PTA vs VOO
Cohen & Steers Tax-Advantaged Preferred Securities & Income Fund vs Vanguard S&P 500 ETF
Which is better, PTA or VOO?
Preferred Stock against Large Cap Blend.
VOO has a lower expense ratio. VOO 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 | PTA | VOO |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 2.01% | 0.03%Best |
| AUM | - | $997.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 7.91% | 1.08% |
| Holdings | 283 | 509 |
| YTD Return | +0.26% | +13.37%Best |
| 1Y Return | -1.34% | +20.08%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +9.43% | +21.29%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +1.60% | +12.89%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 13.5%Best | 15.4% |
| Max Drawdown | -28.7% | -24.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $10,826 | $18,335Best |
| Fund Family | Cohen & Steers Funds | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Allocation/Balanced | Equity |
| Style | Preferred Stock | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Oct 28, 2020 | Sep 7, 2010 |
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).
PTA vs VOO 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.
PTA vs VOO Performance
Cohen & Steers Tax-Advantaged Preferred Securities & Income Fund (PTA) is an ETF from Cohen & Steers Funds and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year PTA returned -1.34% while VOO returned +20.08%. Year to date, PTA is up 0.26% versus a gain of 13.37% for VOO.
Over three years, PTA compounded at +9.43% per year against +21.29% for VOO; over five years the annualized figures are +1.60% and +12.89% respectively. Across the full 6-year window we track, VOO has the edge at +17.35% annualized vs +2.54%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
VOO 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 -28.7% for PTA and -24.5% for VOO. 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
PTA charges 2.01% per year while VOO charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $201 vs $3 annually, a gap of $198 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, PTA currently yields 7.91% against 1.08% for VOO.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.5% of VOO'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 150 days apart, PTA as of Jan 31, 2026 and VOO as of Jun 30, 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 167 positions we hold weights for in PTA and 504 in VOO, against full books of 283 and 509.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of PTA and VOO 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, PTA or VOO?
PTA has an expense ratio of 2.01% while VOO charges 0.03%. VOO is the cheaper option, by $198 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, PTA or VOO?
Over the past year PTA returned -1.34% vs +20.08% for VOO, so VOO leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (6 years), PTA annualized +2.54% vs +17.35% for VOO. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, PTA or VOO?
VOO has been the more volatile fund at 15.4% annualized versus 13.5% for PTA. Worst drawdown: PTA -28.7% vs VOO -24.5%.
Should I hold both PTA and VOO?
PTA and VOO 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, PTA or VOO?
PTA yields 7.91% while VOO yields 1.08%, so PTA currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VOO better than PTA?
VOO has a lower expense ratio. VOO 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.