BL vs. NNI
BL (BlackLine, Inc.) and NNI (Nelnet, Inc.) are both stocks. BL operates in Software - Infrastructure (Technology), while NNI operates in Credit Services (Financial Services). Over the past 5 years, BL returned -22.23%/yr vs 14.29%/yr for NNI. Their 0.26 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship.
Performance
BL vs. NNI - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BL achieves a -40.71% return, which is significantly lower than NNI's 4.50% return.
BL
- 1D
- 4.39%
- 1M
- 9.71%
- 6M
- -30.28%
- YTD
- -40.71%
- 1Y
- -38.07%
- 3Y*
- -15.31%
- 5Y*
- -22.23%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 3.02%
NNI
- 1D
- 1.75%
- 1M
- 2.21%
- 6M
- 3.98%
- YTD
- 4.50%
- 1Y
- 13.44%
- 3Y*
- 12.82%
- 5Y*
- 14.29%
- 10Y*
- 15.97%
- ALL TIME*
- 9.87%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $29.45M | $27.09M | $36.72M | |
NNI Nelnet, Inc. | $12.11M | $12.53M | $17.24M |
BL vs. NNI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BL BlackLine, Inc. | -40.71% | -9.00% | -2.69% | -7.18% | -35.03% | -22.37% | 158.69% | 25.91% | 24.85% | 18.71% |
NNI Nelnet, Inc. | 4.50% | 25.71% | 22.41% | -1.64% | -6.04% | 38.71% | 24.01% | 12.66% | -3.32% | 9.27% |
Correlation
The correlation between BL and NNI is 0.30, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.30 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.34 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.34 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 28, 2016 | 0.26 |
Fundamentals
BL:
$1.92B
NNI:
$4.97B
BL:
$0.39
NNI:
$11.51
BL:
84.43
NNI:
12.02
BL:
1.49
NNI:
0.29
BL:
3.13
NNI:
2.75
BL:
7.48
NNI:
1.34
BL:
$716.65M
NNI:
$1.82B
BL:
$539.92M
NNI:
$1.27B
BL:
$87.84M
NNI:
$762.79M
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
BL vs. NNI — Risk / Return Rank
BL
NNI
BL vs. NNI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BlackLine, Inc. (BL) and Nelnet, Inc. (NNI). 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.
| BL | NNI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.33 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.82 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.88 | 1.13 | -0.24 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.67 | 0.88 | -1.55 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.18 | 2.21 | -3.39 |
Loading charts...
Drawdowns
BL vs. NNI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BL drawdown since its inception was -83.22%, smaller than the maximum NNI drawdown of -89.95%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BL and NNI.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| BL | NNI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -83.22% | -89.95% | +6.73% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -57.11% | -15.27% | -41.84% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -63.25% | -18.52% | -44.73% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -80.80% | -25.06% | -55.74% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -44.04% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -78.20% | -3.90% | -74.30% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -35.80% | -22.12% | -13.68% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 32.36% | 6.10% | +26.26% |
Volatility
BL vs. NNI - Volatility Comparison
BlackLine, Inc. (BL) has a higher volatility of 15.02% compared to Nelnet, Inc. (NNI) at 5.34%. This indicates that BL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than NNI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| BL | NNI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 15.02% | 5.34% | +9.68% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 43.40% | 19.30% | +24.10% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 49.55% | 24.16% | +25.39% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 45.40% | 22.54% | +22.86% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 44.93% | 26.93% | +18.00% |
Dividends
BL vs. NNI - Dividend Comparison
BL has not paid dividends to shareholders, while NNI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.93%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BL BlackLine, Inc. | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
NNI Nelnet, Inc. | 0.93% | 0.90% | 1.05% | 1.20% | 1.08% | 0.92% | 1.15% | 1.27% | 1.26% | 1.06% | 0.99% | 1.25% |
Financials
BL vs. NNI - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between BlackLine, Inc. and Nelnet, Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
BL vs. NNI - Profitability Comparison
BL - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, BlackLine, Inc. reported a gross profit of 139.15M and revenue of 183.16M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 76.0%.
NNI - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Nelnet, Inc. reported a gross profit of 0.00 and revenue of 211.23M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 0.0%.
BL - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, BlackLine, Inc. reported an operating income of 6.24M and revenue of 183.16M, resulting in an operating margin of 3.4%.
NNI - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Nelnet, Inc. reported an operating income of 0.00 and revenue of 211.23M, resulting in an operating margin of 0.0%.
BL - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, BlackLine, Inc. reported a net income of 8.13M and revenue of 183.16M, resulting in a net margin of 4.4%.
NNI - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Nelnet, Inc. reported a net income of 71.13M and revenue of 211.23M, resulting in a net margin of 33.7%.
Frequently Asked Questions
BL and NNI have a correlation of 0.30, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
BL has higher volatility (15.02%) compared to NNI (5.34%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BL dropped -83.22% vs NNI's -89.95%.
NNI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.56 vs -0.77), 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.
Find the right allocation for BL and NNI
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer