PTBCX

Principal Tax-Exempt Bond Fund

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Prospectus

    Principal Tax-Exempt Bond Fund

    Highlights

    Attractive tax-free income, singularly focused on mid-quality municipal credit

    • Active management seeks the optimal spot on the yield curve and higher exposure to bonds rated A and BBB, in an effort to maximize yield.
    • Preference for revenue bonds that provide attractive relative yield and less sensitivity to business cycles.
    • Ability to participate in large and small issues, exploiting market and sector dislocations, through credit research.

    Fund details

    as of 01/20/2026 unless indicated otherwise
    Fund ticker
    PTBCX
    CUSIP
    74254V877
    Benchmark
    Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index
    Extended performance inception date
    01/03/1977
    NAV
    $6.73
    Total fund assets
    $503.98M
    Dividend frequency
    Daily
    Minimum investment
    $1,000.00
    Inception date
    03/01/2002
    Morningstar category
    Muni National Intermediate
    Investment approach
    The investment seeks to provide a high level of income that is exempt from federal income tax while protecting investors' capital. The fund invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in tax-exempt bonds (securities issued by or on behalf of state or local governments and other public authorities). It also invests in inverse floating rate obligations (variable rate debt instruments that pay interest at rates that move in the opposite direction of prevailing interest rates), which are generally more volatile than other types of municipal obligations and may involve leverage.

    Performance & expenses

    As of 12/31/2025
    Name 1 month 3 month YTD 1-year 3-year 5-year 10-year Since inception Overall
    Excluding sales charge -0.06% 1.21% 2.95% 2.95% 3.12% -0.45% 1.46% 4.21% —
    Including sales charge -1.06% 0.21% 1.95% 1.95% 3.12% -0.45% 1.46% 4.21% —
    Benchmark performance
    Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index
    		 0.09% 1.56% 4.25% 4.25% 3.88% 0.80% 2.34% — —
    Morningstar category average
    Muni National Intermediate
    		 0.20% 1.48% 4.36% 4.36% 3.94% 0.91% 2.05% — —
    Morningstar percentile rankings — — — 98 91 100 95 — —
    # of funds in category 287 282 274 274 253 232 176 — 253
    Morningstar rating — — — — —
    30-Day SEC yield
    Unsubsidized as of 12/31/2025
    2.57%
    30-Day SEC yield
    Subsidized as of 12/31/2025
    2.57%
    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.

    Holdings

    Top 10

    as of 12/31/2025
    % of Assets
    % of Assets
    1. Massachusetts Development Fina
    2.58%
    2. City of Atlanta GA Airport Pas
    2.09%
    3. California Public Finance Auth
    1.56%
    4. Permanent University Fund - Un
    1.51%
    5. Kentucky Turnpike Authority
    1.49%
    6. State of Illinois
    1.46%
    7. California Housing Finance Age
    1.37%
    8. Maricopa County Industrial Dev
    1.24%
    9. Atlanta Development Authority/
    1.19%
    10. Massachusetts Development Fina
    1.17%
    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

    Average effective maturity
    as of 12/31/2025
    12.09
    # of holdings
    as of 12/31/2025
    206
    Average weighted coupon
    as of 12/31/2025
    4.68%
    Average yield to maturity
    as of 12/31/2025
    4.56%
    Turnover ratio
    as of 10/31/2025
    53.20%
    Weighted avg duration
    as of 12/31/2025
    6.21
    Weighted avg life to worst
    as of 12/31/2025
    7.73
    Yield to worst
    as of 12/31/2025
    4.22%
    May not reflect current holdings or allocations.

    Portfolio management

    James Welch
    38 years of experience

    Literature

    Investment materials

    Portfolio holdings

    Disclosures
    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.
    Fixed‐income investment options are subject to interest rate risk, and their value will decline as interest rates rise.
    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.
    The Index began on May 23, 2016 at a base value of 1,000.00.
    © 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.