Pacer Lunt Large Cap Multi-Factor Alternator ETF (PALC) Performance
PALC total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +2.0% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +3.6% total return
- 5 years
- +6.4% a year
- Since first price
- +14.0% a year since 2020
PALC trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | PALC total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | −3.6% | −3.6% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | −4.8% | −5.1% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | −1.9% | −2.4% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +2.0% | +1.3% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +3.6% | +2.3% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +50.4%+14.6%/yr | +45.8% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| 5 years | +36.7%+6.4%/yr | +29.6% | +79.3%+12.4%/yr | +94.0%+14.2%/yr | −0.8%−0.2%/yr |
| Since inceptionJun 25, 2020 | +129.1%+14.0%/yr | +114.4% | — | — | — |
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: PALC vs SPY
From Jun 25, 2020: PALC grew to $22,915, SPY to $26,917.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
PALC returns by calendar year
4 of 5 full years positive. Best 2021 (+41.0%), worst 2022 (−14.7%). 2026 is year to date.
PALC annual returns table
| Year | PALC | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +2.0% | −11.3% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +7.3% | −16.8% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +21.2% | −9.1% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | +17.5% | −11.1% | +26.2% | +54.9% | +5.7% |
| 2022 | −14.7% | −23.2% | −18.2% | −32.6% | −13.0% |
| 2021 | +41.0% | −8.6% | +28.7% | +27.4% | −1.8% |
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.
PALC largest drawdowns
Now 11.1% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 5, 2021 | −24.4% | Sep 30, 2022 | Jan 29, 2024 | 11 months | 2.2 years |
| Nov 29, 2024 | −17.4% | Apr 8, 2025 | Oct 27, 2025 | 4 months | 11 months |
| Jun 30, 2026 | −11.3% | Oct 16, 2026 | not yet | 4 months | 4 months so far |
| Sep 2, 2020 | −10.1% | Sep 23, 2020 | Dec 4, 2020 | 21 days | 3 months |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
PALC risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | 5 years | Since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +14.6% | +8.1% | +14.4% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 14.9% | 16.9% | 17.4% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.70 | 0.34 | 0.69 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.05 | 0.48 | 1.11 |
| Best month | +8.2% | +10.7% | +14.8% |
| Worst month | −7.3% | −10.0% | −10.0% |
| Best 12 months | +38.9% | +38.9% | +57.8% |
| Worst 12 months | −1.4% | −15.8% | −15.8% |
| Positive months | 67% | 62% | 65% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.97 | 0.94 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.80 | 0.87 | — |
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.
PALC rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 65 | −15.8% | +11.2% | +57.8% | 77% |
| 3-year (a year) | 41 | +6.7% | +12.2% | +20.5% | 100% |
| 5-year (a year) | 17 | +6.0% | +11.2% | +15.9% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2020. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
PALC performance overview
Pacer Lunt Large Cap Multi-Factor Alternator ETF (PALC) returned +3.6% over the past year and +6.4% a year over five years, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2020 it has returned +14.0% a year, turning $10,000 into about $22,915. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −24.4%, from Nov 5, 2021 to Sep 30, 2022, and it took 1.3 years to get back to the old high. PALC finished 4 of its 5 full calendar years with a gain; the best year was 2021 (+41.0%) and the worst 2022 (−14.7%). Volatility has been 17.4% a year.
Related: PALC chart, PALC holdings, PALC dividends, PALC valuation. See the PALC overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
PALC performance FAQ
What is the PALC return over the past year?
PALC returned +3.6% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 2.3%.
What is the average annual return of PALC?
PALC has returned +6.4% a year over 5 years, +14.0% a year since June 25, 2020 (total return, distributions reinvested).
How much would $10,000 invested in PALC be worth?
$10,000 invested in PALC at its first recorded close on June 25, 2020 would be worth about $22,915 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for PALC?
The worst calendar year was 2022, with a total return of −14.7%. The best was 2021 at +41.0%.
What is the biggest drawdown of PALC?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −24.4% between November 5, 2021 and September 30, 2022. It recovered to the old high on January 29, 2024, 1.3 years after the bottom.
How volatile is PALC?
Over the past 3 years PALC had an annualized volatility of 14.9% and a Sharpe ratio of 0.70 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).