PCAOX
Prospectus
Principal Capital Appreciation Fund
Prospectus
Overview
Performance
As of 12/31/2025
YTD
Returns shown for periods of less than one year are not annualized.
12.92%
1 year
12.92%
3 year
20.92%
5 year
13.42%
10 year
13.93%
Returns represent past performance and do not guarantee future results. Share price, principal value, and return will vary and you may have a gain or loss when shares are sold. Current performance may be lower or higher than quoted.
Overall Morningstar Rating™
As of 12/31/2025
Fund details as of 01/21/2026 unless indicated otherwise
Fund ticker
PCAOX
CUSIP
742553167
Benchmark
Russell 1000® Index
Extended performance inception date
11/24/1986
NAV
$83.01
Total fund assets
Total Fund Assets as of 12/31/2025
$4.77B
Dividend frequency
Annually
Minimum investment
Inception date
03/01/2010
Morningstar category
Large Blend
Investment approach The investment seeks to provide long-term growth of capital. The fund invests primarily in equity securities of companies with any market capitalization, but it has a greater exposure to large market capitalization companies than small or medium market capitalization companies. The managers seek to invest in securities of businesses that they believe are trading at a discount to their private market value (i.e., the value of the business if it was sold), have a competitive advantage, and/or that have barriers to entry in their respective industries.
Performance & expenses
Annual returns Calendar year Distributions Expenses
As of 12/31/2025
As of 12/31/2025
Month end Quarter end
Performance and Expenses Data Table
Name 1 month 3 month YTD 1-year 3-year 5-year 10-year Since inception Overall
Total return -1.08% 1.06% 12.92% 12.92% 20.92% 13.42% 13.93% 12.56%
Benchmark performance
Russell 1000® Index
0.01% 2.41% 17.37% 17.37% 22.74% 13.59% 14.59%
Morningstar category average
Large Blend
0.08% 2.21% 15.54% 15.54% 20.08% 12.67% 13.32%
Morningstar percentile rankings
Morningstar percentile rankings are based on total returns
77 55 43 43
# of funds in category 1,384 1,371 1,314 1,314 1,210 1,122 880 1,210
Morningstar rating
Returns represent past performance and do not guarantee future results. Share price, principal value, and return will vary and you may have a gain or loss when shares are sold. Current performance may be lower or higher than quoted. Returns shown for periods of less than one year are not annualized. Index performance information: no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes. Indices are unmanaged and individuals cannot invest directly in an index.
Performance and Expenses Data Table
Name 1 month 3 month YTD 1-year 3-year 5-year 10-year Since inception Overall
Total return -1.08% 1.06% 12.92% 12.92% 20.92% 13.42% 13.93% 12.56%
Benchmark performance
Russell 1000® Index
0.01% 2.41% 17.37% 17.37% 22.74% 13.59% 14.59%
Morningstar category average
Large Blend
0.08% 2.21% 15.54% 15.54% 20.08% 12.67% 13.32%
Returns represent past performance and do not guarantee future results. Share price, principal value, and return will vary and you may have a gain or loss when shares are sold. Current performance may be lower or higher than quoted. Returns shown for periods of less than one year are not annualized. Index performance information: no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes. Indices are unmanaged and individuals cannot invest directly in an index.
Performance and Expenses Data Table
Data 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021
Total return 12.92% 25.53% 24.73% -16.57% 27.27%
Morningstar category average
Large Blend
15.54% 21.45% 22.32% -16.96%
Returns represent past performance and do not guarantee future results. Share price, principal value, and return will vary and you may have a gain or loss when shares are sold. Current performance may be lower or higher than quoted.
Performance and Expenses Data Table
Date Type Dollar per share
12/29/2025 Income 0.0648
12/18/2025 Long Term Capital Gain 6.9623
12/27/2024 Income 0.2364
12/19/2024 Long Term Capital Gain 3.7934
12/27/2023 Income 0.3745
Expense ratio gross
As of current prospectus date
0.99%
Expense ratio net
As of current prospectus date
0.99%
Expense limit expiration date
Maximum up-front sales charge
Contingent deferred sales charge
In situations where the net and gross fund expense figures are different, the investment manager has contractually agreed to limit the investment option's expense. Differences may also be shown due to the investment manager choosing to pay certain expenses that would normally be payable by the fund. The gross fund expense figure does not reflect any waivers or caps on the mutual fund. Performance shown reflects the application of net expenses of the fund.
Ratings Morningstar ratings as of 12/31/2025
3-year
1,210 funds
5-year
1,122 funds
10-year
880 funds
Overall
1,210 funds
Holdings
Top 10 as of 12/31/2025
% of Assets % of Assets
% of Assets
1 NVIDIA Corp
7.15%
2 Apple Inc
6.21%
3 Microsoft Corp
5.69%
4 Alphabet Inc - A Shares
5.46%
5 Amazon.com Inc
3.96%
6 JPMorgan Chase & Co
3.16%
7 Broadcom Inc
3.02%
8 Visa Inc
2.52%
9 Meta Platforms Inc
2.21%
10 Tesla Inc
1.97%
The holdings listed do not constitute a recommendation to purchase or sell a particular security. Cash and/or derivative positions that are not part of the core investment strategy will not be reflected in the top holdings list.
May not reflect current holdings or allocations.
Portfolio characteristics
Analysis Sector
# of holdings as of 12/31/2025
92
Active share
Measures how much different portfolio weights in securities are from benchmark weights. The higher the active share, the more the portfolio differs from the benchmark.
as of 12/31/2025
50.59%
Turnover ratio
Turnover is calculated semi-annually; reflects most recent available calculation.
as of 10/31/2025
55.80%
Weighted avg mark cap as of 12/31/2025
1,370,551.84
Alpha (3-year)
The difference between an investment's actual returns and its expected performance, given its level of risk (as measured by beta).
as of 12/31/2025
-1.30
Beta (3-year)
An investment's sensitivity to market movements.
as of 12/31/2025
0.99
R-squared (3-year)
Ranges from 0 to 100 and reveals how closely an investment's returns track those of a benchmark index.
as of 12/31/2025
98.26
Sharpe ratio (3-year)
Measures how an investment balances risks and rewards. The higher the Sharpe ratio, the better the investment's historical risk-adjusted performance.
as of 12/31/2025
1.22
Standard deviation (3-year)
Measures how much an investment's returns are likely to fluctuate.
as of 12/31/2025
12.27
Tracking error (3-year)
Also known as “excess risk”, is defined as the standard deviation or volatility of excess returns.
as of 12/31/2025
1.63
May not reflect current holdings or allocations.
May not reflect current holdings or allocations.
Portfolio management
Daniel R. Coleman
47 years of experience
Theodore B. Jayne, CFA
28 years of experience

No information

Literature
Investment materials Fact sheet
Commentary
Prospectus, Annual report, Semi-annual report and Statement of additional information
Portfolio holdings 07/2025
08/2025
09/2025
10/2025
11/2025
12/2025
Principal Funds are distributed by Principal Funds Distributor, Inc. ALPS Distributors, Inc. is the distributor of the Principal ETFs. ALPS Distributors, Inc. and the Principal Funds are not affiliated.
The holdings listed do not constitute a recommendation to purchase or sell a particular security. Cash and/or derivative positions that are not part of the core investment strategy will not be reflected in the top holdings list.
NOT FDIC INSURED - MAY LOSE VALUE - NO BANK GUARANTEE
Morningstar percentile rankings are based on total returns and do not reflect the inclusion of sales charges. If sales charges were reflected, rankings could be lower.
Performance assumes reinvestment of all dividends and capital gains.
Principal Global Investors is the Investment Adviser of all funds included in the Principal Funds, Inc. Principal Funds are managed by Principal Global Investors, its boutique affiliates, and by many leading sub-advisors.
To obtain a prospectus, download prospectus online or call Customer Service at 1-800-222-5852 . Carefully consider a fund’s objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. The prospectus, or summary prospectus if available, contains this and other information. Please read it carefully before investing.
Small- and mid-cap stocks may have additional risks including greater price volatility.
© 2026 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved. The information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers; (2) may not be copied or distributed; and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete, or timely. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
The Morningstar Medalist Rating™ is the summary expression of Morningstar’s forward-looking analysis of investment strategies as offered via specific vehicles using a rating scale of Gold, Silver, Bronze, Neutral, and Negative. The Medalist Ratings indicate which investments Morningstar believes are likely to outperform a relevant index or peer group average on a risk-adjusted basis over time. Investment products are evaluated on three key pillars (People, Parent, and Process) which, when coupled with a fee assessment, forms the basis for Morningstar’s conviction in those products’ investment merits and determines the Medalist Rating they’re assigned. Pillar ratings take the form of Low, Below Average, Average, Above Average, and High. Pillars may be evaluated via an analyst’s qualitative assessment (either directly to a vehicle the analyst covers or indirectly when the pillar ratings of a covered vehicle are mapped to a related uncovered vehicle) or using algorithmic techniques. Vehicles are sorted by their expected performance into rating groups defined by their Morningstar Category and their active or passive status. When analysts directly cover a vehicle, they assign the three pillar ratings based on their qualitative assessment, subject to the oversight of the Analyst Rating Committee, and monitor and reevaluate them at least every 14 months. When the vehicles are covered either indirectly by analysts or by algorithm, the ratings are assigned monthly. For more detailed information about these ratings, including their methodology, please refer to the Morningstar shareholder disclosures .
The Morningstar Medalist Ratings are not statements of fact, nor are they credit or risk ratings. The Morningstar Medalist Rating (i) should not be used as the sole basis in evaluating an investment product, (ii) involves unknown risks and uncertainties which may cause expectations not to occur or to differ significantly from what was expected, (iii) are not guaranteed to be based on complete or accurate assumptions or models when determined algorithmically, (iv) involve the risk that the return target will not be met due to such things as unforeseen changes in management, technology, economic development, interest rate development, operating and/or material costs, competitive pressure, supervisory law, exchange rate, tax rates, exchange rate changes, and/or changes in political and social conditions, and (v) should not be considered an offer or solicitation to buy or sell the investment product. A change in the fundamental factors underlying the Morningstar Medalist Rating can mean that the rating is subsequently no longer accurate.
The Analyst-Driven % data point displays the weighted percentage of a vehicle’s pillar ratings assigned directly or indirectly by analysts.
The Data Coverage % data point is a summary metric describing the level of data completeness used to generate the overall rating.
These calculated returns reflect the historical performance of the oldest share class of the Fund, adjusted to reflect the fees and expenses of the share class shown. Please see the Fund's prospectus for more information on specific expenses and see the Fund's most recent shareholder report for the actual date of first sale. Expenses are deducted from income earned by the Fund. As a result, dividends and investment results will differ for each share class.
Overview
Performance
As of 12/31/2025
YTD
Returns shown for periods of less than one year are not annualized.
12.92%
1 year
12.92%
3 year
20.92%
5 year
13.42%
10 year
13.93%
Returns represent past performance and do not guarantee future results. Share price, principal value, and return will vary and you may have a gain or loss when shares are sold. Current performance may be lower or higher than quoted.
Overall Morningstar Rating™
As of 12/31/2025
Fund details as of 01/21/2026 unless indicated otherwise
Fund ticker
PCAOX
CUSIP
742553167
Benchmark
Russell 1000® Index
Extended performance inception date
11/24/1986
NAV
$83.01
Total fund assets
Total Fund Assets as of 12/31/2025
$4.77B
Dividend frequency
Annually
Minimum investment
Inception date
03/01/2010
Morningstar category
Large Blend
Investment approach The investment seeks to provide long-term growth of capital. The fund invests primarily in equity securities of companies with any market capitalization, but it has a greater exposure to large market capitalization companies than small or medium market capitalization companies. The managers seek to invest in securities of businesses that they believe are trading at a discount to their private market value (i.e., the value of the business if it was sold), have a competitive advantage, and/or that have barriers to entry in their respective industries.
Performance & expenses
Annual returns Calendar year Distributions Expenses
As of 12/31/2025
As of 12/31/2025
Month end Quarter end
Performance and Expenses Data Table
Name 1 month 3 month YTD 1-year 3-year 5-year 10-year Since inception Overall
Total return -1.08% 1.06% 12.92% 12.92% 20.92% 13.42% 13.93% 12.56%
Benchmark performance
Russell 1000® Index
0.01% 2.41% 17.37% 17.37% 22.74% 13.59% 14.59%
Morningstar category average
Large Blend
0.08% 2.21% 15.54% 15.54% 20.08% 12.67% 13.32%
Morningstar percentile rankings
Morningstar percentile rankings are based on total returns
77 55 43 43
# of funds in category 1,384 1,371 1,314 1,314 1,210 1,122 880 1,210
Morningstar rating
Returns represent past performance and do not guarantee future results. Share price, principal value, and return will vary and you may have a gain or loss when shares are sold. Current performance may be lower or higher than quoted. Returns shown for periods of less than one year are not annualized. Index performance information: no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes. Indices are unmanaged and individuals cannot invest directly in an index.
Performance and Expenses Data Table
Name 1 month 3 month YTD 1-year 3-year 5-year 10-year Since inception Overall
Total return -1.08% 1.06% 12.92% 12.92% 20.92% 13.42% 13.93% 12.56%
Benchmark performance
Russell 1000® Index
0.01% 2.41% 17.37% 17.37% 22.74% 13.59% 14.59%
Morningstar category average
Large Blend
0.08% 2.21% 15.54% 15.54% 20.08% 12.67% 13.32%
Returns represent past performance and do not guarantee future results. Share price, principal value, and return will vary and you may have a gain or loss when shares are sold. Current performance may be lower or higher than quoted. Returns shown for periods of less than one year are not annualized. Index performance information: no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes. Indices are unmanaged and individuals cannot invest directly in an index.
Performance and Expenses Data Table
Data 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021
Total return 12.92% 25.53% 24.73% -16.57% 27.27%
Morningstar category average
Large Blend
15.54% 21.45% 22.32% -16.96%
Returns represent past performance and do not guarantee future results. Share price, principal value, and return will vary and you may have a gain or loss when shares are sold. Current performance may be lower or higher than quoted.
Performance and Expenses Data Table
Date Type Dollar per share
12/29/2025 Income 0.0648
12/18/2025 Long Term Capital Gain 6.9623
12/27/2024 Income 0.2364
12/19/2024 Long Term Capital Gain 3.7934
12/27/2023 Income 0.3745
Expense ratio gross
As of current prospectus date
0.99%
Expense ratio net
As of current prospectus date
0.99%
Expense limit expiration date
Maximum up-front sales charge
Contingent deferred sales charge
In situations where the net and gross fund expense figures are different, the investment manager has contractually agreed to limit the investment option's expense. Differences may also be shown due to the investment manager choosing to pay certain expenses that would normally be payable by the fund. The gross fund expense figure does not reflect any waivers or caps on the mutual fund. Performance shown reflects the application of net expenses of the fund.
Ratings
Morningstar ratings as of 12/31/2025
3-year
1,210 funds
5-year
1,122 funds
10-year
880 funds
Overall
1,210 funds
Holdings
Top 10 as of 12/31/2025
% of Assets % of Assets
% of Assets
1 NVIDIA Corp
7.15%
2 Apple Inc
6.21%
3 Microsoft Corp
5.69%
4 Alphabet Inc - A Shares
5.46%
5 Amazon.com Inc
3.96%
6 JPMorgan Chase & Co
3.16%
7 Broadcom Inc
3.02%
8 Visa Inc
2.52%
9 Meta Platforms Inc
2.21%
10 Tesla Inc
1.97%
The holdings listed do not constitute a recommendation to purchase or sell a particular security. Cash and/or derivative positions that are not part of the core investment strategy will not be reflected in the top holdings list.
May not reflect current holdings or allocations.
Portfolio characteristics
Analysis Sector
# of holdings as of 12/31/2025
92
Active share
Measures how much different portfolio weights in securities are from benchmark weights. The higher the active share, the more the portfolio differs from the benchmark.
as of 12/31/2025
50.59%
Turnover ratio
Turnover is calculated semi-annually; reflects most recent available calculation.
as of 10/31/2025
55.80%
Weighted avg mark cap as of 12/31/2025
1,370,551.84
Alpha (3-year)
The difference between an investment's actual returns and its expected performance, given its level of risk (as measured by beta).
as of 12/31/2025
-1.30
Beta (3-year)
An investment's sensitivity to market movements.
as of 12/31/2025
0.99
R-squared (3-year)
Ranges from 0 to 100 and reveals how closely an investment's returns track those of a benchmark index.
as of 12/31/2025
98.26
Sharpe ratio (3-year)
Measures how an investment balances risks and rewards. The higher the Sharpe ratio, the better the investment's historical risk-adjusted performance.
as of 12/31/2025
1.22
Standard deviation (3-year)
Measures how much an investment's returns are likely to fluctuate.
as of 12/31/2025
12.27
Tracking error (3-year)
Also known as “excess risk”, is defined as the standard deviation or volatility of excess returns.
as of 12/31/2025
1.63
May not reflect current holdings or allocations.
May not reflect current holdings or allocations.
Portfolio management
Daniel R. Coleman
47 years of experience
Theodore B. Jayne, CFA
28 years of experience

No information

Literature
Investment materials Fact sheet
Commentary
Prospectus, Annual report, Semi-annual report and Statement of additional information
Portfolio holdings 07/2025
08/2025
09/2025
10/2025
11/2025
12/2025
Principal Funds are distributed by Principal Funds Distributor, Inc. ALPS Distributors, Inc. is the distributor of the Principal ETFs. ALPS Distributors, Inc. and the Principal Funds are not affiliated.
The holdings listed do not constitute a recommendation to purchase or sell a particular security. Cash and/or derivative positions that are not part of the core investment strategy will not be reflected in the top holdings list.
NOT FDIC INSURED - MAY LOSE VALUE - NO BANK GUARANTEE
Morningstar percentile rankings are based on total returns and do not reflect the inclusion of sales charges. If sales charges were reflected, rankings could be lower.
Performance assumes reinvestment of all dividends and capital gains.
Principal Global Investors is the Investment Adviser of all funds included in the Principal Funds, Inc. Principal Funds are managed by Principal Global Investors, its boutique affiliates, and by many leading sub-advisors.
To obtain a prospectus, download prospectus online or call Customer Service at 1-800-222-5852 . Carefully consider a fund’s objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. The prospectus, or summary prospectus if available, contains this and other information. Please read it carefully before investing.
Small- and mid-cap stocks may have additional risks including greater price volatility.
© 2026 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved. The information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers; (2) may not be copied or distributed; and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete, or timely. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
The Morningstar Medalist Rating™ is the summary expression of Morningstar’s forward-looking analysis of investment strategies as offered via specific vehicles using a rating scale of Gold, Silver, Bronze, Neutral, and Negative. The Medalist Ratings indicate which investments Morningstar believes are likely to outperform a relevant index or peer group average on a risk-adjusted basis over time. Investment products are evaluated on three key pillars (People, Parent, and Process) which, when coupled with a fee assessment, forms the basis for Morningstar’s conviction in those products’ investment merits and determines the Medalist Rating they’re assigned. Pillar ratings take the form of Low, Below Average, Average, Above Average, and High. Pillars may be evaluated via an analyst’s qualitative assessment (either directly to a vehicle the analyst covers or indirectly when the pillar ratings of a covered vehicle are mapped to a related uncovered vehicle) or using algorithmic techniques. Vehicles are sorted by their expected performance into rating groups defined by their Morningstar Category and their active or passive status. When analysts directly cover a vehicle, they assign the three pillar ratings based on their qualitative assessment, subject to the oversight of the Analyst Rating Committee, and monitor and reevaluate them at least every 14 months. When the vehicles are covered either indirectly by analysts or by algorithm, the ratings are assigned monthly. For more detailed information about these ratings, including their methodology, please refer to the Morningstar shareholder disclosures .
The Morningstar Medalist Ratings are not statements of fact, nor are they credit or risk ratings. The Morningstar Medalist Rating (i) should not be used as the sole basis in evaluating an investment product, (ii) involves unknown risks and uncertainties which may cause expectations not to occur or to differ significantly from what was expected, (iii) are not guaranteed to be based on complete or accurate assumptions or models when determined algorithmically, (iv) involve the risk that the return target will not be met due to such things as unforeseen changes in management, technology, economic development, interest rate development, operating and/or material costs, competitive pressure, supervisory law, exchange rate, tax rates, exchange rate changes, and/or changes in political and social conditions, and (v) should not be considered an offer or solicitation to buy or sell the investment product. A change in the fundamental factors underlying the Morningstar Medalist Rating can mean that the rating is subsequently no longer accurate.
The Analyst-Driven % data point displays the weighted percentage of a vehicle’s pillar ratings assigned directly or indirectly by analysts.
The Data Coverage % data point is a summary metric describing the level of data completeness used to generate the overall rating.
These calculated returns reflect the historical performance of the oldest share class of the Fund, adjusted to reflect the fees and expenses of the share class shown. Please see the Fund's prospectus for more information on specific expenses and see the Fund's most recent shareholder report for the actual date of first sale. Expenses are deducted from income earned by the Fund. As a result, dividends and investment results will differ for each share class.