BCAT vs. ECAT

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

BCAT (BlackRock Capital Allocation Trust) is a stock, while ECAT (BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust) is Derivative Income fund managed by BlackRock. Over the past 3 years, BCAT returned 21.60%/yr vs 19.72%/yr for ECAT. A 0.76 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.

Performance

BCAT vs. ECAT - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in BlackRock Capital Allocation Trust (BCAT) and BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust (ECAT). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BCAT achieves a 22.45% return, which is significantly higher than ECAT's 12.58% return.

BCAT

• 1D: -0.25%
• 1M: 6.35%
• YTD: 22.45%
• 6M: 22.72%
• 1Y: 30.79%
• 3Y*: 21.60%
• 5Y*: 8.20%
• 10Y*: —

ECAT

• 1D: 0.13%
• 1M: 8.51%
• YTD: 12.58%
• 6M: 11.54%
• 1Y: 22.91%
• 3Y*: 19.72%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

BCAT vs. ECAT - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
BCAT BlackRock Capital Allocation Trust	22.45%	16.78%	19.37%	19.30%	-22.64%	0.08%
ECAT BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust	12.58%	16.64%	19.96%	32.36%	-21.90%	-6.25%

Correlation

The correlation between BCAT and ECAT is 0.69, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.69
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.74
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 29, 2021	0.76

The correlation between BCAT and ECAT has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.69 to 0.76 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

BCAT vs. ECAT — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

BCAT

BCAT Risk / Return Rank: 92
BCAT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 93
BCAT Sortino Ratio Rank: 94
BCAT Omega Ratio Rank: 92
BCAT Calmar Ratio Rank: 88
BCAT Martin Ratio Rank: 95

ECAT

ECAT Risk / Return Rank: 32
ECAT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 35
ECAT Sortino Ratio Rank: 33
ECAT Omega Ratio Rank: 33
ECAT Calmar Ratio Rank: 28
ECAT Martin Ratio Rank: 33

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

BCAT vs. ECAT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BlackRock Capital Allocation Trust (BCAT) and BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust (ECAT). 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.

	BCAT	ECAT	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.81	1.72	+1.09
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.89	2.43	+1.46
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.50	1.31	+0.19
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.05	2.01	+2.03
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	19.33	7.58	+11.76
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

BCAT vs. ECAT - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BCAT Sharpe Ratio is 2.81, which is higher than the ECAT Sharpe Ratio of 1.72. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BCAT and ECAT, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	BCAT	ECAT	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.81	1.72	+1.09
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.54	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.57	0.56	+0.01

Drawdowns

BCAT vs. ECAT - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BCAT drawdown since its inception was -36.13%, which is greater than ECAT's maximum drawdown of -32.23%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BCAT and ECAT.

Drawdown Indicators

	BCAT	ECAT	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-36.13%	-32.23%	-3.90%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.98%	-11.80%	+3.82%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.69%	-15.79%	+2.10%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-35.03%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.25%	0.00%	-0.25%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-12.81%	-9.12%	-3.69%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.67%	3.14%	-1.47%

Volatility

BCAT vs. ECAT - Volatility Comparison

BlackRock Capital Allocation Trust (BCAT) and BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust (ECAT) have volatilities of 2.89% and 2.90%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BCAT	ECAT	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.89%	2.90%	-0.01%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.48%	10.51%	-2.03%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.07%	13.39%	-2.32%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.21%	16.89%	-1.68%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.91%	16.89%	-0.98%

Dividends

BCAT vs. ECAT - Dividend Comparison

BCAT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 20.05%, less than ECAT's 21.45% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
BCAT BlackRock Capital Allocation Trust	20.05%	23.45%	17.48%	10.08%	9.01%	6.42%	0.48%
ECAT BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust	21.45%	23.00%	17.44%	9.14%	8.94%	0.54%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BCAT and ECAT in my portfolio?

BCAT and ECAT have a correlation of 0.69, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, BCAT or ECAT?

ECAT has higher volatility (2.90%) compared to BCAT (2.89%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BCAT dropped -36.13% vs ECAT's -32.23%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BCAT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.81 vs 1.72), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.