IVV vs PTA
iShares Core S&P 500 ETF vs Cohen & Steers Tax-Advantaged Preferred Securities & Income Fund
Which is better, IVV or PTA?
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 | PTA |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.03%Best | 2.01% |
| AUM | $886.7B | - |
| Dividend Yield | 1.10% | 7.91% |
| Holdings | 508 | 283 |
| YTD Return | +13.39%Best | +0.26% |
| 1Y Return | +20.08%Best | -1.34% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +21.29%Best | +9.43% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +12.88%Best | +1.60% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 15.4% | 13.5%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -24.5%Best | -28.7% |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $18,327Best | $10,826 |
| Fund Family | iShares by BlackRock (US) | Cohen & Steers Funds |
| Category | Equity | Allocation/Balanced |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Preferred Stock |
| Inception | May 15, 2000 | Oct 28, 2020 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 28, 2020 to Sep 4, 2026 (5.9 years).
IVV vs PTA 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 covers the 5.9 years both funds cover.
IVV vs PTA Performance
iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) is an ETF from iShares by BlackRock (US) and Cohen & Steers Tax-Advantaged Preferred Securities & Income Fund (PTA) is an ETF from Cohen & Steers Funds. Over the past year IVV returned +20.08% while PTA returned -1.34%. Year to date, IVV is up 13.39% versus a gain of 0.26% for PTA.
Over three years, IVV compounded at +21.29% per year against +9.43% for PTA; over five years the annualized figures are +12.88% and +1.60% respectively. Across the full 6-year window we track, IVV has the edge at +17.34% annualized vs +2.54%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
IVV has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 15.4% compared with 13.5% for PTA. 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 -24.5% for IVV and -28.7% for PTA. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.69. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
IVV charges 0.03% per year while PTA charges 2.01%. On a $10,000 position that is $3 vs $201 annually, a gap of $198 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, IVV currently yields 1.10% against 7.91% for PTA.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.5% of IVV's money is in holdings PTA also owns.
Stated as a floor: for PTA, our book for it covers 93.7% 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 186 days apart, IVV as of Aug 5, 2026 and PTA as of Jan 31, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
3 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in IVV and 167 in PTA, against full books of 508 and 283.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of IVV and PTA 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 PTA?
IVV has an expense ratio of 0.03% while PTA charges 2.01%. IVV is the cheaper option, by $198 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, IVV or PTA?
Over the past year IVV returned +20.08% vs -1.34% for PTA, so IVV leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (6 years), IVV annualized +17.34% vs +2.54% for PTA. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, IVV or PTA?
IVV has been the more volatile fund at 15.4% annualized versus 13.5% for PTA. Worst drawdown: IVV -24.5% vs PTA -28.7%.
Should I hold both IVV and PTA?
IVV and PTA have a monthly-return correlation of 0.69, 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 PTA?
IVV yields 1.10% while PTA yields 7.91%, so PTA currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is PTA 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.