PHDG offers decidedly different exposure to US large-caps, although S&P 500 stocks play a starring role in its portfolio. The fund aims to stave off the impact of huge market downturns by holding a security that often spikes up when the S&P plummets: VIX futures. The challenge is that maintaining VIX futures exposure over time is expensive. Still, if the market tanks, PHDG will likely outperform while lagging when markets behave more normally. The bottom line: expect a very different pattern of returns for PHDG versus plain-vanilla funds in the same segment.