Pacer US Large Cap Cash Cows Growth Leaders ETF (COWG) Performance
COWG total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +16.0% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +12.9% total return
- 3 years
- +25.2% a year
- Since first price
- +20.9% a year since 2022
COWG trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | COWG total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | +0.9% | +0.9% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | +8.7% | +8.2% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +13.3% | +12.6% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +16.0% | +15.3% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +12.9% | +12.1% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +96.1%+25.2%/yr | +93.1% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| Since inceptionDec 22, 2022 | +107.0%+20.9%/yr | +103.1% | — | — | — |
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: COWG vs SPY
From Dec 22, 2022: COWG grew to $20,697, SPY to $20,928.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
COWG returns by calendar year
3 of 3 full years positive. Best 2024 (+35.0%), worst 2025 (+10.2%). 2026 is year to date.
COWG annual returns table
| Year | COWG | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +16.0% | −10.5% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +10.2% | −23.6% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +35.0% | −11.1% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | +20.7% | −10.0% | +26.2% | +54.9% | +5.7% |
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.
COWG largest drawdowns
Now 2.3% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 18, 2025 | −23.6% | Apr 8, 2025 | Sep 11, 2025 | 49 days | 7 months |
| Jul 16, 2024 | −11.1% | Aug 5, 2024 | Sep 19, 2024 | 20 days | 2 months |
| Oct 8, 2025 | −10.8% | Mar 30, 2026 | May 5, 2026 | 6 months | 7 months |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
COWG risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | Since 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +23.7% | +21.0% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 16.2% | 15.6% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.13 | 1.03 |
| Sortino ratio | 2.17 | 1.93 |
| Best month | +13.2% | +13.2% |
| Worst month | −6.8% | −6.8% |
| Best 12 months | +48.9% | +48.9% |
| Worst 12 months | +4.4% | +4.4% |
| Positive months | 67% | 64% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 1.08 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.83 | — |
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.
COWG rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 35 | +4.4% | +23.5% | +48.9% | 100% |
| 3-year (a year) | 11 | +18.4% | +21.9% | +26.0% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2022. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
COWG performance overview
Pacer US Large Cap Cash Cows Growth Leaders ETF (COWG) returned +12.9% over the past year, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2022 it has returned +20.9% a year, turning $10,000 into about $20,697. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −23.6%, from Feb 18, 2025 to Apr 8, 2025, and it took 5 months to get back to the old high. COWG finished 3 of its 3 full calendar years with a gain; the best year was 2024 (+35.0%) and the worst 2025 (+10.2%). Volatility has been 15.6% a year.
Related: COWG chart, COWG holdings, COWG dividends, COWG valuation. See the COWG overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
COWG performance FAQ
What is the COWG return over the past year?
COWG returned +12.9% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 12.1%.
How much would $10,000 invested in COWG be worth?
$10,000 invested in COWG at its first recorded close on December 22, 2022 would be worth about $20,697 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for COWG?
The worst calendar year was 2025, with a total return of +10.2%. The best was 2024 at +35.0%.
What is the biggest drawdown of COWG?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −23.6% between February 18, 2025 and April 8, 2025. It recovered to the old high on September 11, 2025, 5 months after the bottom.
How volatile is COWG?
Over the past 3 years COWG had an annualized volatility of 16.2% and a Sharpe ratio of 1.13 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).