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PFF vs PGX

iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF

PFFANasdaq

Invesco Preferred ETF

PGXBNYSE Arca

Overlap

Expense ratio

PFF −0.05pt a year

PFF0.45%PGX0.50%

Avg volume · 30D

PGX 1.9×the volume

PFF3.06MPGX5.83M

10Y return · a year

PFF +1.0pt

PFF+2.7%PGX+1.7%

PFF vs PGX Performance

Nov 5, 2021 – Nov 5, 2026

−3.7%PFF−11.5%PGX

Nov 5, 2021 to Nov 5, 2026. PFF −3.7%. PGX −11.5%. Use the arrow keys to read each point.−25%−20%−15%0%5%Nov 2021May 2024Nov 2026
Expense ratio
PFF 0.45%, better
PGX 0.50%
Fund size
PFF $11.7B
PGX $3.64B
1Y total return
PFF −4.3%, better
PGX −7.2%
Yield (12M)
PFF 5.82%
PGX 6.87%, better
Holdings
PFF 451
PGX 276
Avg volume (30D)
PFF 3.06M sh
PGX 5.83M sh, better
NAV per share
PFF $28.67
PGX $10.03
52W range

ETF.net Grade

PFF: Cost 73, Risk 31, Mission 80, Tradability 90, Holdings 62, Durability 97. PGX: Cost 53, Risk 23, Mission 70, Tradability 91, Holdings 74, Durability 90.
Pillar letters and Scores for PFF, PGX, with each pillar’s weight
PillarPFFPGX
Cost30% weightA73HigherC53
Mission25% weightA80HigherA70
Risk15% weightD31HigherF23
Tradability15% weightA90A91Higher
Holdings10% weightB62A74Higher
Durability5% weightA97HigherA90

Rank among Preferred Securities funds

Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Same Category. PFF and PGX are both graded against the same 31 Preferred Securities funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Preferred Securities⁠

Category · 31 funds
See all 31 ›

PFF ranks 2nd and PGX 7th of 31 funds in the Preferred Securities Category.

  1. Rank 1APFFDGlobal X U.S. Preferred ETFScore 74
  2. Rank 2APFFiShares Preferred and Income Securities ETFScore 71
  3. Rank 3BEVPFEaton Vance Preferred Securities and Income ETFScore 68
  4. Rank 7BPFXFVanEck Preferred Securities ex Financials ETFScore 62
  5. Rank 7BPGXInvesco Preferred ETFScore 62
  6. Rank 10BGPRFGoldman Sachs Access U.S. Preferred Stock and Hybrid Securities ETFScore 59

Our read on each fund

ETF.net Research

PFFAiShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF

PGXBInvesco Preferred ETF

In short

PFF Preferred stock is a clumsy market to shop one issue at a time. PFF, running since 2007, bundles roughly 500 US dollar preferreds and hybrids into a single heavily traded ticker and pays out monthly.

PGX A 2008-vintage preferred fund that has traded through every rate cycle since. Roughly 300 fixed-rate preferred securities, distributions paid monthly, and enough daily volume to get in and out without drama.

Stated mandate

PFF The fund seeks to track an index of U.S. dollar-denominated preferred and hybrid securities, providing exposure to preferred stock and subordinated debt with an income-oriented mandate.

PGX The fund seeks a combination of income and capital appreciation through investment in preferred securities.

Why people hold it

  • PFF One ticker buys roughly 500 US dollar preferreds and hybrids tracking the ICE Exchange-Listed Preferred & Hybrid Securities Index, a corner most investors can't assemble issue by issue.
  • Distributions land monthly rather than quarterly, a steadier rhythm for anyone spending the income.
  • A multi-billion-dollar fund that trades actively, so getting in and out is rarely the hard part.
  • Live since 2007, through the financial crisis and several rate cycles, with the same income-oriented mandate from a large index shop.
  • PGX Live since January 2008, so its record spans the credit crisis, the zero-rate decade, and the rate spike that followed.
  • Spreads the bet across about 300 preferred issues, so a single skipped coupon or downgraded issuer is a thin slice of the pot.
  • Distributions arrive monthly rather than quarterly, which lines up with how most bills show up.
  • A multi-billion-dollar fund that trades actively, which generally keeps bid-ask spreads manageable for ordinary-size orders.

Worth knowing

  • PFF 0.45% a year is the going rate in this niche (the peer median), but it's many times what broad stock index trackers like VT charge.
  • Preferreds and subordinated debt are hybrids: they rank below an issuer's senior bonds, so this trades on credit and rate conditions more than on earnings growth.
  • The mandate is US dollar issuers only, so there's no international preferred exposure here.
  • PGX The 0.50% annual fee sits above the typical index-tracking ETF, and you pay it in flat markets as well as good ones.
  • The index is fixed-rate by design, so prices here respond to interest rate moves, not just to issuer credit quality.
  • The stated mandate puts income first and capital appreciation second, a different job than a stock fund does.

Full PFF profile⁠

Full PGX profile⁠

PFF vs PGX Holdings

How we measure overlap

Each holding counts at its smaller weight in the two funds, summed over the full Holdings. Sector, country and asset class use the same rule on each fund’s split. Cash, FX and derivative lines stay out of the counts. Two bond funds get no overlap figure.

PFF vs PGX Cost

Overpaying PGX vs PFF

$938

On $10,000 over 30 years. 7% growth a year before fees, expense ratio only.

  • PFF 0.45%

    $9,041

  • PGX 0.50%

    $9,979

$10,000
30 years

Cost over time

  • PFF 0.45%
  • PGX 0.50%
  • Overpaying
One line per fund, from year 0 to year 30. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$2K$4K$6K$8K$10K051015202530PGX $9,979PFF $9,041

Year by year

YearPFFPGXOverpaying
10$812$900$88
20$3,128$3,460$332
30$9,041$9,979$938

Expense ratio

  • 0.45%PFF, cheaper
  • 0.50%PGX
  • Middle half of Preferred Securities funds
  • Median 0.50%

PFF 6th cheapest of 31 funds

PGX 15th cheapest of 31 funds

PFF vs PGX Dividends

Last 12 months to Nov 5, 2026
Yield (12M)
PFF 5.82%
PGX 6.87%, better
Payout (12M)
PFF $1.64
PGX $0.68
Last payment
PFF $0.18
PGX $0.06
Ex-dividend
PFF Nov 2, 2026
PGX Oct 19, 2026
Paid on
PFF Nov 5, 2026
PGX Oct 23, 2026
Frequency
PFF Monthly
PGX Monthly

Distribution history

Per share, 2023 to 2026, same scale for both

PFFMonthly · 46 paymentsAll PFF payments⁠
One bar per payment. 46 payments from 2023 to 2026 YTD. Feb 1, 2023 $0.19; Mar 1, 2023 $0.19; Apr 3, 2023 $0.19; May 1, 2023 $0.17; Jun 1, 2023 $0.17; Jul 3, 2023 $0.16; Aug 1, 2023 $0.16; Sep 1, 2023 $0.15; Oct 2, 2023 $0.16; Nov 1, 2023 $0.17; Dec 1, 2023 $0.18; Dec 14, 2023 $0.19; Feb 1, 2024 $0.18; Mar 1, 2024 $0.17; Apr 1, 2024 $0.16; May 1, 2024 $0.16; Jun 3, 2024 $0.16; Jul 1, 2024 $0.16; Aug 1, 2024 $0.16; Sep 3, 2024 $0.16; Oct 1, 2024 $0.17; Nov 1, 2024 $0.17; Dec 2, 2024 $0.16; Dec 18, 2024 $0.18; Feb 3, 2025 $0.18; Mar 3, 2025 $0.17; Apr 1, 2025 $0.17; May 1, 2025 $0.17; Jun 2, 2025 $0.17; Jul 1, 2025 $0.17; Aug 1, 2025 $0.16; Sep 2, 2025 $0.16; Oct 1, 2025 $0.17; Nov 3, 2025 $0.17; Dec 1, 2025 $0.18; Dec 19, 2025 $0.07; Feb 2, 2026 $0.18; Mar 2, 2026 $0.03; Apr 1, 2026 $0.14; May 1, 2026 $0.14; Jun 1, 2026 $0.14; Jul 1, 2026 $0.14; Aug 3, 2026 $0.14; Sep 1, 2026 $0.15; Oct 1, 2026 $0.16; Nov 2, 2026 $0.18. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$0.2020232026YTD
PGXMonthly · 46 paymentsAll PGX payments⁠
One bar per payment. 46 payments from 2023 to 2026 YTD. Jan 23, 2023 $0.06; Feb 21, 2023 $0.06; Mar 20, 2023 $0.06; Apr 24, 2023 $0.06; May 22, 2023 $0.06; Jun 20, 2023 $0.06; Jul 24, 2023 $0.06; Aug 21, 2023 $0.06; Sep 18, 2023 $0.06; Oct 23, 2023 $0.07; Nov 20, 2023 $0.06; Dec 18, 2023 $0.07; Jan 22, 2024 $0.06; Feb 20, 2024 $0.06; Mar 18, 2024 $0.06; Apr 22, 2024 $0.06; May 20, 2024 $0.06; Jun 24, 2024 $0.05; Jul 22, 2024 $0.06; Aug 19, 2024 $0.06; Sep 23, 2024 $0.06; Oct 21, 2024 $0.06; Nov 18, 2024 $0.06; Dec 23, 2024 $0.06; Jan 21, 2025 $0.06; Feb 24, 2025 $0.06; Mar 24, 2025 $0.06; Apr 21, 2025 $0.05; May 19, 2025 $0.05; Jun 23, 2025 $0.05; Jul 21, 2025 $0.06; Aug 18, 2025 $0.06; Sep 22, 2025 $0.06; Oct 20, 2025 $0.07; Nov 24, 2025 $0.06; Dec 22, 2025 $0.05; Jan 20, 2026 $0.06; Feb 23, 2026 $0.05; Mar 23, 2026 $0.06; Apr 20, 2026 $0.06; May 18, 2026 $0.05; Jun 22, 2026 $0.05; Jul 20, 2026 $0.06; Aug 24, 2026 $0.06; Sep 21, 2026 $0.06; Oct 19, 2026 $0.06. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$0.2020232026YTD

PFF vs PGX Risk

Fall from peak · 5 years

  • PFF
  • PGX
Nov 5, 2021 to Nov 5, 2026. Worst fall: PGX −24.6% · Oct 2023. Use the arrow keys to read each point.−25%−20%−15%−10%−5%0%Nov 2021May 2024Nov 2026

Risk facts

VolatilityStd dev, 3 years
PFF 8.5%, betterPGX 9.6%
Return per unit of riskSharpe ratio, 3 years
PFF 0.22, betterPGX 0.06
Worst fallMax drawdown, 5 years
PFF −21.1%, betterPGX −24.6%
Market sensitivityBeta, 5 years
PFF 0.97PGX 1.21

PFF and PGX in the news

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