USMC vs. PQDI
USMC (Principal U.S. Mega-Cap ETF) and PQDI (Principal Spectrum Preferred and Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - USMC is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Nasdaq US Mega Cap Select Leaders Index, while PQDI is a Preferred Stock fund tracking the ICE BofA 7% Constrained DRD Eligible Preferred Securities Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, USMC returned 14.11%/yr vs 3.08%/yr for PQDI. Their 0.50 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. USMC charges 0.12%/yr vs 0.60%/yr for PQDI.
Performance
USMC vs. PQDI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, USMC achieves a 8.72% return, which is significantly higher than PQDI's 1.57% return.
USMC
- 1D
- 0.44%
- 1M
- 0.13%
- 6M
- 9.88%
- YTD
- 8.72%
- 1Y
- 20.36%
- 3Y*
- 19.26%
- 5Y*
- 14.11%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 14.93%
PQDI
- 1D
- 0.26%
- 1M
- -0.57%
- 6M
- 0.87%
- YTD
- 1.57%
- 1Y
- 5.21%
- 3Y*
- 8.21%
- 5Y*
- 3.08%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 4.63%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $194.13K | $147.05K | $129.07K | |
| $7.10M | $6.59M | $6.39M |
USMC vs. PQDI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
USMC Principal U.S. Mega-Cap ETF | 8.72% | 14.99% | 29.82% | 31.57% | -17.17% | 26.30% | 20.02% |
PQDI Principal Spectrum Preferred and Income ETF | 1.57% | 8.46% | 9.99% | 6.24% | -9.61% | 3.10% | 9.95% |
Correlation
The correlation between USMC and PQDI is 0.62, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.62 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.49 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.49 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 17, 2020 | 0.50 |
The correlation between USMC and PQDI shifts across timeframes, from 0.49 (5 years) to 0.62 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
USMC vs. PQDI — Risk / Return Rank
USMC
PQDI
USMC vs. PQDI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Principal U.S. Mega-Cap ETF (USMC) and Principal Spectrum Preferred and Income ETF (PQDI). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| USMC | PQDI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.09 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.15 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.26 | 1.32 | -0.06 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.82 | 1.60 | +0.22 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.78 | 6.84 | -0.06 |
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Drawdowns
USMC vs. PQDI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum USMC drawdown since its inception was -29.97%, which is greater than PQDI's maximum drawdown of -17.41%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for USMC and PQDI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| USMC | PQDI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -29.97% | -17.41% | -12.56% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.30% | -3.31% | -6.99% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.12% | -3.31% | -15.81% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.09% | -17.41% | -6.68% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.03% | -0.67% | -0.36% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.35% | -3.42% | -0.93% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.75% | 0.77% | +1.98% |
Volatility
USMC vs. PQDI - Volatility Comparison
Principal U.S. Mega-Cap ETF (USMC) has a higher volatility of 3.47% compared to Principal Spectrum Preferred and Income ETF (PQDI) at 0.92%. This indicates that USMC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PQDI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| USMC | PQDI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.47% | 0.92% | +2.55% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.64% | 2.94% | +6.70% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.60% | 3.36% | +9.24% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.46% | 4.71% | +11.75% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.18% | 4.52% | +13.66% |
USMC vs. PQDI - Expense Ratio Comparison
USMC has a 0.12% expense ratio, which is lower than PQDI's 0.60% expense ratio.
Dividends
USMC vs. PQDI - Dividend Comparison
USMC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.76%, less than PQDI's 5.58% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PQDI Principal Spectrum Preferred and Income ETF | 5.16% | 5.02% | 4.93% | 5.35% | 5.60% | 5.21% | 2.69% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
USMC Principal U.S. Mega-Cap ETF | 0.76% | 0.79% | 1.04% | 1.35% | 1.78% | 1.53% | 1.55% | 2.01% | 2.28% | 0.24% |
Frequently Asked Questions
USMC and PQDI have a correlation of 0.62, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
USMC has higher volatility (3.47%) compared to PQDI (0.92%). In terms of maximum drawdown, USMC dropped -29.97% vs PQDI's -17.41%.
On 5-year performance, USMC leads with 14.11% vs 3.08% for PQDI. On fees, USMC is cheaper at 0.12% per year. On volatility, PQDI has been the lower-risk option at 0.92%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, USMC has performed better with a 14.11% return vs 3.08%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
USMC is cheaper with a 0.12% expense ratio, compared with 0.60% for PQDI.
PQDI has the higher dividend yield at 5.16%, compared with 0.76% for USMC.
USMC is categorized as Large Cap Growth Equities, while PQDI is Preferred Stock. USMC tracks Nasdaq US Mega Cap Select Leaders Index, while PQDI tracks ICE BofA 7% Constrained DRD Eligible Preferred Securities Index. Their fees differ too: 0.12% for USMC and 0.60% for PQDI.
PQDI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.57 vs 1.49), 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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