At a glance
PTIN charges 0.65% a year, above the 0.13% average of the 8 funds most like it (the most expensive of 9). It has $184.7M in assets, the 9th largest of that group; it paid 2.23% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, annual. Over the past year it returned +16.8% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 2nd of those 9 funds; over three years it returned +15.9% a year. At its worst it fell 12.5% in the 2020 crash (S&P 500: 33.7%) and 16.9% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 10 months and 22 months after the lows. Its ten largest positions make up 17.6% of the fund, out of 498 in all.
The short version
Pacer Trendpilot International ETF (PTIN) holds large companies in developed markets outside the US, such as Samsung Electronics and ASML. A trend-following rule can move half or all of the fund into 3-month US Treasury bills when those markets fall. That switch is what sets it apart from plain international index funds. It also costs more: 0.65% a year, against an average of 0.13% for similar funds.
Price history
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PTIN +16.8% over the year to Oct 27, 2026, total return with distributions reinvested.
How it has behaved
| YTD | 1 yr | 3 yr | 5 yr | 10 yr | Since start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTIN official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +17.60% | — | +5.84% | — | +5.55% |
| PTIN price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +14.3% | +16.8% | +15.9% | +6.2% | — | +6.4% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, PTIN returned +16.8%, 2nd of 9 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +6.2%.
- In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 12.5% and regained its old high 9.7 months after the low.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2022 (-16.0%); its best was 2025 (+16.2%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 21.3% (Dec 28, 2021 to Nov 21, 2022), recovered by Jul 10, 2024.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +14.3% | — |
| 2025 | +16.2% | +17.60% |
| 2024 | +3.4% | +3.68% |
| 2023 | +16.1% | +14.34% |
| 2022 | -16.0% | -14.48% |
| 2021 | +12.3% | +11.42% |
| 2020 | -0.6% | -0.16% |
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Before this security existed |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Lost 12.1% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 12.5%, back to its old high 9.7 months after the low |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 15.7% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 16.9%, back to its old high 22.2 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $0.8000 | +8.1% |
| 2024 | $0.7400 | +27.6% |
| 2023 | $0.5800 | +480.0% |
| 2022 | $0.1000 | -85.5% |
| 2021 | $0.6900 | +245.0% |
| 2020 | $0.2000 |
What's inside
As of Jul 31, 2026, the fund held 498 securities; the ten largest made up 17.64% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung Electronics Co Ltd | 3.77% | |
| SK hynix Inc | 2.69% | |
| ASML Holding NV | 2.68% | |
| HSBC Holdings PLC | 1.52% | |
| Roche Holding AG | 1.28% | |
| Royal Bank of Canada | 1.22% | |
| Novartis AG | 1.20% | |
| Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group | 1.11% | |
| AstraZeneca PLC | 1.10% | |
| Nestle SA | 1.08% | |
| Shell PLC | 1.06% | |
| Siemens AG | 0.98% | |
| Toyota Motor Corp | 0.95% | |
| BHP Group Ltd | 0.90% | |
| Commonwealth Bank of Australia | 0.87% |
By country
Japan 21.31%United Kingdom 11.03%Canada 10.11%South Korea 9.52%Switzerland 7.44%By asset type
Stocks 99.44%Preferred stock 0.59%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jul 31, 2026, investors withdrew a net $9.1M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +5.69%, -0.14%, +0.61%.
How it works
PTIN tracks the Pacer Trendpilot International Index. Index Design Group built the index; it is an affiliate of the fund's adviser, Pacer Advisors. Most of the time the index holds the S&P Developed Ex-U.S. LargeCap Index. That index weights large non-US companies by market value, counting only shares that are freely available to trade. As of July 31, 2026, the fund held 498 stocks. The 10 largest made up about 18% of assets, led by Samsung Electronics (3.8%), SK hynix (2.7%) and ASML (2.7%).
The fund switches between three positions based on the 200-day moving average, which is the average of the index's closing levels over the past 200 business days. Five closes in a row below that average move the fund to 50% stocks and 50% T-bills. If the average itself then closes below its level of five business days earlier, the fund moves fully into T-bills. Five closes in a row above the average put it back to 100% stocks. Each change takes effect on the second business day after the signal.
The fund can stay in any position for long stretches. As of June 30, 2026, it was fully in stocks. The signals only come after prices have already moved, so the fund may sell after a drop and buy back after a rebound.
What it really costs
- PTIN charges 0.65% a year, versus an average of 0.13% for the similar funds below (9th of 9, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $66 in the first year and $810 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTIN | $66 | $208 | $362 | $810 |
In a retirement portfolio
PTIN adds large non-US companies to a portfolio, with a rule meant to soften long declines, but it still behaves like a stock fund.
The fund's record in downturns is mixed. In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 12.5% between February 19 and March 9, 2020, and recovered by December 30, 2020. In 2022 it lost 14.48%, its worst calendar year. Its deepest drop was 21.3%, from December 28, 2021 to November 21, 2022, and it took about 19.6 months to recover, until July 10, 2024. Someone who had to sell shares during that stretch would have locked in losses even with the trend rules in place. The fund launched in 2019, so it has no record from 2008.
Income is modest. The trailing yield was 2.23% as of October 27, 2026, paid once a year. In the SEC's standard example, the 0.65% fee costs $66 in the first year and $810 over 10 years on $10,000. Past results don't predict the future. A plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors who want developed-market stocks outside the US, with a fixed rule for moving into Treasury bills during long declines.
- People comfortable with large weights in Japan (21%), the UK, Canada and South Korea, including the chipmakers Samsung and SK hynix.
- Those who would rather follow a published, mechanical exit rule than decide for themselves when to step out of international stocks.
Look elsewhere if
- Cost-focused investors: PTIN charges 0.65% a year, against 0.06% for SCHF and 0.03% for VEA, which hold many of the same stocks.
- Anyone expecting the trend rules to prevent losses. The fund still fell 21.3% in 2021–2022 and took 19.6 months to recover.
- Investors who need regular income. It pays once a year, and its trailing yield was 2.23% as of October 27, 2026.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTIN this fund | — | 0.65% | $184.7M | +16.8% | +15.9% |
| EFA iShares MSCI EAFE ETF | 78% | 0.32% | $77.98B | +13.5% | +18.2% |
| SCHF Schwab International Equity ETF | 76% | 0.06% | $69.68B | +17.7% | +20.4% |
| IEFA iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF | 71% | 0.07% | $190.11B | +13.7% | +18.5% |
| VEA Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF | 66% | 0.03% | $316.42B | +16.8% | +21.7% |
| DIVI Franklin International Core Dividend Tilt I… | 60% | 0.11% | $2.56B | +15.4% | +21.6% |
| DFAI Dimensional International Core Equity Marke… | 57% | 0.18% | $17.47B | +16.2% | +19.9% |
| JIRE JPMorgan International Research Enhanced Eq… | 56% | 0.24% | $11.18B | +11.6% | +19.5% |
Questions investors ask
What does PTIN invest in?
Most of the time, PTIN holds large companies in developed markets outside the US, following the S&P Developed Ex-U.S. LargeCap Index. As of July 31, 2026, it held 498 stocks. The largest were Samsung Electronics, SK hynix and ASML. Japan was the biggest country at 21%, followed by the UK, Canada and South Korea. When its trend signals turn negative, the fund can move half or all of its money into 3-month US Treasury bills.
Does PTIN protect against stock market crashes?
Only partly. The fund moves into Treasury bills only after the index has stayed below its 200-day moving average, so it takes much of any sudden drop. In early 2020 it fell 12.5% in under three weeks, and its worst quarter was a 12.13% loss in the first quarter of 2020. It lost 14.48% in 2022. The rules aim to limit damage in long downtrends, but the fund may also sell after a fall and buy back after a rebound.
What's the difference between PTIN and EFA?
Both funds hold large developed-market companies outside the US, and about 78% of their holdings overlap. EFA tracks the MSCI EAFE index and costs 0.32% a year, about half of PTIN's 0.65%. PTIN adds the switch into Treasury bills. Over three years, EFA returned 19.4% a year as of October 30, 2026, against PTIN's 15.9% as of October 27. Over one year, PTIN led, 16.8% to 12.9%. EFA is also much larger, with about $78 billion in net assets.
Does PTIN pay dividends?
Yes, but only once a year. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid about $0.80 per share, a trailing yield of 2.23%. The payout comes from dividends on the foreign stocks it holds, plus interest from Treasury bills when it holds them. The amount can change from year to year. Because it pays only once a year, PTIN on its own does not provide a steady monthly or quarterly income.
Is PTIN's expense ratio high?
Yes, compared with similar funds. PTIN charges 0.65% a year, the highest of the nine comparable funds, where the average is 0.13%. Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA) charges 0.03%, and Schwab International Equity ETF (SCHF) charges 0.06%. In the SEC's standard example of $10,000 earning 5% a year, PTIN's costs come to $66 after one year, $362 after five years and $810 after 10 years. The higher fee pays for the trend-following rules.