Pacer US Small Cap Cash Cows Growth Leaders ETF (CAFG) Performance
CAFG total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +33.9% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +30.7% total return
- 3 years
- +20.6% a year
- Since first price
- +17.0% a year since 2023
CAFG trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | CAFG total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | +4.8% | +4.8% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | +3.1% | +3.0% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +13.7% | +13.5% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +33.9% | +33.6% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +30.7% | +30.2% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +75.6%+20.6%/yr | +73.7% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| Since inceptionMay 2, 2023 | +72.8%+17.0%/yr | +70.4% | — | — | — |
Total return from adjusted closes (distributions reinvested, before tax). Periods of 3 years or more are also shown annualized. Price only excludes distributions.
Growth of $10,000: CAFG vs SPY
From May 2, 2023: CAFG grew to $17,281, SPY to $19,320.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
CAFG returns by calendar year
2 of 2 full years positive. Best 2024 (+6.9%), worst 2025 (+0.2%). 2026 is year to date.
CAFG annual returns table
| Year | CAFG | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +33.9% | −9.2% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +0.2% | −20.4% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +6.9% | −8.9% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
Largest drop = deepest fall from a high within that calendar year.
Calendar-year return vs largest drop within the year
Most years include a sizable fall at some point even when the year ends higher.
CAFG largest drawdowns
Now 2.2% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 11, 2024 | −23.7% | Apr 8, 2025 | Jan 22, 2026 | 5 months | 1.2 years |
| Aug 2, 2023 | −16.6% | Oct 27, 2023 | Dec 14, 2023 | 3 months | 4 months |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
CAFG risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | Since 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +15.5% | +13.8% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 17.8% | 18.2% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.65 | 0.56 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.24 | 1.00 |
| Best month | +12.2% | +12.2% |
| Worst month | −6.8% | −7.4% |
| Best 12 months | +39.5% | +39.5% |
| Worst 12 months | −6.0% | −6.0% |
| Positive months | 50% | 50% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.92 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.64 | — |
From monthly total returns. Sharpe and Sortino use 1–3 month T-bills (BIL) as the risk-free rate, so they need history from 2007 on.
CAFG rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 30 | −6.0% | +11.4% | +39.5% | 90% |
| 3-year (a year) | 6 | +13.5% | +15.2% | +20.8% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2023. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
CAFG performance overview
Pacer US Small Cap Cash Cows Growth Leaders ETF (CAFG) returned +30.7% over the past year, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2023 it has returned +17.0% a year, turning $10,000 into about $17,281. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −23.7%, from Nov 11, 2024 to Apr 8, 2025, and it took 9 months to get back to the old high. Volatility has been 18.2% a year.
Related: CAFG chart, CAFG holdings, CAFG dividends, CAFG valuation. See the CAFG overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
CAFG performance FAQ
What is the CAFG return over the past year?
CAFG returned +30.7% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 30.2%.
How much would $10,000 invested in CAFG be worth?
$10,000 invested in CAFG at its first recorded close on May 2, 2023 would be worth about $17,281 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for CAFG?
The worst calendar year was 2025, with a total return of +0.2%. The best was 2024 at +6.9%.
What is the biggest drawdown of CAFG?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −23.7% between November 11, 2024 and April 8, 2025. It recovered to the old high on January 22, 2026, 9 months after the bottom.
How volatile is CAFG?
Over the past 3 years CAFG had an annualized volatility of 17.8% and a Sharpe ratio of 0.65 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).