PTMC vs. FTDS

Last updated Jun 6, 2026

PTMC (Pacer Trendpilot US Mid Cap ETF) and FTDS (First Trust Dividend Strength ETF) are both Mid Cap Blend Equities funds - PTMC tracks the Pacer Trendpilot US Mid Cap Index while FTDS tracks the Dividend Strength Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, PTMC returned 5.91%/yr vs 10.85%/yr for FTDS. A 0.57 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. PTMC charges 0.60%/yr vs 0.70%/yr for FTDS.

Performance

PTMC vs. FTDS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Pacer Trendpilot US Mid Cap ETF (PTMC) and First Trust Dividend Strength ETF (FTDS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PTMC achieves a 12.33% return, which is significantly higher than FTDS's 7.49% return. Over the past 10 years, PTMC has underperformed FTDS with an annualized return of 5.91%, while FTDS has yielded a comparatively higher 10.85% annualized return.

PTMC

• 1D: -1.91%
• 1M: -0.87%
• YTD: 12.33%
• 6M: 11.93%
• 1Y: 17.22%
• 3Y*: 9.60%
• 5Y*: 3.47%
• 10Y*: 5.91%

FTDS

• 1D: 0.04%
• 1M: -1.06%
• YTD: 7.49%
• 6M: 7.70%
• 1Y: 20.76%
• 3Y*: 16.18%
• 5Y*: 6.51%
• 10Y*: 10.85%

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

PTMC vs. FTDS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PTMC Pacer Trendpilot US Mid Cap ETF	12.33%	-1.55%	13.22%	7.29%	-13.99%	12.42%	6.58%	1.04%	0.02%	17.79%
FTDS First Trust Dividend Strength ETF	7.49%	13.64%	11.12%	11.75%	-13.54%	24.79%	14.16%	24.29%	-10.35%	20.07%

Correlation

The correlation between PTMC and FTDS is 0.69, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.69
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.70
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.62
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.59
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 5, 2016	0.57

The correlation between PTMC and FTDS shifts across timeframes, from 0.57 (all time) to 0.70 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

PTMC vs. FTDS - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	PTMC	FTDS
Industrials	23.6%	19.8%
Technology	16.4%	9.4%
Financial Services	15.1%	27.9%
Consumer Cyclical	10.8%	3.4%
Healthcare	8.8%	9.4%
Real Estate	7.0%	-
Basic Materials	4.9%	8.0%
Consumer Defensive	4.8%	1.9%
Energy	4.2%	20.2%
Utilities	3.0%	-
Communication Services	1.4%	-

Return for Risk

PTMC vs. FTDS — Risk / Return Rank

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

PTMC

PTMC Risk / Return Rank: 38
PTMC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 33
PTMC Sortino Ratio Rank: 35
PTMC Omega Ratio Rank: 34
PTMC Calmar Ratio Rank: 42
PTMC Martin Ratio Rank: 46

FTDS

FTDS Risk / Return Rank: 55
FTDS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 50
FTDS Sortino Ratio Rank: 55
FTDS Omega Ratio Rank: 48
FTDS Calmar Ratio Rank: 67
FTDS Martin Ratio Rank: 53

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.

PTMC vs. FTDS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Pacer Trendpilot US Mid Cap ETF (PTMC) and First Trust Dividend Strength ETF (FTDS). 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.

	PTMC	FTDS	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.13	1.62	-0.49
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.72	2.44	-0.72
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.21	1.29	-0.08
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.94	3.17	-1.23
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	7.12	8.46	-1.35
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PTMC vs. FTDS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PTMC Sharpe Ratio is 1.13, which is lower than the FTDS Sharpe Ratio of 1.62. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PTMC and FTDS, 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

	PTMC	FTDS	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.13	1.62	-0.49
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.26	0.37	-0.11
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.46	0.54	-0.08
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.50	0.32	+0.18

Drawdowns

PTMC vs. FTDS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PTMC drawdown since its inception was -20.53%, smaller than the maximum FTDS drawdown of -56.53%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PTMC and FTDS.

Drawdown Indicators

	PTMC	FTDS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-20.53%	-56.53%	+36.00%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.89%	-6.57%	-2.32%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-15.31%	-18.04%	+2.73%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-16.93%	-23.35%	+6.42%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-20.53%	-42.47%	+21.94%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.91%	-3.61%	+1.70%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.47%	-9.87%	+3.40%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.42%	2.46%	-0.04%

Volatility

PTMC vs. FTDS - Volatility Comparison

Pacer Trendpilot US Mid Cap ETF (PTMC) has a higher volatility of 4.36% compared to First Trust Dividend Strength ETF (FTDS) at 3.53%. This indicates that PTMC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FTDS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PTMC	FTDS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.36%	3.53%	+0.83%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.59%	8.75%	+2.84%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.30%	12.89%	+2.41%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.17%	17.64%	-4.47%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	12.99%	20.14%	-7.15%

PTMC vs. FTDS - Expense Ratio Comparison

PTMC has a 0.60% expense ratio, which is lower than FTDS's 0.70% expense ratio.

Dividends

PTMC vs. FTDS - Dividend Comparison

PTMC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.64%, which matches FTDS's 1.64% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
FTDS First Trust Dividend Strength ETF	1.64%	1.59%	2.05%	2.15%	2.31%	0.72%	0.99%	1.13%	1.14%	0.79%	1.24%	0.95%
PTMC Pacer Trendpilot US Mid Cap ETF	1.64%	1.84%	0.87%	1.92%	0.82%	0.12%	0.53%	1.40%	0.89%	0.67%	0.66%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PTMC and FTDS in my portfolio?

PTMC and FTDS have a correlation of 0.69, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PTMC or FTDS?

PTMC has higher volatility (4.36%) compared to FTDS (3.53%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PTMC dropped -20.53% vs FTDS's -56.53%.

Which ETF is better, PTMC or FTDS?

On 10-year performance, FTDS leads with 10.85% vs 5.91% for PTMC. On fees, PTMC is cheaper at 0.60% per year. On volatility, FTDS has been the lower-risk option at 3.53%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, PTMC or FTDS?

Over the 10-year period, FTDS has performed better with a 10.85% return vs 5.91%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, PTMC or FTDS?

PTMC is cheaper with a 0.60% expense ratio, compared with 0.70% for FTDS.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, PTMC or FTDS?

PTMC and FTDS have nearly identical dividend yields, around 1.64%.

What is the main difference between PTMC and FTDS?

PTMC tracks Pacer Trendpilot US Mid Cap Index, while FTDS tracks Dividend Strength Index. They also come from different issuers: Pacer and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.60% for PTMC and 0.70% for FTDS.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

FTDS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.62 vs 1.13), 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.