BSTZ vs. NIE

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

BSTZ (BlackRock Science and Technology Trust II) is a stock, while NIE (Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund) is Derivative Income fund actively managed by Virtus. Over the past 5 years, BSTZ returned 5.44%/yr vs 10.33%/yr for NIE. A 0.72 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.

Performance

BSTZ vs. NIE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in BlackRock Science and Technology Trust II (BSTZ) and Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund (NIE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BSTZ achieves a 35.52% return, which is significantly higher than NIE's 8.36% return.

BSTZ

• 1D: 1.93%
• 1M: 6.46%
• YTD: 35.52%
• 6M: 37.09%
• 1Y: 68.99%
• 3Y*: 32.24%
• 5Y*: 5.44%
• 10Y*: —

NIE

• 1D: 0.19%
• 1M: -0.30%
• YTD: 8.36%
• 6M: 9.96%
• 1Y: 24.76%
• 3Y*: 19.46%
• 5Y*: 10.33%
• 10Y*: 13.98%

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

BSTZ vs. NIE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
BSTZ BlackRock Science and Technology Trust II	35.52%	25.06%	37.49%	18.72%	-55.34%	12.71%	87.46%	4.20%
NIE Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund	8.36%	12.15%	28.64%	26.71%	-26.73%	18.89%	33.78%	10.09%

Correlation

The correlation between BSTZ and NIE is 0.67, 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	0.67
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.70
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.75
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 27, 2019	0.72

The correlation between BSTZ and NIE has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.67 to 0.75 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

BSTZ vs. NIE — Risk / Return Rank

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

BSTZ

BSTZ Risk / Return Rank: 95
BSTZ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 95
BSTZ Sortino Ratio Rank: 93
BSTZ Omega Ratio Rank: 93
BSTZ Calmar Ratio Rank: 96
BSTZ Martin Ratio Rank: 97

NIE

NIE Risk / Return Rank: 60
NIE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 61
NIE Sortino Ratio Rank: 60
NIE Omega Ratio Rank: 57
NIE Calmar Ratio Rank: 60
NIE Martin Ratio Rank: 64

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.

BSTZ vs. NIE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BlackRock Science and Technology Trust II (BSTZ) and Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund (NIE). 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.

	BSTZ	NIE	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.96	2.12	+0.84
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.57	2.96	+0.61
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.49	1.38	+0.11
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	7.49	2.77	+4.72
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	23.14	11.56	+11.58
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

BSTZ vs. NIE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BSTZ Sharpe Ratio is 2.96, which is higher than the NIE Sharpe Ratio of 2.12. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BSTZ and NIE, 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

	BSTZ	NIE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.96	2.12	+0.84
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.20	0.59	-0.39
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.71	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.51	0.44	+0.08

Drawdowns

BSTZ vs. NIE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BSTZ drawdown since its inception was -60.51%, roughly equal to the maximum NIE drawdown of -57.90%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BSTZ and NIE.

Drawdown Indicators

	BSTZ	NIE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-60.51%	-57.90%	-2.61%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.26%	-8.99%	-0.27%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-25.31%	-20.79%	-4.52%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-60.51%	-31.04%	-29.47%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-38.99%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-6.18%	-2.43%	-3.75%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-27.52%	-8.01%	-19.51%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.99%	2.15%	+0.84%

Volatility

BSTZ vs. NIE - Volatility Comparison

BlackRock Science and Technology Trust II (BSTZ) has a higher volatility of 11.24% compared to Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund (NIE) at 4.12%. This indicates that BSTZ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than NIE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BSTZ	NIE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	11.24%	4.12%	+7.12%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	20.16%	9.43%	+10.73%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	23.51%	11.77%	+11.74%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	27.63%	17.57%	+10.06%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	30.24%	19.78%	+10.46%

Dividends

BSTZ vs. NIE - Dividend Comparison

BSTZ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.52%, less than NIE's 9.55% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BSTZ BlackRock Science and Technology Trust II	8.52%	12.46%	9.75%	10.90%	14.73%	5.14%	3.42%	2.44%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
NIE Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund	9.55%	10.14%	8.11%	9.56%	21.81%	10.86%	5.37%	6.71%	8.20%	7.19%	8.25%	8.46%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BSTZ and NIE in my portfolio?

BSTZ and NIE have a correlation of 0.67, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, BSTZ or NIE?

BSTZ has higher volatility (11.24%) compared to NIE (4.12%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BSTZ dropped -60.51% vs NIE's -57.90%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BSTZ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.96 vs 2.12), 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.