RFL vs. PLW

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

RFL (Rafael Holdings, Inc.) is a stock, while PLW (Invesco 1-30 Laddered Treasury ETF) is Government Bonds fund tracking the Ryan/NASDAQ 1-30 Year Treasury Laddered Index. Over the past 5 years, RFL returned -50.63%/yr vs -2.77%/yr for PLW. At a correlation of -0.03, they often move in opposite directions.

Performance

RFL vs. PLW - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Rafael Holdings, Inc. (RFL) and Invesco 1-30 Laddered Treasury ETF (PLW). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, RFL achieves a 14.41% return, which is significantly higher than PLW's -0.55% return.

RFL

• 1D: -1.46%
• 1M: 8.00%
• YTD: 14.41%
• 6M: 8.00%
• 1Y: -4.93%
• 3Y*: -15.51%
• 5Y*: -50.63%
• 10Y*: —

PLW

• 1D: -0.33%
• 1M: 0.34%
• YTD: -0.55%
• 6M: -1.32%
• 1Y: 4.34%
• 3Y*: 0.89%
• 5Y*: -2.77%
• 10Y*: -0.10%

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

RFL vs. PLW - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
RFL Rafael Holdings, Inc.	14.41%	-27.48%	-9.84%	-2.14%	-63.33%	-78.13%	30.72%	124.97%	-38.00%
PLW Invesco 1-30 Laddered Treasury ETF	-0.55%	5.84%	-2.95%	3.31%	-19.98%	-3.76%	12.55%	10.00%	3.25%

Correlation

The correlation between RFL and PLW is 0.11, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.11
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.03
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.02
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 27, 2018	-0.03

The correlation between RFL and PLW shifts across timeframes, from -0.03 (all time) to 0.11 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

RFL vs. PLW — Risk / Return Rank

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

RFL

RFL Risk / Return Rank: 40
RFL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 39
RFL Sortino Ratio Rank: 42
RFL Omega Ratio Rank: 44
RFL Calmar Ratio Rank: 38
RFL Martin Ratio Rank: 39

PLW

PLW Risk / Return Rank: 19
PLW Sharpe Ratio Rank: 20
PLW Sortino Ratio Rank: 19
PLW Omega Ratio Rank: 18
PLW Calmar Ratio Rank: 19
PLW Martin Ratio Rank: 20

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.

RFL vs. PLW - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Rafael Holdings, Inc. (RFL) and Invesco 1-30 Laddered Treasury ETF (PLW). 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.

	RFL	PLW	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	-0.06	0.66	-0.72
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.51	1.00	-0.49
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.07	1.11	-0.04
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.08	0.80	-0.88
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	-0.10	2.24	-2.34
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

RFL vs. PLW - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current RFL Sharpe Ratio is -0.06, which is lower than the PLW Sharpe Ratio of 0.66. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of RFL and PLW, 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

	RFL	PLW	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.06	0.66	-0.72
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.71	-0.28	-0.43
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	-0.01	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.31	0.31	-0.63

Drawdowns

RFL vs. PLW - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum RFL drawdown since its inception was -98.15%, which is greater than PLW's maximum drawdown of -32.70%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RFL and PLW.

Drawdown Indicators

	RFL	PLW	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-98.15%	-32.70%	-65.45%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-59.30%	-5.45%	-53.85%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-59.30%	-11.58%	-47.72%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-98.15%	-28.30%	-69.85%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-32.70%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-97.85%	-22.38%	-75.47%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-67.27%	-9.65%	-57.62%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	50.52%	1.94%	+48.58%

Volatility

RFL vs. PLW - Volatility Comparison

Rafael Holdings, Inc. (RFL) has a higher volatility of 10.21% compared to Invesco 1-30 Laddered Treasury ETF (PLW) at 2.04%. This indicates that RFL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PLW based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	RFL	PLW	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	10.21%	2.04%	+8.17%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	40.32%	4.53%	+35.79%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	80.18%	6.58%	+73.60%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	71.83%	9.86%	+61.97%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	76.38%	9.10%	+67.28%

Dividends

RFL vs. PLW - Dividend Comparison

RFL has not paid dividends to shareholders, while PLW's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.83%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PLW Invesco 1-30 Laddered Treasury ETF	3.83%	3.75%	3.56%	2.87%	1.97%	1.15%	1.00%	1.96%	2.14%	2.02%	2.00%	2.14%
RFL Rafael Holdings, Inc.	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both RFL and PLW in my portfolio?

RFL and PLW have a correlation of 0.11, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, RFL or PLW?

RFL has higher volatility (10.21%) compared to PLW (2.04%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RFL dropped -98.15% vs PLW's -32.70%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PLW currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.66 vs -0.06), 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.