BALQ vs. SPY
BALQ (iShares Nasdaq Premium Income Active ETF) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - BALQ is a Nasdaq-100 fund actively managed by iShares, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. BALQ is actively managed, while SPY is passively managed. Their correlation of 0.93 suggests significant overlap in exposure. BALQ charges 0.35%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.
Performance
BALQ vs. SPY - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BALQ achieves a 16.08% return, which is significantly higher than SPY's 8.83% return.
BALQ
- 1D
- -2.02%
- 1M
- -2.11%
- 6M
- 14.16%
- YTD
- 16.08%
- 1Y
- —
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- —
SPY
- 1D
- -1.23%
- 1M
- 0.63%
- 6M
- 7.71%
- YTD
- 8.83%
- 1Y
- 17.68%
- 3Y*
- 19.04%
- 5Y*
- 12.42%
- 10Y*
- 14.87%
- ALL TIME*
- 10.76%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $177.17K | $190.61K | $149.98K | |
| $33.29B | $36.36B | $38.53B |
BALQ vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
BALQ iShares Nasdaq Premium Income Active ETF | 16.08% | 0.04% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 8.83% | 0.35% |
Correlation
The correlation between BALQ and SPY is 0.93, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 3, 2025 | 0.93 |
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Return for Risk
BALQ vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank
BALQ
Risk / return metrics aren't available yet — we need at least 12 months of trading data to calculate them.
SPY
BALQ vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Nasdaq Premium Income Active ETF (BALQ) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| BALQ | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | — | — | |
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | — | — | |
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | — | 1.25 | — |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | — | 2.00 | — |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | — | 8.63 | — |
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Drawdowns
BALQ vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BALQ drawdown since its inception was -11.79%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BALQ and SPY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BALQ | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -11.79% | -55.19% | +43.40% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | — | -8.88% | — |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | — | -18.76% | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -24.50% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -33.72% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -5.74% | -2.57% | -3.17% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.54% | -9.02% | +6.48% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | — | 2.05% | — |
Volatility
BALQ vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison
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Volatility by Period
| BALQ | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | — | 3.28% | — |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | — | 9.89% | — |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.92% | 12.71% | +8.21% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.92% | 17.16% | +3.76% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.92% | 17.93% | +2.99% |
BALQ vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison
BALQ has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.
Dividends
BALQ vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison
BALQ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.19%, more than SPY's 1.02% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BALQ iShares Nasdaq Premium Income Active ETF | 6.19% | 0.95% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 1.02% | 1.07% | 1.21% | 1.40% | 1.65% | 1.20% | 1.52% | 1.75% | 2.04% | 1.80% | 2.03% | 2.06% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.93, BALQ and SPY move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
On fees, SPY is cheaper at 0.09% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
SPY is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.35% for BALQ.
BALQ has the higher dividend yield at 6.19%, compared with 1.02% for SPY.
BALQ is categorized as Nasdaq-100, while SPY is S&P 500. They also come from different issuers: iShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.35% for BALQ and 0.09% for SPY.
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