RDVY vs. COWZ

Last updated Jun 13, 2026

RDVY (First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF) and COWZ (Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - RDVY is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the NASDAQ US Rising Dividend Achievers, while COWZ is a Mid Cap Value Equities fund tracking the Pacer US Cash Cows 100 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, RDVY returned 12.03%/yr vs 10.13%/yr for COWZ. Their correlation of 0.88 suggests significant overlap in exposure. RDVY charges 0.50%/yr vs 0.49%/yr for COWZ.

Performance

RDVY vs. COWZ - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF (RDVY) and Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF (COWZ). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, RDVY achieves a 13.41% return, which is significantly higher than COWZ's 6.93% return.

RDVY

• 1D: 1.11%
• 1M: 5.69%
• YTD: 13.41%
• 6M: 12.60%
• 1Y: 31.20%
• 3Y*: 20.46%
• 5Y*: 12.03%
• 10Y*: 16.29%

COWZ

• 1D: 0.82%
• 1M: 1.75%
• YTD: 6.93%
• 6M: 6.01%
• 1Y: 19.20%
• 3Y*: 13.01%
• 5Y*: 10.13%
• 10Y*: —

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

RDVY vs. COWZ - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
RDVY First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF	13.41%	18.90%	16.41%	20.38%	-13.27%	31.14%	13.47%	37.71%	-9.92%	22.75%
COWZ Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF	6.93%	8.98%	10.64%	14.73%	0.19%	42.57%	11.65%	23.41%	-10.05%	20.22%

Correlation

The correlation between RDVY and COWZ is 0.66, 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	0.66
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.83
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.87
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 19, 2016	0.88

Over the past year, the correlation between RDVY and COWZ has dropped to 0.66 - well below their long-term average of 0.88, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

RDVY vs. COWZ - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	RDVY	COWZ
Financial Services	36.5%	-
Technology	17.6%	16.0%
Consumer Cyclical	12.2%	11.7%
Industrials	12.2%	8.4%
Healthcare	8.1%	21.8%
Communication Services	5.4%	10.4%
Consumer Defensive	4.1%	10.9%
Energy	1.4%	16.9%
Utilities	1.4%	-
Basic Materials	-	3.7%
Real Estate	-	-

Return for Risk

RDVY vs. COWZ — Risk / Return Rank

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

RDVY

RDVY Risk / Return Rank: 74
RDVY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 73
RDVY Sortino Ratio Rank: 75
RDVY Omega Ratio Rank: 70
RDVY Calmar Ratio Rank: 74
RDVY Martin Ratio Rank: 81

COWZ

COWZ Risk / Return Rank: 62
COWZ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 55
COWZ Sortino Ratio Rank: 59
COWZ Omega Ratio Rank: 52
COWZ Calmar Ratio Rank: 80
COWZ 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.

RDVY vs. COWZ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF (RDVY) and Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF (COWZ). 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	RDVY	COWZ	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.03	1.63	+0.40
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.90	2.42	+0.48
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.36	1.29	+0.07
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.26	3.65	-0.39
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	13.71	9.73	+3.98

RDVY vs. COWZ - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current RDVY Sharpe Ratio is 2.03, which is comparable to the COWZ Sharpe Ratio of 1.63. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of RDVY and COWZ, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

RDVY vs. COWZ - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum RDVY drawdown since its inception was -40.60%, which is greater than COWZ's maximum drawdown of -38.63%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RDVY and COWZ.

Drawdown Indicators

	RDVY	COWZ	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-40.60%	-38.63%	-1.97%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.04%	-5.00%	-4.04%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.11%	-22.00%	+2.89%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-25.32%	-22.00%	-3.32%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-40.60%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-2.05%	+2.05%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.99%	-4.80%	-0.19%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.15%	1.88%	+0.27%

Volatility

RDVY vs. COWZ - Volatility Comparison

First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF (RDVY) has a higher volatility of 5.04% compared to Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF (COWZ) at 3.27%. This indicates that RDVY's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than COWZ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	RDVY	COWZ	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.04%	3.27%	+1.77%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.50%	7.20%	+4.30%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.48%	11.19%	+3.29%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.98%	17.64%	+1.34%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.13%	19.91%	+1.22%

RDVY vs. COWZ - Expense Ratio Comparison

RDVY has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is higher than COWZ's 0.49% expense ratio.

Dividends

RDVY vs. COWZ - Dividend Comparison

RDVY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.89%, less than COWZ's 1.93% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
COWZ Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF	1.93%	2.19%	1.82%	1.92%	1.96%	1.48%	2.54%	1.96%	1.67%	1.95%	0.13%	0.00%
RDVY First Trust Rising Dividend Achievers ETF	0.89%	1.11%	1.64%	2.09%	2.21%	1.04%	1.53%	1.55%	1.68%	1.25%	2.07%	2.14%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both RDVY and COWZ in my portfolio?

RDVY and COWZ have a correlation of 0.66, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, RDVY or COWZ?

RDVY has higher volatility (5.04%) compared to COWZ (3.27%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RDVY dropped -40.60% vs COWZ's -38.63%.

Which ETF is better, RDVY or COWZ?

On 5-year performance, RDVY leads with 12.03% vs 10.13% for COWZ. On fees, COWZ is cheaper at 0.49% per year. On volatility, COWZ has been the lower-risk option at 3.27%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, RDVY or COWZ?

Over the 5-year period, RDVY has performed better with a 12.03% return vs 10.13%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, RDVY or COWZ?

COWZ is cheaper with a 0.49% expense ratio, compared with 0.50% for RDVY.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, RDVY or COWZ?

COWZ has the higher dividend yield at 1.93%, compared with 0.89% for RDVY.

What is the main difference between RDVY and COWZ?

RDVY is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while COWZ is Mid Cap Value Equities. RDVY tracks NASDAQ US Rising Dividend Achievers, while COWZ tracks Pacer US Cash Cows 100 Index. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and Pacer. Their fees differ too: 0.50% for RDVY and 0.49% for COWZ.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

RDVY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.03 vs 1.63), 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.