USAI vs. FTSD
USAI (Pacer American Energy Independence ETF) and FTSD (Franklin Short Duration U.S. Government ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - USAI is a Energy Equities fund tracking the American Energy Independence Index, while FTSD is a Mortgage Backed Securities fund actively managed by Franklin Templeton. USAI is passively managed, while FTSD is actively managed. Over the past 5 years, USAI returned 18.67%/yr vs 2.49%/yr for FTSD. At a correlation of -0.02, they often move in opposite directions. USAI charges 0.75%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for FTSD.
Performance
USAI vs. FTSD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, USAI achieves a 23.98% return, which is significantly higher than FTSD's 0.93% return.
USAI
- 1D
- 1.47%
- 1M
- -1.05%
- YTD
- 23.98%
- 6M
- 21.70%
- 1Y
- 22.36%
- 3Y*
- 26.68%
- 5Y*
- 18.67%
- 10Y*
- —
FTSD
- 1D
- 0.13%
- 1M
- 0.26%
- YTD
- 0.93%
- 6M
- 1.46%
- 1Y
- 4.31%
- 3Y*
- 4.99%
- 5Y*
- 2.49%
- 10Y*
- 2.06%
USAI vs. FTSD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
USAI Pacer American Energy Independence ETF | 23.98% | 0.69% | 43.99% | 14.21% | 19.82% | 37.10% | -15.10% | 21.63% | -17.31% | 3.69% |
FTSD Franklin Short Duration U.S. Government ETF | 0.93% | 5.66% | 5.20% | 4.84% | -3.13% | -0.90% | 3.13% | 2.40% | 1.64% | -0.08% |
Correlation
The correlation between USAI and FTSD is -0.23, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.23 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.06 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.01 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 14, 2017 | -0.02 |
Over the past year, the inverse relationship between USAI and FTSD has strengthened: their correlation has moved from -0.02 to -0.23, meaning they now move in opposite directions more often than their long-term average.
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Return for Risk
USAI vs. FTSD — Risk / Return Rank
USAI
FTSD
USAI vs. FTSD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Pacer American Energy Independence ETF (USAI) and Franklin Short Duration U.S. Government ETF (FTSD). 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.
| USAI | FTSD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.88 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -3.31 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.24 | 1.69 | -0.45 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.49 | 9.59 | -7.10 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.62 | 38.96 | -33.34 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| USAI | FTSD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.43 | 3.30 | -1.88 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.91 | 1.35 | -0.43 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 1.15 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.51 | 1.05 | -0.54 |
Drawdowns
USAI vs. FTSD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum USAI drawdown since its inception was -65.25%, which is greater than FTSD's maximum drawdown of -5.32%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for USAI and FTSD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| USAI | FTSD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -65.25% | -5.32% | -59.93% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.01% | -0.45% | -8.56% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -18.22% | -0.93% | -17.29% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -20.68% | -5.04% | -15.64% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -5.32% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.60% | 0.00% | -4.60% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.36% | -0.60% | -8.76% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.99% | 0.11% | +3.88% |
Volatility
USAI vs. FTSD - Volatility Comparison
Pacer American Energy Independence ETF (USAI) has a higher volatility of 6.69% compared to Franklin Short Duration U.S. Government ETF (FTSD) at 0.52%. This indicates that USAI's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FTSD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| USAI | FTSD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.69% | 0.52% | +6.17% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.27% | 1.03% | +11.24% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.81% | 1.32% | +14.49% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.56% | 1.85% | +18.71% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 27.31% | 1.79% | +25.52% |
USAI vs. FTSD - Expense Ratio Comparison
USAI has a 0.75% expense ratio, which is higher than FTSD's 0.25% expense ratio.
Dividends
USAI vs. FTSD - Dividend Comparison
USAI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.13%, less than FTSD's 4.50% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FTSD Franklin Short Duration U.S. Government ETF | 4.50% | 4.67% | 4.75% | 4.14% | 1.73% | 1.01% | 1.54% | 2.90% | 2.63% | 2.24% | 1.92% | 1.52% |
USAI Pacer American Energy Independence ETF | 4.13% | 5.03% | 3.62% | 4.99% | 5.41% | 6.15% | 7.67% | 6.50% | 5.56% | 0.08% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
USAI and FTSD have a correlation of -0.23, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
USAI has higher volatility (6.69%) compared to FTSD (0.52%). In terms of maximum drawdown, USAI dropped -65.25% vs FTSD's -5.32%.
On 5-year performance, USAI leads with 18.67% vs 2.49% for FTSD. On fees, FTSD is cheaper at 0.25% per year. On volatility, FTSD has been the lower-risk option at 0.52%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, USAI has performed better with a 18.67% return vs 2.49%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
FTSD is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 0.75% for USAI.
FTSD has the higher dividend yield at 4.50%, compared with 4.13% for USAI.
USAI is categorized as Energy Equities, while FTSD is Mortgage Backed Securities. They also come from different issuers: Pacer and Franklin Templeton. Their fees differ too: 0.75% for USAI and 0.25% for FTSD.
FTSD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.30 vs 1.43), 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.
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