SACAX vs. PLSIX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

SACAX (Principal SAM Strategic Growth Portfolio) and PLSIX (Principal LifeTime Strategic Income Fund) are both mutual funds - SACAX is a Diversified Portfolio fund managed by Principal, while PLSIX is a Target Retirement Date fund managed by Principal. Over the past 10 years, SACAX returned 12.25%/yr vs 5.22%/yr for PLSIX. Their correlation of 0.84 suggests significant overlap in exposure. SACAX charges 0.61%/yr vs 0.02%/yr for PLSIX.

Performance

SACAX vs. PLSIX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Principal SAM Strategic Growth Portfolio (SACAX) and Principal LifeTime Strategic Income Fund (PLSIX). 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 PLSIX's 4.14% return. Over the past 10 years, SACAX has outperformed PLSIX with an annualized return of 12.25%, while PLSIX has yielded a comparatively lower 5.22% 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%

PLSIX

• 1D: 0.17%
• 1M: 1.94%
• YTD: 4.14%
• 6M: 4.24%
• 1Y: 11.42%
• 3Y*: 9.77%
• 5Y*: 4.14%
• 10Y*: 5.22%

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

SACAX vs. PLSIX - 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%
PLSIX Principal LifeTime Strategic Income Fund	4.14%	10.46%	8.16%	10.93%	-13.11%	4.40%	10.19%	12.77%	-3.15%	8.73%

Correlation

The correlation between SACAX and PLSIX 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	0.89
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.89
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.87
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 5, 2001	0.84

The correlation between SACAX and PLSIX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.84 to 0.91 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

SACAX vs. PLSIX — 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

PLSIX

PLSIX Risk / Return Rank: 56
PLSIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 53
PLSIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 57
PLSIX Omega Ratio Rank: 59
PLSIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 50
PLSIX Martin Ratio Rank: 61

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. PLSIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Principal SAM Strategic Growth Portfolio (SACAX) and Principal LifeTime Strategic Income Fund (PLSIX). 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	PLSIX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.22	2.19	+0.04
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.10	3.19	-0.09
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.41	1.43	-0.02
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.92	2.69	+0.23
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	13.07	12.10	+0.96
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. PLSIX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SACAX Sharpe Ratio is 2.22, which is comparable to the PLSIX Sharpe Ratio of 2.19. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SACAX and PLSIX, 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	PLSIX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.22	2.19	+0.04
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.71	0.61	+0.11
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.77	0.89	-0.12
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.48	0.47	0.00

Drawdowns

SACAX vs. PLSIX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SACAX drawdown since its inception was -54.31%, which is greater than PLSIX's maximum drawdown of -40.52%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SACAX and PLSIX.

Drawdown Indicators

	SACAX	PLSIX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-54.31%	-40.52%	-13.79%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.85%	-4.30%	-4.55%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-15.88%	-5.92%	-9.96%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-26.96%	-17.93%	-9.03%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-34.90%	-17.93%	-16.97%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.79%	-6.66%	-3.13%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.97%	0.95%	+1.02%

Volatility

SACAX vs. PLSIX - Volatility Comparison

Principal SAM Strategic Growth Portfolio (SACAX) has a higher volatility of 3.34% compared to Principal LifeTime Strategic Income Fund (PLSIX) at 1.81%. This indicates that SACAX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PLSIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SACAX	PLSIX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.34%	1.81%	+1.53%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.29%	4.34%	+4.95%
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%	6.83%	+8.80%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.05%	5.88%	+10.17%

SACAX vs. PLSIX - Expense Ratio Comparison

SACAX has a 0.61% expense ratio, which is higher than PLSIX's 0.02% expense ratio.

Dividends

SACAX vs. PLSIX - Dividend Comparison

SACAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.74%, more than PLSIX's 5.56% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PLSIX Principal LifeTime Strategic Income Fund	5.56%	5.79%	6.17%	2.59%	5.27%	7.76%	3.80%	5.45%	7.67%	4.76%	2.50%	2.11%
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 PLSIX in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.91, SACAX and PLSIX 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 PLSIX?

SACAX has higher volatility (3.34%) compared to PLSIX (1.81%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SACAX dropped -54.31% vs PLSIX's -40.52%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SACAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.22 vs 2.19), 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.