SACAX vs. PHTFX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

SACAX (Principal SAM Strategic Growth Portfolio) and PHTFX (Principal LifeTime Hybrid Income Fund) are both mutual funds - SACAX is a Diversified Portfolio fund managed by Principal, while PHTFX is a Target Retirement Date fund managed by Principal. Over the past 10 years, SACAX returned 12.25%/yr vs 5.13%/yr for PHTFX. Their correlation of 0.83 suggests significant overlap in exposure. SACAX charges 0.61%/yr vs 0.05%/yr for PHTFX.

Performance

SACAX vs. PHTFX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Principal SAM Strategic Growth Portfolio (SACAX) and Principal LifeTime Hybrid Income Fund (PHTFX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SACAX achieves a 11.70% return, which is significantly higher than PHTFX's 4.84% return. Over the past 10 years, SACAX has outperformed PHTFX with an annualized return of 12.25%, while PHTFX has yielded a comparatively lower 5.13% annualized return.

SACAX

• 1D: 0.54%
• 1M: 4.86%
• YTD: 11.70%
• 6M: 12.35%
• 1Y: 25.25%
• 3Y*: 21.69%
• 5Y*: 11.11%
• 10Y*: 12.25%

PHTFX

• 1D: 0.17%
• 1M: 2.23%
• YTD: 4.84%
• 6M: 5.00%
• 1Y: 13.01%
• 3Y*: 9.83%
• 5Y*: 4.34%
• 10Y*: 5.13%

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

SACAX vs. PHTFX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SACAX Principal SAM Strategic Growth Portfolio	11.70%	16.56%	24.20%	21.42%	-19.06%	19.34%	15.11%	26.87%	-9.13%	21.68%
PHTFX Principal LifeTime Hybrid Income Fund	4.84%	11.14%	7.52%	10.77%	-13.22%	5.13%	10.11%	11.82%	-2.75%	7.62%

Correlation

The correlation between SACAX and PHTFX is 0.91, 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	0.91
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.88
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.88
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.84
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 2, 2014	0.83

The correlation between SACAX and PHTFX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.83 to 0.91 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

SACAX vs. PHTFX — Risk / Return Rank

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

SACAX

SACAX Risk / Return Rank: 58
SACAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 57
SACAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 54
SACAX Omega Ratio Rank: 55
SACAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 58
SACAX Martin Ratio Rank: 67

PHTFX

PHTFX Risk / Return Rank: 75
PHTFX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 74
PHTFX Sortino Ratio Rank: 75
PHTFX Omega Ratio Rank: 77
PHTFX Calmar Ratio Rank: 70
PHTFX Martin Ratio Rank: 78

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.

SACAX vs. PHTFX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Principal SAM Strategic Growth Portfolio (SACAX) and Principal LifeTime Hybrid Income Fund (PHTFX). 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.

	SACAX	PHTFX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.22	2.51	-0.29
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.10	3.66	-0.57
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.41	1.51	-0.09
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.92	3.24	-0.32
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	13.07	14.71	-1.64
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SACAX vs. PHTFX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SACAX Sharpe Ratio is 2.22, which is comparable to the PHTFX Sharpe Ratio of 2.51. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SACAX and PHTFX, 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

	SACAX	PHTFX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.22	2.51	-0.29
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.71	0.64	+0.08
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.77	0.84	-0.07
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.48	0.82	-0.34

Drawdowns

SACAX vs. PHTFX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SACAX drawdown since its inception was -54.31%, which is greater than PHTFX's maximum drawdown of -17.26%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SACAX and PHTFX.

Drawdown Indicators

	SACAX	PHTFX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-54.31%	-17.26%	-37.05%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.85%	-4.10%	-4.75%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-15.88%	-6.04%	-9.84%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-26.96%	-17.26%	-9.70%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-34.90%	-17.26%	-17.64%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.79%	-2.57%	-7.22%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.97%	0.90%	+1.07%

Volatility

SACAX vs. PHTFX - Volatility Comparison

Principal SAM Strategic Growth Portfolio (SACAX) has a higher volatility of 3.34% compared to Principal LifeTime Hybrid Income Fund (PHTFX) at 1.80%. This indicates that SACAX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PHTFX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SACAX	PHTFX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.34%	1.80%	+1.54%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.29%	4.32%	+4.97%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.60%	5.29%	+6.31%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.63%	6.82%	+8.81%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.05%	6.16%	+9.89%

SACAX vs. PHTFX - Expense Ratio Comparison

SACAX has a 0.61% expense ratio, which is higher than PHTFX's 0.05% expense ratio.

Dividends

SACAX vs. PHTFX - Dividend Comparison

SACAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.74%, more than PHTFX's 4.33% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PHTFX Principal LifeTime Hybrid Income Fund	4.33%	4.54%	3.34%	3.60%	5.20%	5.57%	4.92%	2.96%	2.07%	2.43%	1.41%	1.52%
SACAX Principal SAM Strategic Growth Portfolio	10.74%	11.99%	13.37%	1.16%	9.30%	7.53%	4.02%	4.47%	20.79%	6.82%	3.68%	14.08%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SACAX and PHTFX in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.91, SACAX and PHTFX 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, SACAX or PHTFX?

SACAX has higher volatility (3.34%) compared to PHTFX (1.80%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SACAX dropped -54.31% vs PHTFX's -17.26%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PHTFX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.51 vs 2.22), 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.