PTMC vs. IMCB

Last updated Jun 6, 2026

PTMC (Pacer Trendpilot US Mid Cap ETF) and IMCB (iShares Morningstar Mid-Cap ETF) are both Mid Cap Blend Equities funds - PTMC tracks the Pacer Trendpilot US Mid Cap Index while IMCB tracks the IMCB-US - Morningstar U.S. Mid Cap Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, PTMC returned 5.91%/yr vs 11.06%/yr for IMCB. A 0.75 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. PTMC charges 0.60%/yr vs 0.04%/yr for IMCB.

Performance

PTMC vs. IMCB - Performance Comparison

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

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with PTMC having a 12.33% return and IMCB slightly higher at 12.89%. Over the past 10 years, PTMC has underperformed IMCB with an annualized return of 5.91%, while IMCB has yielded a comparatively higher 11.06% 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%

IMCB

• 1D: -2.27%
• 1M: 1.43%
• YTD: 12.89%
• 6M: 12.47%
• 1Y: 21.77%
• 3Y*: 17.01%
• 5Y*: 8.46%
• 10Y*: 11.06%

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

PTMC vs. IMCB - 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%
IMCB iShares Morningstar Mid-Cap ETF	12.89%	10.25%	15.10%	16.37%	-16.09%	22.81%	13.35%	31.49%	-11.53%	19.70%

Correlation

The correlation between PTMC and IMCB is 0.90, 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	0.90
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.85
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.74
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.76
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 5, 2016	0.75

The correlation between PTMC and IMCB shifts across timeframes, from 0.74 (5 years) to 0.90 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

PTMC vs. IMCB - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	PTMC	IMCB
Industrials	23.6%	19.0%
Technology	16.4%	21.3%
Financial Services	15.1%	12.0%
Consumer Cyclical	10.8%	9.0%
Healthcare	8.8%	7.9%
Real Estate	7.0%	4.3%
Basic Materials	4.9%	5.3%
Consumer Defensive	4.8%	5.1%
Energy	4.2%	7.4%
Utilities	3.0%	6.2%
Communication Services	1.4%	2.3%

Return for Risk

PTMC vs. IMCB — 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

IMCB

IMCB Risk / Return Rank: 54
IMCB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 52
IMCB Sortino Ratio Rank: 51
IMCB Omega Ratio Rank: 49
IMCB Calmar Ratio Rank: 57
IMCB Martin Ratio Rank: 62

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. IMCB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Pacer Trendpilot US Mid Cap ETF (PTMC) and iShares Morningstar Mid-Cap ETF (IMCB). 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	IMCB	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.13	1.69	-0.56
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.72	2.38	-0.66
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.21	1.30	-0.08
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.94	2.72	-0.77
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	7.12	10.74	-3.63
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. IMCB - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PTMC Sharpe Ratio is 1.13, which is lower than the IMCB Sharpe Ratio of 1.69. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PTMC and IMCB, 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	IMCB	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.13	1.69	-0.56
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.26	0.48	-0.22
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.46	0.56	-0.11
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.50	0.50	0.00

Drawdowns

PTMC vs. IMCB - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PTMC drawdown since its inception was -20.53%, smaller than the maximum IMCB drawdown of -58.80%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PTMC and IMCB.

Drawdown Indicators

	PTMC	IMCB	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-20.53%	-58.80%	+38.27%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.89%	-8.05%	-0.84%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-15.31%	-19.80%	+4.49%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-16.93%	-25.15%	+8.22%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-20.53%	-40.99%	+20.46%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.91%	-2.27%	+0.36%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.47%	-7.73%	+1.26%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.42%	2.03%	+0.39%

Volatility

PTMC vs. IMCB - Volatility Comparison

Pacer Trendpilot US Mid Cap ETF (PTMC) has a higher volatility of 4.36% compared to iShares Morningstar Mid-Cap ETF (IMCB) at 4.00%. This indicates that PTMC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IMCB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PTMC	IMCB	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.36%	4.00%	+0.36%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.59%	9.87%	+1.72%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.30%	12.96%	+2.34%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.17%	17.59%	-4.42%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	12.99%	19.66%	-6.67%

PTMC vs. IMCB - Expense Ratio Comparison

PTMC has a 0.60% expense ratio, which is higher than IMCB's 0.04% expense ratio.

Dividends

PTMC vs. IMCB - Dividend Comparison

PTMC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.64%, more than IMCB's 1.23% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
IMCB iShares Morningstar Mid-Cap ETF	1.23%	1.42%	1.43%	1.55%	1.70%	1.08%	1.12%	1.32%	1.80%	1.31%	1.79%	1.47%
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 IMCB in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.90, PTMC and IMCB move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which is riskier, PTMC or IMCB?

PTMC has higher volatility (4.36%) compared to IMCB (4.00%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PTMC dropped -20.53% vs IMCB's -58.80%.

Which ETF is better, PTMC or IMCB?

On 10-year performance, IMCB leads with 11.06% vs 5.91% for PTMC. On fees, IMCB is cheaper at 0.04% per year. On volatility, IMCB has been the lower-risk option at 4.00%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, PTMC or IMCB?

Over the 10-year period, IMCB has performed better with a 11.06% 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 IMCB?

IMCB is cheaper with a 0.04% expense ratio, compared with 0.60% for PTMC.

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

PTMC has the higher dividend yield at 1.64%, compared with 1.23% for IMCB.

What is the main difference between PTMC and IMCB?

PTMC tracks Pacer Trendpilot US Mid Cap Index, while IMCB tracks IMCB-US - Morningstar U.S. Mid Cap Index. They also come from different issuers: Pacer and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.60% for PTMC and 0.04% for IMCB.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

IMCB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.69 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.