# How Prudential Financial (PRU) compares with the whole market and its popular alternatives

> Source: EasyCompare research, https://easycompare.io/research/pru
> Data as of October 20, 2026. Total returns include reinvested dividends. Past performance does not predict future results; nothing here is investment advice.

Built by QuantCommons' quantitative engine, this page is about relative opportunity, not data on PRU alone. It places PRU (Prudential Financial, Inc.) against 19 popular alternatives, its neighboring categories and the entire market of over 10,000 U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs, and surfaces what has done better on consistent outperformance, return for the risk taken, behavior in real market crashes and diversification. The result is a clearer view of where PRU stands in the market, and of the alternatives worth a closer look.

Period covered: PRU's full trading record, from December 2001 through September 2026. The crash tests reach back to 2000 using older funds and the S&P 500. All returns include reinvested dividends. Data as of October 20, 2026.

## Key findings

- **Right now:** Its life insurance peers were far apart over the past 6 months, from CRBG (Corebridge Financial, up 32.2%) to AFL (Aflac, up 6.0%). PRU has outpaced the market, rising 15.2% over the past 6 months against 9.1% for the S&P 500 and 11.2% for the Nasdaq 100.
- **Stock or market?:** PRU fell 1.2% over the past 3 months, in line with the life insurance ETF KIE (State Street SPDR S&P Insurance ETF), which fell 1.2%. The S&P 500 rose 3.9%. Its life insurance peers did not move as one over the past 3 months: CRBG (Corebridge Financial) rose 12.7%, while GL (Globe Life) fell 7.7%.
- **Past 1 to 3 years:** Over the past year, PRU rose 19.6% against 15.8% for the S&P 500 and 17.9% for the Nasdaq 100. On the flip side, PRU finished behind the S&P 500 in both 2024 and 2025.
- **Long term:** PRU turned $10,000 into $21,700 over the past decade, against $42,100 in the S&P 500.
- **In a crash:** Across six sell-offs, PRU has typically fallen 1.7 times as far as the S&P 500. The Covid crash took 58.2% off PRU, against 33.7% for the S&P 500. That was more than MET (MetLife, 55.0%) but less than RGA (Reinsurance Group of America, 62.6%).
- **Diversification:** PRU is some diversification, but not a hedge: a correlation of 0.56 with the S&P 500 over 5 years and 0.58 with the total US market, more closely than 85% of stocks worth at least $300 million. Over 10 years, PRU's beta versus the S&P 500 was 1.25: in the S&P 500's rising months it gained 1.0 times as much as the index, and in falling months it lost 1.5 times as much.
- **Better options**
  - **Popular alternatives:** CB (Chubb) and AFL (Aflac) earned more than PRU with less volatility over the past 5 years. CB returned 15.7% a year at 20.4% volatility, against 5.2% a year at 25.5%.
  - **Nearby categories and themes:** TRV (Travelers Companies, property & casualty insurance) and THG (Hanover Insurance Group, property & casualty insurance) earned more than PRU with less volatility over the past 5 years. TRV returned 22.4% a year at 22.3% volatility, against 5.2% a year at 25.5%.
  - **Whole market:** 667 of the 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million earned more than PRU with less volatility over the past 5 years, among them VTI (Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF), VOO (Vanguard S&P 500 ETF) and BRK-B (Berkshire Hathaway).

## How much would $10,000 in PRU have grown?

This chart tracks a hypothetical $10,000 investment in PRU over the past 24 years, with dividends reinvested, alongside the same amount in the S&P 500, investments that ended ahead of PRU over the same span and PRU's popular alternatives, among those that traded for the entire period.

- $10,000 invested in PRU at the end of September 2002 would have grown to $86,045 by September 2026, less than the $144,215 it would have become in SPY, an S&P 500 fund.
- Six of the eight other investments on the chart ended ahead of PRU, and BLK finished highest, at $434,103.

## PRU at a glance

This section summarizes the key facts about the stock, its returns over periods from one to ten years and the risk it has carried, with dividends reinvested throughout.

- PRU's deepest decline since it began trading in 2001 was 88.5%, from May 2007 to March 2009. It took about five years from the low to climb back to its old high.
- Over 24 full calendar years, PRU's best was 2013, when it returned 77.1%, and its worst was 2008, when it lost 66.3%. It lost money in seven of those years.
- PRU is 6.8% below its all-time high.

- Type: Stock, Financials (Insurance - Life)
- Trading since: December 13, 2001
- Market value: $40B
- Volatility (5 years): 25.5%; Sharpe ratio: 0.33
- Worst decline ever: −88.5%, from May 21, 2007 to March 5, 2009; back at its high by November 13, 2013

| Period | PRU total return |
| --- | --- |
| 1 month | −2.8% |
| 3 months | −1.2% |
| 6 months | +15.2% |
| year to date | +5.2% |
| 1 year | +19.6% |
| 3 years | +47.5% |
| 5 years | +29.0% |
| 10 years | +117% |

## PRU against the whole market

Where PRU ranks among every stock and fund, and what across the market has done better.

### How does PRU rank among all stocks?

This section ranks PRU on return, volatility, risk-adjusted return and worst decline against every stock worth at least $300 million with enough history.

- PRU is among the steadier stocks: its price swings rank in the top 13% of the 2,893 stocks worth at least $300 million, where the top is the calmest.

| Measure | PRU | Rank |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1-year return | +19.6% | 1,252 of 3,287 (top 39%) |
| 3-year return | +47.5% | 1,587 of 3,017 (top 53%) |
| 5-year return | +29.0% | 1,349 of 2,893 (top 47%) |
| 10-year return | +117% | 1,256 of 2,202 (top 58%) |
| Volatility, 5 years | 25.5% | 367 of 2,893 (top 13%) |
| Sharpe ratio, 5 years | 0.33 | 1,457 of 2,893 (top 51%) |
| Worst decline, past 10 years | −65.9% | 1,140 of 2,187 (top 53%) |

### What has beaten PRU on both return and risk?

Each dot is an investment, placed by how much it earned a year over the past 5 years (higher is better) and how much its price swung, its volatility (further left is calmer).

- 123 stocks and 544 ETFs worth at least $500 million sit in the green region: each earned more than PRU over the past 5 years with smaller price swings. That is 18% of the 3,633 screened.
- Among those with at least half PRU's swings, DXJ has the best return for its risk: 26.6% a year at 19.1% volatility, 25% less than PRU's 25.5%, and a Sharpe ratio (return above cash per unit of volatility) of 1.34 against 0.33 for PRU.
- Among PRU's popular alternatives, AFL and CB are in the region. AFL earned 19.0% a year against 5.2% a year for PRU, at 20.8% volatility, 19% less than PRU's 25.5%.

### Is there a better investment than PRU?

The table below lists investments that beat PRU over the past 5 years on at least one of these measures: a higher annual return with lower volatility, a higher annual return at similar volatility, a similar return with lower volatility, a higher Sharpe ratio with a smaller worst decline, a higher total return in most periods from 3 months to 10 years, or smaller losses in recent market crashes.

- Among PRU's popular alternatives, CB and AFL earned more than PRU with less volatility over the past 5 years. CB returned 15.7% a year at 20.4% volatility, against 5.2% a year at 25.5%.
- Looking beyond its popular alternatives, TRV (property & casualty insurance) and THG (property & casualty insurance) earned more than PRU with less volatility over the past 5 years. TRV returned 22.4% a year at 22.3% volatility, against 5.2% a year at 25.5%.
- Across the whole market, 667 of the 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million earned more than PRU with less volatility over the past 5 years, among them VTI, VOO and BRK-B.

The 15 strongest of 667 investments that beat PRU over the past 5 years, out of 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million.

| Investment | Group | Annual return (5 years) | Volatility | Sharpe | Worst decline (10 years) | 10Y return | Correlation with PRU | Better on |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| PRU: Prudential Financial, Inc. (this page) |  | +5.2% | 25.5% | 0.33 | −65.9% | +117% |  |  |
| [ABBV](https://easycompare.io/research/abbv): AbbVie Inc. | Pharmaceuticals | +26.1% | 23.4% | 1.11 | −45.1% | +603% | 0.28 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [JNJ](https://easycompare.io/research/jnj): Johnson & Johnson | Pharmaceuticals | +12.7% | 17.9% | 0.76 | −27.4% | +196% | 0.30 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [V](https://easycompare.io/research/v): Visa Inc. | Payment Processing | +12.8% | 22.9% | 0.64 | −36.4% | +429% | 0.60 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| DXJ: WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund | International Equity | +26.6% | 19.1% | 1.34 | −39.1% | +428% | 0.32 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [KO](https://easycompare.io/research/ko): The Coca-Cola Company | Food & Beverages | +14.7% | 16.8% | 0.91 | −37.0% | +204% | 0.27 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [VTV](https://easycompare.io/research/vtv): Vanguard Morningstar Value ETF | US Large-Cap Value | +12.1% | 13.7% | 0.90 | −36.8% | +235% | 0.73 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [SCHD](https://easycompare.io/research/schd): Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF | US Dividend Equity | +9.7% | 14.3% | 0.72 | −33.4% | +252% | 0.67 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [ADP](https://easycompare.io/research/adp): Automatic Data Processing, Inc. | Business Services | +9.0% | 22.9% | 0.49 | −40.8% | +320% | 0.52 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [AME](https://easycompare.io/research/ame): AMETEK, Inc. | Electronic Instruments | +14.4% | 22.1% | 0.72 | −42.7% | +481% | 0.41 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| EFV: iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF | International Equity | +13.6% | 15.9% | 0.88 | −43.2% | +157% | 0.58 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| [XLV](https://easycompare.io/research/xlv): State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF | Health Care Equity | +8.4% | 15.3% | 0.60 | −28.4% | +202% | 0.54 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| FNDF: Schwab Fundamental International Large Company Index ETF | International Equity | +13.6% | 16.3% | 0.87 | −40.2% | +194% | 0.51 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| VOE: Vanguard Morningstar Mid-Cap Value ETF | US Mid-Cap Equity | +9.4% | 15.8% | 0.65 | −43.2% | +182% | 0.74 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| HDV: iShares Core High Dividend ETF | US Dividend Equity | +12.9% | 13.0% | 1.00 | −37.0% | +172% | 0.64 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| RWL: Invesco S&P 500 Revenue ETF | US Large-Cap Equity | +13.7% | 14.4% | 0.97 | −36.1% | +287% | 0.72 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |

## PRU against its popular alternatives

The investments people most often weigh against PRU, compared period by period and year by year.

### How do PRU's risk and return compare with its alternatives?

This map plots each investment's annual return over the past 5 years against its volatility, the size of its typical price swings.

- AFL, CB and MET were both more rewarding and calmer than PRU over the past 5 years, earning a higher annual return with lower volatility.
- Over the past 5 years, PRU returned 5.2% a year, less than the S&P 500's 12.7%, with higher volatility (25.5% against 17.1%).

### Has PRU consistently beaten its popular alternatives?

This section compares PRU with the investments people most often weigh against it, checking each one over eight periods from one month to ten years.

- 11 of the 19 popular alternatives, led by CNO, UNM and MET, outperformed PRU in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes.
- CNO, UNM and MET outperformed PRU in every long-term period and in all but one short-term period, the most consistent record in the group.
- JXN, AFL and CB earned more for the risk they took than PRU (a higher Sharpe ratio) and fell less in their worst decline of the past 10 years.

| Investment | 1Y return | 3Y return | 5Y return | 10Y return | Periods ahead of PRU | Verdict | Sharpe |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| PRU: Prudential Financial, Inc. (this page) | +19.6% | +47.5% | +29.0% | +117% |  |  | 0.33 |
| CNO: CNO Financial Group, Inc. | +41.1% | +150% | +136% | +342% | 5/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | all-weather | 0.76 |
| UNM: Unum Group | +26.4% | +106% | +279% | +256% | 5/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | all-weather | 1.06 |
| [MET](https://easycompare.io/research/met): MetLife, Inc. | +32.2% | +84.0% | +76.5% | +240% | 5/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | all-weather | 0.58 |
| RGA: Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated | +44.4% | +90.4% | +146% | +199% | 5/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | all-weather | 0.80 |
| [ALL](https://easycompare.io/research/all): The Allstate Corporation | +31.5% | +116% | +119% | +356% | 4/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | all-weather | 0.73 |
| [CB](https://easycompare.io/research/cb): Chubb Limited | +35.0% | +78.9% | +107% | +248% | 4/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | all-weather | 0.82 |
| [BLK](https://easycompare.io/research/blk): BlackRock, Inc. | −0.6% | +96.3% | +41.1% | +313% | 3/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | consistent | 0.39 |
| VOYA: Voya Financial, Inc. | +32.6% | +55.8% | +52.3% | +253% | 3/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | consistent | 0.44 |
| GL: Globe Life Inc. | +26.3% | +58.0% | +79.7% | +188% | 3/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | consistent | 0.56 |
| JXN: Jackson Financial Inc. | +37.6% | +269% | +472% | — | 5/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term | consistent | 1.03 |
| EQH: Equitable Holdings, Inc. | +15.6% | +116% | +81.1% | — | 4/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term | consistent | 0.53 |
| [AFL](https://easycompare.io/research/afl): Aflac Incorporated | +12.9% | +65.2% | +139% | +335% | 2/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.95 |
| PFG: Principal Financial Group, Inc. | +41.4% | +76.3% | +84.6% | +196% | 2/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.60 |
| [APO](https://easycompare.io/research/apo): Apollo Global Management, Inc. | −9.7% | +41.4% | +64.9% | +825% | 0/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term |  | 0.46 |
| CRBG: Corebridge Financial, Inc. | +13.8% | +98.8% | — | — | 4/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | — |
| [AIG](https://easycompare.io/research/aig): American International Group, Inc. | +8.0% | +47.1% | +54.1% | +75.5% | 2/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.47 |
| LNC: Lincoln National Corporation | +6.2% | +111% | −32.1% | +20.1% | 0/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.04 |
| BHF: Brighthouse Financial, Inc. | +2.2% | +3.1% | −8.1% | — | 0/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.17 |
| FG: F&G Annuities & Life, Inc. | −29.0% | −25.8% | — | — | 0/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | — |

### How did PRU do year by year?

This table shows each investment's total return in every full calendar year since 2002, along with where PRU ranked among its popular alternatives each year.

- PRU finished ahead of the S&P 500 in 12 of its 24 full calendar years, and behind it in each of the last three.
- Ranked against its popular alternatives each year, PRU finished in the top quarter in four of 24 years and in the bottom quarter in one. In 2025, it ranked 16 of 20.
- Among its popular alternatives, BLK came out ahead of PRU most often, in 18 of the 24 years both traded.

| Year | PRU | SPY |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2025 | +0.2% | +17.7% |
| 2024 | +19.4% | +24.9% |
| 2023 | +10.1% | +26.2% |
| 2022 | −3.9% | −18.2% |
| 2021 | +45.3% | +28.7% |
| 2020 | −11.4% | +18.3% |
| 2019 | +20.1% | +31.2% |
| 2018 | −26.5% | −4.6% |
| 2017 | +13.6% | +21.7% |
| 2016 | +32.5% | +12.0% |

## Risk and diversification

How PRU has fallen, how it held up in crashes beside the S&P 500 and its popular alternatives, and what moves independently of it.

### What were PRU's worst declines?

A drawdown is the decline from a peak to the lowest point before a new high.

- In all five of PRU's worst declines, the S&P 500 held up better over the same dates.
- The slowest recovery came after PRU fell 88.5% from May 2007 to March 2009; it did not regain that peak until November 2013, five years later.

| Decline | Peak | Low | Back at the high | SPY over the same dates | Market event |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| −88.5% | May 21, 2007 | March 5, 2009 | November 13, 2013 | −53.1% | 2008 financial crisis |
| −65.9% | January 26, 2018 | March 23, 2020 | May 17, 2021 | −18.8% | late-2018 sell-off |
| −35.8% | August 10, 2015 | February 11, 2016 | November 7, 2016 | −12.2% | 2015 China and oil sell-off |
| −33.1% | April 20, 2022 | March 23, 2023 | March 6, 2024 | −10.1% | 2022 bear market |
| −28.7% | June 6, 2002 | October 9, 2002 | July 7, 2003 | −23.9% | dot-com bust |

### How did PRU do in stock market crashes?

This section measures how far PRU, the S&P 500 and each alternative fell from peak to trough during every major market crash since 2000.

- PRU fell further than the S&P 500 in all nine crashes it has traded through. The clearest case was the 2008 financial crisis, when PRU fell 88.3% and the S&P 500 fell 55.2%.
- Among its popular alternatives, ALL held up best, falling less than PRU in all nine crashes they both traded through.
- PRU began trading after the dot-com bust, but nine of its popular alternatives lived through it. The mildest fall among them was GL's 27.4%, against 47.5% for the S&P 500.

| Crash | Dates | PRU fall | SPY fall |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Dot-com bust | March 10, 2000 to October 9, 2002 | not trading | −47.5% |
| Global financial crisis | October 9, 2007 to March 9, 2009 | −88.3% | −55.2% |
| Flash crash | May 6, 2010 to May 7, 2010 | −3.1% | −1.5% |
| Euro debt crisis | July 22, 2011 to October 3, 2011 | −27.9% | −17.9% |
| China devaluation & oil rout | August 10, 2015 to February 11, 2016 | −35.8% | −12.8% |
| Volmageddon | February 2, 2018 to February 9, 2018 | −11.9% | −6.5% |
| Q4 2018 selloff | September 21, 2018 to December 24, 2018 | −26.8% | −19.3% |
| COVID crash | February 19, 2020 to March 23, 2020 | −58.2% | −33.7% |
| 2022 bear market | January 4, 2022 to October 12, 2022 | −27.4% | −24.5% |
| SVB / regional bank stress | March 8, 2023 to March 13, 2023 | −13.3% | −3.4% |

### How closely does PRU move with the S&P 500?

Upside capture measures how much of the S&P 500's gains an investment kept in the months the market rose, and downside capture how much of its losses it took in the months the market fell.

- 12 of the 14 popular alternatives had a higher capture ratio (upside capture divided by downside capture) than PRU's 0.70, led by ALL, CB and AFL.
- AFL took just 71% of the S&P 500's losses, against 146% for PRU, while still keeping 83% of its gains.
- Over the past 10 years, PRU captured 102% of the S&P 500's gains in rising months and 146% of its losses in falling months, with a beta of 1.25. It amplified the market's moves in both directions.

Measured over the past 10 years of monthly returns against SPY.

| Investment | Upside capture | Downside capture | Beta |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| PRU: Prudential Financial, Inc. (this page) | 102% | 146% | 1.25 |
| CNO: CNO Financial Group, Inc. | 103% | 102% | 1.09 |
| UNM: Unum Group | 88.0% | 90.0% | 0.96 |
| [MET](https://easycompare.io/research/met): MetLife, Inc. | 91.0% | 97.0% | 1.03 |
| RGA: Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated | 78.0% | 85.0% | 0.82 |
| [ALL](https://easycompare.io/research/all): The Allstate Corporation | 68.0% | 41.0% | 0.49 |
| [CB](https://easycompare.io/research/cb): Chubb Limited | 63.0% | 48.0% | 0.54 |
| [BLK](https://easycompare.io/research/blk): BlackRock, Inc. | 127% | 157% | 1.30 |
| VOYA: Voya Financial, Inc. | 111% | 128% | 1.17 |
| GL: Globe Life Inc. | 72.0% | 72.0% | 0.79 |
| [AFL](https://easycompare.io/research/afl): Aflac Incorporated | 83.0% | 71.0% | 0.79 |
| PFG: Principal Financial Group, Inc. | 103% | 124% | 1.22 |
| [APO](https://easycompare.io/research/apo): Apollo Global Management, Inc. | 166% | 168% | 1.58 |
| [AIG](https://easycompare.io/research/aig): American International Group, Inc. | 64.0% | 93.0% | 0.91 |
| LNC: Lincoln National Corporation | 119% | 211% | 1.67 |

### What diversifies PRU?

Correlation measures how closely two investments move together, on a scale from 1 (in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to -1 (in opposite directions).

- Moving a fifth of the money in PRU into GLD would have cut the portfolio's volatility by 20% over the past 5 years and raised its annual return (+6.6% for PRU alone, +9.7% for the mix).
- Among large ETFs, DXJ, SMH and GLD have moved largely independently of PRU over the past 5 years, with correlations of 0.32 or lower, and each still earned a positive 5-year return.
- FIX made money in four of the seven calendar years in which PRU lost money.

| Investment | Correlation with PRU | 5Y return | Volatility | Sharpe | Rose in PRU's 7 down years |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| DXJ: WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund | 0.32 | +225% | 19.1% | 1.34 | 3 of 7 |
| [SMH](https://easycompare.io/research/smh): VanEck Semiconductor ETF | 0.18 | +323% | 36.9% | 0.97 | 2 of 7 |
| [GLD](https://easycompare.io/research/gld): SPDR Gold Shares | -0.10 | +126% | 18.9% | 0.96 | 3 of 7 |
| IOO: iShares Global 100 ETF | 0.49 | +107% | 17.2% | 0.94 | 1 of 7 |
| SPMO: Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF | 0.44 | +136% | 20.8% | 0.93 | 1 of 7 |
| EWT: iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF | 0.12 | +153% | 24.2% | 0.89 | 1 of 7 |
| EDIV: State Street SPDR S&P Emerging Markets Dividend ETF | 0.28 | +69.9% | 13.8% | 0.84 | 0 of 7 |
| PTLC: Pacer Trendpilot US Large Cap ETF | 0.35 | +57.4% | 11.8% | 0.83 | 1 of 7 |

## Common questions

### What was PRU's worst drawdown?

PRU's deepest decline since it began trading in 2001 was 88.5%, from May 2007 to March 2009. It took about five years from the low to climb back to its old high.

### What were PRU's best and worst years?

Over 24 full calendar years, PRU's best year was 2013, when it returned 77.1%. Its worst was 2008, with a return of -66.3%.

### Is there a better investment than PRU?

Among PRU's popular alternatives, CB and AFL earned more than PRU with less volatility over the past 5 years. CB returned 15.7% a year at 20.4% volatility, against 5.2% a year at 25.5%. Looking beyond its popular alternatives, TRV (property & casualty insurance) and THG (property & casualty insurance) earned more than PRU with less volatility over the past 5 years. TRV returned 22.4% a year at 22.3% volatility, against 5.2% a year at 25.5%.

### Is PRU more volatile than the S&P 500?

Yes. PRU's volatility over the past 5 years was 25.5%, 1.5 times the S&P 500's 17.1%. Volatility measures how widely returns swing around their average: in roughly two years out of three, PRU's return lands within 25.5% of its average, either way. The higher it is, the rougher the ride and the harder it is to hold through a slump.

### What is PRU's Sharpe ratio?

PRU's Sharpe ratio over the past 5 years was 0.33, against 0.79 for the S&P 500, so PRU earned less for each unit of risk than an index fund did. The Sharpe ratio is the return earned above cash for each unit of volatility: two investments with the same return are not equal if one got there with far bigger swings.

### How correlated is PRU with the S&P 500?

Over the past 5 years, PRU's monthly returns had a correlation of 0.56 with the S&P 500. Correlation runs from 1 (moving in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to −1 (moving in opposite directions). They often move together: some diversification next to an index fund, but not a cushion. In the table, the correlation column measures each option against PRU instead: the lower it is, the more that option would diversify a PRU holding.

### What are the best alternatives to PRU?

Of the 19 popular alternatives we compared, 11 outperformed PRU in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes, with dividends reinvested: CNO, UNM and MET.

### Did PRU outperform the S&P 500?

PRU finished ahead of the S&P 500 (SPY) in 12 of 24 full calendar years. In 2025, it returned +0.2%, against +17.7% for the index.

### How did PRU do in stock market crashes?

PRU fell less than the S&P 500 (SPY) in none of the nine major crashes it has traded through, and further in nine. The clearest case was the 2008 financial crisis, when PRU fell 88.3% and the S&P 500 fell 55.2%.

### What diversifies PRU?

These had a low correlation with PRU over the past 5 years and still earned a positive 5-year return: among large ETFs, DXJ (correlation 0.32), SMH (correlation 0.18) and GLD (correlation -0.10); among large stocks, CAH (correlation 0.31), CLS (correlation 0.29) and FIX (correlation 0.21). A correlation near zero means the two have moved largely independently.

## More research

- [MetLife (MET) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/met)
- [Allstate (ALL) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/all)
- [Chubb (CB) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/cb)
- [BlackRock (BLK) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/blk)
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- [American International Group (AIG) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/aig)
- [Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/schd)
- [NVIDIA (NVDA) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/nvda)
- [Apple (AAPL) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/aapl)
- [Alphabet (GOOG) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/goog)
- [Microsoft (MSFT) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/msft)

## Explore further

- Full page with charts: https://easycompare.io/research/pru
- All research pages: https://easycompare.io/llms.txt
- Compare the entire market against PRU live: https://betterthanspy.com/?b=PRU&utm_source=easycompare&utm_medium=research