TAC vs. COWZ

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

TAC (TransAlta Corp) is a stock, while COWZ (Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF) is Mid Cap Value Equities fund tracking the Pacer US Cash Cows 100 Index. Over the past 5 years, TAC returned 8.27%/yr vs 10.60%/yr for COWZ. At a 0.30 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

TAC vs. COWZ - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in TransAlta Corp (TAC) 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, TAC achieves a 3.28% return, which is significantly lower than COWZ's 8.30% return.

TAC

• 1D: -10.37%
• 1M: 3.23%
• YTD: 3.28%
• 6M: -8.45%
• 1Y: 29.77%
• 3Y*: 11.77%
• 5Y*: 8.27%
• 10Y*: 11.45%

COWZ

• 1D: 0.11%
• 1M: 2.05%
• YTD: 8.30%
• 6M: 8.95%
• 1Y: 22.75%
• 3Y*: 14.62%
• 5Y*: 10.60%
• 10Y*: —

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

TAC vs. COWZ - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
TAC TransAlta Corp	3.28%	-9.24%	73.96%	-5.50%	-18.03%	48.90%	8.06%	77.05%	-29.03%	11.23%
COWZ Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF	8.30%	8.98%	10.64%	14.73%	0.19%	42.57%	11.65%	23.41%	-10.05%	20.22%

Correlation

The correlation between TAC and COWZ is 0.10, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.10
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.26
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.30
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 20, 2016	0.30

Over the past year, the correlation between TAC and COWZ has dropped to 0.10 - well below their long-term average of 0.30, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

TAC vs. COWZ — Risk / Return Rank

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

TAC

TAC Risk / Return Rank: 60
TAC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 65
TAC Sortino Ratio Rank: 59
TAC Omega Ratio Rank: 60
TAC Calmar Ratio Rank: 60
TAC Martin Ratio Rank: 57

COWZ

COWZ Risk / Return Rank: 69
COWZ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 63
COWZ Sortino Ratio Rank: 67
COWZ Omega Ratio Rank: 61
COWZ Calmar Ratio Rank: 85
COWZ Martin Ratio Rank: 68

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.

TAC vs. COWZ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for TransAlta Corp (TAC) 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.

	TAC	COWZ	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.74	2.06	-1.33
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.22	3.05	-1.83
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.16	1.37	-0.20
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.90	4.57	-3.67
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.55	12.47	-10.92
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

TAC vs. COWZ - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current TAC Sharpe Ratio is 0.74, which is lower than the COWZ Sharpe Ratio of 2.06. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of TAC 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.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	TAC	COWZ	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.74	2.06	-1.33
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.24	0.60	-0.37
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.32	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.12	0.65	-0.53

Drawdowns

TAC vs. COWZ - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum TAC drawdown since its inception was -88.12%, which is greater than COWZ's maximum drawdown of -38.63%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for TAC and COWZ.

Drawdown Indicators

	TAC	COWZ	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-88.12%	-38.63%	-49.49%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-33.10%	-5.00%	-28.10%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-43.26%	-22.00%	-21.26%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-46.55%	-22.00%	-24.55%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-55.11%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-26.34%	-0.80%	-25.54%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-40.59%	-4.80%	-35.79%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	19.27%	1.83%	+17.44%

Volatility

TAC vs. COWZ - Volatility Comparison

TransAlta Corp (TAC) has a higher volatility of 14.15% compared to Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF (COWZ) at 2.50%. This indicates that TAC'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

	TAC	COWZ	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	14.15%	2.50%	+11.65%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	29.51%	7.12%	+22.39%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	40.74%	11.08%	+29.66%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	34.82%	17.63%	+17.19%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	35.53%	19.92%	+15.61%

Dividends

TAC vs. COWZ - Dividend Comparison

TAC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.48%, less than COWZ's 2.16% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
COWZ Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF	2.16%	2.19%	1.82%	1.92%	1.96%	1.48%	2.54%	1.96%	1.67%	1.95%	0.13%	0.00%
TAC TransAlta Corp	1.48%	1.44%	1.24%	2.13%	1.76%	1.38%	1.69%	1.68%	3.20%	2.69%	2.74%	20.34%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both TAC and COWZ in my portfolio?

TAC and COWZ have a correlation of 0.10, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, TAC or COWZ?

TAC has higher volatility (14.15%) compared to COWZ (2.50%). In terms of maximum drawdown, TAC dropped -88.12% vs COWZ's -38.63%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

COWZ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.06 vs 0.74), 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.