Principal US Small-Cap Adaptive Multi-Factor ETF (PLTL) Performance
PLTL total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +222.5% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +222.5% total return
- 5 years
- +23.4% a year
- Since first price
- +22.3% a year since 2021
PLTL trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | PLTL total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | +2.7% | +2.7% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | +121.4% | +121.4% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +222.5% | +222.5% | — | — | — |
| YTD | +222.5% | +222.5% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +222.5% | +222.5% | — | — | — |
| 3 years | +222.5%+47.7%/yr | +222.5% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| 5 years | +185.9%+23.4%/yr | +174.9% | +79.3%+12.4%/yr | +94.0%+14.2%/yr | −0.8%−0.2%/yr |
| Since inceptionMay 19, 2021 | +198.2%+22.3%/yr | +185.7% | — | — | — |
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: PLTL vs SPY
From May 19, 2021: PLTL grew to $29,822, SPY to $19,905.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
PLTL returns by calendar year
1 of 2 full years positive. Best 2023 (+0.4%), worst 2022 (−15.0%). 2026 is year to date.
PLTL annual returns table
| Year | PLTL | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +222.5% | −21.9% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2023 | +0.4% | −15.0% | +26.2% | +54.9% | +5.7% |
| 2022 | −15.0% | −23.9% | −18.2% | −32.6% | −13.0% |
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.
PLTL largest drawdowns
Now 12.6% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 16, 2021 | −24.9% | Sep 27, 2022 | Jun 26, 2026 | 10 months | 4.6 years |
| Aug 28, 2026 | −21.9% | Sep 10, 2026 | Sep 23, 2026 | 13 days | 26 days |
| Oct 12, 2026 | −21.3% | Oct 16, 2026 | not yet | 4 days | 11 days so far |
| Jul 20, 2026 | −19.5% | Jul 30, 2026 | Aug 4, 2026 | 10 days | 15 days |
| Jul 7, 2026 | −11.4% | Jul 10, 2026 | Jul 20, 2026 | 3 days | 13 days |
| Jun 8, 2021 | −10.5% | Jul 19, 2021 | Nov 1, 2021 | 41 days | 5 months |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
PLTL risk statistics
| Statistic | Since 2021 |
|---|---|
| Annualized return | +43.2% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 71.9% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.70 |
| Sortino ratio | 3.82 |
| Best month | +110.9% |
| Worst month | −9.9% |
| Best 12 months | +179.8% |
| Worst 12 months | −16.4% |
| Positive months | 45% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | — |
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.
PLTL rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 23 | −16.4% | −2.3% | +216.9% | 39% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2021. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
PLTL performance overview
Principal US Small-Cap Adaptive Multi-Factor ETF (PLTL) returned +222.5% over the past year and +23.4% a year over five years, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2021 it has returned +22.3% a year, turning $10,000 into about $29,822. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −24.9%, from Nov 16, 2021 to Sep 27, 2022, and it took 3.7 years to get back to the old high. Volatility has been 71.9% a year.
Related: PLTL chart. See the PLTL overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
PLTL performance FAQ
What is the PLTL return over the past year?
PLTL returned +222.5% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 222.5%.
What is the average annual return of PLTL?
PLTL has returned +23.4% a year over 5 years, +22.3% a year since May 19, 2021 (total return, distributions reinvested).
How much would $10,000 invested in PLTL be worth?
$10,000 invested in PLTL at its first recorded close on May 19, 2021 would be worth about $29,822 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for PLTL?
The worst calendar year was 2022, with a total return of −15.0%. The best was 2023 at +0.4%.
What is the biggest drawdown of PLTL?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −24.9% between November 16, 2021 and September 27, 2022. It recovered to the old high on June 26, 2026, 3.7 years after the bottom.
How volatile is PLTL?
Over the past history PLTL had an annualized volatility of 71.9% and a Sharpe ratio of 0.70 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).