IVV vs PSF
iShares Core S&P 500 ETF vs Cohen & Steers Select Preferred and Income Fund Inc.
Which is better, IVV or PSF?
Large Cap Blend against Preferred Stock.
IVV has a lower expense ratio. IVV led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window.
MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | IVV | PSF |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.03%Best | 1.59% |
| AUM | $876.4B | $2,687.94 |
| Dividend Yield | 1.06% | 7.02% |
| Holdings | 508 | 332 |
| YTD Return | +12.01%Best | -3.23% |
| 1Y Return | +16.48%Best | -3.22% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +21.21%Best | +9.23% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +12.95%Best | -0.58% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 14.2%Best | 16.6% |
| Max Drawdown | -33.9%Best | -55.4% |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $18,384Best | $9,713 |
| Fund Family | iShares by BlackRock (US) | Cohen & Steers Funds |
| Category | Equity | Allocation/Balanced |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Preferred Stock |
| Inception | May 15, 2000 | Nov 24, 2010 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Nov 24, 2010 to Sep 14, 2026 (15.8 years).
IVV vs PSF growth
Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view is available from the range buttons; it is not the opening view here because over the whole period one of these two funds moves so much further than the other that its line would sit flat on the axis.
IVV vs PSF Performance
iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) is an ETF from iShares by BlackRock (US) and Cohen & Steers Select Preferred and Income Fund Inc. (PSF) is an ETF from Cohen & Steers Funds. Over the past year IVV returned +16.48% while PSF returned -3.22%. Year to date, IVV is up 12.01% versus a loss of 3.23% for PSF.
Over three years, IVV compounded at +21.21% per year against +9.23% for PSF; over five years the annualized figures are +12.95% and -0.58% respectively. Across the full 16-year window we track, IVV has the edge at +12.94% annualized vs +0.96%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
PSF has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 16.6% compared with 14.2% for IVV. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.
The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -33.9% for IVV and -55.4% for PSF. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.62. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
IVV charges 0.03% per year while PSF charges 1.59%. On a $10,000 position that is $3 vs $159 annually, a gap of $156 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, IVV currently yields 1.06% against 7.02% for PSF.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.8% of IVV's money is in holdings PSF also owns.
Stated as a floor: for PSF, our book for it covers 86.8% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
The two holdings books were reported 153 days apart, IVV as of Aug 31, 2026 and PSF as of Mar 31, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
5 positions in common, counted across the 490 positions we hold weights for in IVV and 186 in PSF, against full books of 508 and 332.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of IVV and PSF you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, IVV or PSF?
IVV has an expense ratio of 0.03% while PSF charges 1.59%. IVV is the cheaper option, by $156 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, IVV or PSF?
Over the past year IVV returned +16.48% vs -3.22% for PSF, so IVV leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (16 years), IVV annualized +12.94% vs +0.96% for PSF. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, IVV or PSF?
PSF has been the more volatile fund at 16.6% annualized versus 14.2% for IVV. Worst drawdown: IVV -33.9% vs PSF -55.4%.
Should I hold both IVV and PSF?
IVV and PSF have a monthly-return correlation of 0.62, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, IVV or PSF?
IVV yields 1.06% while PSF yields 7.02%, so PSF currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is PSF better than IVV?
IVV has a lower expense ratio. IVV led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.