLFIX
PTEAX vs. PLFIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Principal Tax-Exempt Bond Fund (PTEAX) and Principal Large Cap S&P 500 Index Fund Institutional (PLFIX). 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.
| PTEAX | PLFIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.84 | 0.85 | -0.01 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.14 | 1.33 | -0.19 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.23 | 1.20 | +0.03 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.92 | 1.05 | -0.13 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.97 | 5.14 | -2.17 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| PTEAX | PLFIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.84 | 0.85 | -0.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.07 | 0.69 | -0.62 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.44 | 0.79 | -0.35 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.31 | 0.45 | -0.14 |
Correlation
The correlation between PTEAX and PLFIX is -0.10. This indicates that the assets' prices tend to move in opposite directions. Negative correlation can be particularly beneficial for diversification and risk management, as one asset may offset the losses of the other during market fluctuations.
Dividends
PTEAX vs. PLFIX - Dividend Comparison
PTEAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.89%, more than PLFIX's 3.17% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PTEAX Principal Tax-Exempt Bond Fund | 3.89% | 4.66% | 3.73% | 2.81% | 2.27% | 2.15% | 2.23% | 3.09% | 3.68% | 3.69% | 3.91% | 3.75% |
PLFIX Principal Large Cap S&P 500 Index Fund Institutional | 3.17% | 2.95% | 4.28% | 4.13% | 2.96% | 13.60% | 7.57% | 3.83% | 7.52% | 7.01% | 3.23% | 2.69% |
Drawdowns
PTEAX vs. PLFIX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PTEAX drawdown since its inception was -38.72%, smaller than the maximum PLFIX drawdown of -55.28%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PTEAX and PLFIX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PTEAX | PLFIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -38.72% | -55.28% | +16.56% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -4.78% | -12.13% | +7.35% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.37% | -24.58% | +7.21% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -17.37% | -33.77% | +16.40% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.95% | -8.90% | +5.95% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.95% | -8.91% | +2.96% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.49% | 2.48% | -0.99% |
Volatility
PTEAX vs. PLFIX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Principal Tax-Exempt Bond Fund (PTEAX) is 1.01%, while Principal Large Cap S&P 500 Index Fund Institutional (PLFIX) has a volatility of 4.24%. This indicates that PTEAX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than PLFIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PTEAX | PLFIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.01% | 4.24% | -3.23% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.80% | 9.06% | -7.26% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.92% | 17.85% | -12.93% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 3.96% | 16.87% | -12.91% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 4.39% | 17.48% | -13.09% |