PFO vs SCHD
Flaherty & Crumrine Preferred Income Opportunity Fund Inc vs Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF
Which is better, PFO or SCHD?
Preferred Stock against Large Cap Value.
SCHD 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 | PFO | SCHD |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | - | 0.06% |
| AUM | $131M | $112.1B |
| Dividend Yield | 6.76% | 3.00% |
| Holdings | 260 | 103 |
| YTD Return | -1.20% | +23.68%Best |
| 1Y Return | -3.10% | +28.36%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +13.68% | +16.20%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | -0.73% | +10.07%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 15.2% | 13.7%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -49.2% | -33.4%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $9,640 | $16,156Best |
| Fund Family | Flaherty & Crumrine | Charles Schwab Asset Management |
| Category | Allocation/Balanced | Equity |
| Style | Preferred Stock | Large Cap Value |
| Inception | Feb 13, 1992 | Oct 20, 2011 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 20, 2011 to Sep 22, 2026 (14.9 years).
PFO vs SCHD 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.
PFO vs SCHD Performance
Flaherty & Crumrine Preferred Income Opportunity Fund Inc (PFO) is an ETF from Flaherty & Crumrine and Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) is an ETF from Charles Schwab Asset Management. Over the past year PFO returned -3.10% while SCHD returned +28.36%. Year to date, PFO is down 1.20% versus a gain of 23.68% for SCHD.
Over three years, PFO compounded at +13.68% per year against +16.20% for SCHD; over five years the annualized figures are -0.73% and +10.07% respectively. Across the full 15-year window we track, SCHD has the edge at +11.26% annualized vs +1.44%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
PFO has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 15.2% compared with 13.7% for SCHD. 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 -49.2% for PFO and -33.4% for SCHD. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.54. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Holdings Overlap
At least 1.2% of SCHD's money is in holdings PFO also owns.
Stated as a floor: for PFO, our book for it covers 79.9% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
SCHD and PFO share little of their money.
The two holdings books were reported 92 days apart, PFO as of May 31, 2026 and SCHD as of Aug 31, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
1 positions in common, counted across the 212 positions we hold weights for in PFO and 100 in SCHD, against full books of 260 and 103.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in PFO | Weight in SCHD | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| FITBFifth Third Bancorp | 1.21% | 1.19% | 0.02% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of PFO and SCHD 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 performed better, PFO or SCHD?
Over the past year PFO returned -3.10% vs +28.36% for SCHD, so SCHD leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (15 years), PFO annualized +1.44% vs +11.26% for SCHD. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, PFO or SCHD?
PFO has been the more volatile fund at 15.2% annualized versus 13.7% for SCHD. Worst drawdown: PFO -49.2% vs SCHD -33.4%.
Should I hold both PFO and SCHD?
PFO and SCHD have a monthly-return correlation of 0.54, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between PFO and SCHD?
At least 1.2% of SCHD's money is in holdings PFO also owns. Our book for PFO is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 1 positions in common, counted across the 212 positions we hold weights for in PFO and 100 in SCHD.
Which pays a higher dividend, PFO or SCHD?
PFO yields 6.76% while SCHD yields 3.00%, so PFO currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SCHD better than PFO?
SCHD 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.