RCS vs. PIM

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

RCS (PIMCO Strategic Income Fund) and PIM (Putnam Master Intermediate Income Trust) are both Intermediate Core-Plus Bond funds. Over the past 10 years, RCS returned 3.61%/yr vs 4.47%/yr for PIM. At a 0.15 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

RCS vs. PIM - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in PIMCO Strategic Income Fund (RCS) and Putnam Master Intermediate Income Trust (PIM). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, RCS achieves a 2.28% return, which is significantly higher than PIM's -0.88% return. Over the past 10 years, RCS has underperformed PIM with an annualized return of 3.61%, while PIM has yielded a comparatively higher 4.47% annualized return.

RCS

• 1D: -2.14%
• 1M: 2.01%
• YTD: 2.28%
• 6M: -12.66%
• 1Y: -9.96%
• 3Y*: 11.78%
• 5Y*: 2.31%
• 10Y*: 3.61%

PIM

• 1D: 0.31%
• 1M: -0.23%
• YTD: -0.88%
• 6M: -0.06%
• 1Y: 3.77%
• 3Y*: 8.49%
• 5Y*: 2.38%
• 10Y*: 4.47%

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

RCS vs. PIM - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
RCS PIMCO Strategic Income Fund	2.28%	-21.48%	37.47%	37.60%	-18.72%	6.33%	-16.19%	1.62%	15.51%	14.39%
PIM Putnam Master Intermediate Income Trust	-0.88%	10.91%	10.88%	8.45%	-12.49%	-0.44%	-2.97%	20.68%	-5.10%	10.52%

Correlation

The correlation between RCS and PIM is 0.20, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.20
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.20
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.22
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.19
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 28, 1994	0.15

Return for Risk

RCS vs. PIM — Risk / Return Rank

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

RCS

RCS Risk / Return Rank: 1
RCS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 1
RCS Sortino Ratio Rank: 1
RCS Omega Ratio Rank: 1
RCS Calmar Ratio Rank: 2
RCS Martin Ratio Rank: 2

PIM

PIM Risk / Return Rank: 5
PIM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 5
PIM Sortino Ratio Rank: 5
PIM Omega Ratio Rank: 4
PIM Calmar Ratio Rank: 5
PIM Martin Ratio Rank: 5

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.

RCS vs. PIM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for PIMCO Strategic Income Fund (RCS) and Putnam Master Intermediate Income Trust (PIM). 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.

	RCS	PIM	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	-0.42	0.34	-0.75
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	-0.44	0.63	-1.07
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.94	1.07	-0.12
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.23	0.54	-0.77
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	-0.42	1.26	-1.68
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

RCS vs. PIM - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current RCS Sharpe Ratio is -0.42, which is lower than the PIM Sharpe Ratio of 0.34. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of RCS and PIM, 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

	RCS	PIM	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.42	0.34	-0.75
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.09	0.22	-0.13
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.14	0.34	-0.20
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.28	0.17	+0.11

Drawdowns

RCS vs. PIM - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum RCS drawdown since its inception was -46.69%, which is greater than PIM's maximum drawdown of -43.27%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RCS and PIM.

Drawdown Indicators

	RCS	PIM	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-46.69%	-43.27%	-3.42%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-32.94%	-6.45%	-26.49%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-32.94%	-7.91%	-25.03%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-36.18%	-18.39%	-17.79%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-46.69%	-28.15%	-18.54%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-27.04%	-2.91%	-24.13%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.38%	-9.53%	+0.15%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	18.40%	2.75%	+15.65%

Volatility

RCS vs. PIM - Volatility Comparison

PIMCO Strategic Income Fund (RCS) has a higher volatility of 7.15% compared to Putnam Master Intermediate Income Trust (PIM) at 3.82%. This indicates that RCS's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PIM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	RCS	PIM	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.15%	3.82%	+3.33%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	21.21%	8.67%	+12.54%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	24.10%	11.28%	+12.82%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	25.23%	10.73%	+14.50%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	25.84%	13.11%	+12.73%

Dividends

RCS vs. PIM - Dividend Comparison

RCS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.73%, more than PIM's 8.25% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PIM Putnam Master Intermediate Income Trust	8.25%	7.90%	8.10%	8.28%	8.25%	6.68%	8.32%	7.59%	6.82%	6.54%	6.77%	6.86%
RCS PIMCO Strategic Income Fund	8.73%	8.62%	8.03%	10.07%	12.39%	9.01%	9.57%	8.44%	8.93%	9.50%	10.92%	11.17%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both RCS and PIM in my portfolio?

RCS and PIM have a correlation of 0.20, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, RCS or PIM?

RCS has higher volatility (7.15%) compared to PIM (3.82%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RCS dropped -46.69% vs PIM's -43.27%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PIM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.34 vs -0.42), 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.