PTMC vs. SAEF

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Pacer Trendpilot US Mid Cap ETF (PTMC) and Schwab Ariel ESG ETF (SAEF).

PTMC and SAEF are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. PTMC is a passively managed fund by Pacer that tracks the performance of the Pacer Trendpilot US Mid Cap Index. It was launched on Jun 11, 2015. SAEF is an actively managed fund by Charles Schwab. It was launched on Nov 15, 2021.

Performance

PTMC vs. SAEF - Performance Comparison

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

PTMC vs. SAEF - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
PTMC Pacer Trendpilot US Mid Cap ETF	2.52%	-1.55%	13.22%	7.29%	-13.99%	-1.15%
SAEF Schwab Ariel ESG ETF	0.10%	2.31%	16.14%	17.87%	-18.29%	-2.35%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PTMC achieves a 2.52% return, which is significantly higher than SAEF's 0.10% return.

PTMC

• 1D: 2.87%
• 1M: -5.41%
• YTD: 2.52%
• 6M: 3.98%
• 1Y: 7.61%
• 3Y*: 6.42%
• 5Y*: 1.97%
• 10Y*: 5.68%

SAEF

• 1D: 3.37%
• 1M: -8.16%
• YTD: 0.10%
• 6M: -1.45%
• 1Y: 12.83%
• 3Y*: 9.45%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

PTMC vs. SAEF - Expense Ratio Comparison

PTMC has a 0.60% expense ratio, which is higher than SAEF's 0.59% expense ratio.

PTMC

Pacer Trendpilot US Mid Cap ETF

SAEF

Schwab Ariel ESG ETF

Return for Risk

PTMC vs. SAEF — Risk / Return Rank

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

PTMC

PTMC Risk / Return Rank: 32
PTMC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 30
PTMC Sortino Ratio Rank: 31
PTMC Omega Ratio Rank: 28
PTMC Calmar Ratio Rank: 34
PTMC Martin Ratio Rank: 37

SAEF

SAEF Risk / Return Rank: 30
SAEF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 29
SAEF Sortino Ratio Rank: 31
SAEF Omega Ratio Rank: 29
SAEF Calmar Ratio Rank: 34
SAEF Martin Ratio Rank: 28

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. SAEF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Pacer Trendpilot US Mid Cap ETF (PTMC) and Schwab Ariel ESG ETF (SAEF). 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	SAEF	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.55	0.54	+0.01
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.89	0.92	-0.02
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.12	1.12	0.00
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.86	0.86	0.00
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	3.40	2.36	+1.04
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. SAEF - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PTMC Sharpe Ratio is 0.55, which is comparable to the SAEF Sharpe Ratio of 0.54. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PTMC and SAEF, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	PTMC	SAEF	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.55	0.54	+0.01
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.15	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.44	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.44	0.12	+0.31

Correlation

The correlation between PTMC and SAEF is 0.69, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.

Dividends

PTMC vs. SAEF - Dividend Comparison

PTMC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.80%, more than SAEF's 0.38% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
PTMC Pacer Trendpilot US Mid Cap ETF	1.80%	1.84%	0.87%	1.92%	0.82%	0.12%	0.53%	1.40%	0.89%	0.67%	0.66%
SAEF Schwab Ariel ESG ETF	0.38%	0.38%	0.46%	0.46%	0.61%	0.09%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Drawdowns

PTMC vs. SAEF - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PTMC drawdown since its inception was -20.53%, smaller than the maximum SAEF drawdown of -28.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PTMC and SAEF.

Drawdown Indicators

	PTMC	SAEF	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-20.53%	-28.05%	+7.52%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.89%	-14.75%	+5.86%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-16.93%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-20.53%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-7.12%	-9.69%	+2.57%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.55%	-10.66%	+4.11%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.25%	5.37%	-3.12%

Volatility

PTMC vs. SAEF - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Pacer Trendpilot US Mid Cap ETF (PTMC) is 6.55%, while Schwab Ariel ESG ETF (SAEF) has a volatility of 7.20%. This indicates that PTMC experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SAEF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PTMC	SAEF	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.55%	7.20%	-0.65%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.98%	14.34%	-2.36%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	13.84%	23.86%	-10.02%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	12.94%	21.51%	-8.57%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	12.92%	21.51%	-8.59%