VTI vs. PFF
VTI (Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF) and PFF (iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VTI is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the CRSP US Total Market Index, while PFF is a Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds fund tracking the ICE Exchange-Listed Preferred & Hybrid Securities Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VTI returned 15.02%/yr vs 3.35%/yr for PFF. A 0.56 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VTI charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.46%/yr for PFF.
Performance
VTI vs. PFF - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VTI achieves a 9.62% return, which is significantly higher than PFF's 2.40% return. Over the past 10 years, VTI has outperformed PFF with an annualized return of 15.02%, while PFF has yielded a comparatively lower 3.35% annualized return.
VTI
- 1D
- 0.57%
- 1M
- -0.28%
- YTD
- 9.62%
- 6M
- 9.69%
- 1Y
- 26.27%
- 3Y*
- 20.60%
- 5Y*
- 12.20%
- 10Y*
- 15.02%
PFF
- 1D
- 0.16%
- 1M
- -1.24%
- YTD
- 2.40%
- 6M
- 2.42%
- 1Y
- 8.83%
- 3Y*
- 6.77%
- 5Y*
- 1.32%
- 10Y*
- 3.35%
VTI vs. PFF - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 9.62% | 17.10% | 23.81% | 26.05% | -19.52% | 25.68% | 21.08% | 30.67% | -5.23% | 21.21% |
PFF iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF | 2.40% | 4.87% | 7.24% | 9.22% | -18.19% | 7.15% | 7.89% | 15.93% | -4.64% | 8.10% |
Correlation
The correlation between VTI and PFF is 0.77, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.77 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.60 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.65 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.61 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 30, 2007 | 0.56 |
Over the past year, VTI and PFF have become more correlated (0.77) than their long-term average of 0.56, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
VTI vs. PFF — Risk / Return Rank
VTI
PFF
VTI vs. PFF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) and iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF (PFF). 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.
| VTI | PFF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.78 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.95 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.35 | 1.21 | +0.15 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.79 | 1.56 | +1.23 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.52 | 4.75 | +7.77 |
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Drawdowns
VTI vs. PFF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VTI drawdown since its inception was -55.45%, smaller than the maximum PFF drawdown of -65.55%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VTI and PFF.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VTI | PFF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -55.45% | -65.55% | +10.10% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.92% | -5.28% | -3.64% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.30% | -10.63% | -8.67% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.36% | -21.05% | -4.31% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.00% | -34.10% | -0.90% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.14% | -1.62% | -0.52% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.02% | -5.76% | -2.26% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.99% | 1.73% | +0.26% |
Volatility
VTI vs. PFF - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) has a higher volatility of 4.50% compared to iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF (PFF) at 2.29%. This indicates that VTI's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PFF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VTI | PFF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.50% | 2.29% | +2.21% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.82% | 5.21% | +4.61% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.64% | 6.88% | +5.76% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.47% | 10.32% | +7.15% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.33% | 12.67% | +5.66% |
VTI vs. PFF - Expense Ratio Comparison
VTI has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than PFF's 0.46% expense ratio.
Dividends
VTI vs. PFF - Dividend Comparison
VTI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.03%, less than PFF's 5.50% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PFF iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF | 5.50% | 6.30% | 6.32% | 6.63% | 6.01% | 4.45% | 4.79% | 5.31% | 6.32% | 5.59% | 5.85% | 5.76% |
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 1.03% | 1.12% | 1.27% | 1.44% | 1.66% | 1.21% | 1.42% | 1.78% | 2.04% | 1.71% | 1.92% | 1.98% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VTI and PFF have a correlation of 0.77, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VTI has higher volatility (4.50%) compared to PFF (2.29%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VTI dropped -55.45% vs PFF's -65.55%.
On 10-year performance, VTI leads with 15.02% vs 3.35% for PFF. On fees, VTI is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, PFF has been the lower-risk option at 2.29%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, VTI has performed better with a 15.02% return vs 3.35%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VTI is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.46% for PFF.
PFF has the higher dividend yield at 5.50%, compared with 1.03% for VTI.
VTI is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while PFF is Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds. VTI tracks CRSP US Total Market Index, while PFF tracks ICE Exchange-Listed Preferred & Hybrid Securities Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.03% for VTI and 0.46% for PFF.
VTI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.97 vs 1.19), 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.
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