DSU vs. RA

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

DSU (BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc.) and RA (Brookfield Real Assets Income Fund Inc.) are both mutual funds - DSU is a Bank Loan fund managed by BlackRock, while RA is a Multisector Bonds fund managed by Brookfield. Over the past 5 years, DSU returned 6.96%/yr vs 0.72%/yr for RA. Their 0.39 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. DSU charges 2.47%/yr vs 2.76%/yr for RA.

Performance

DSU vs. RA - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc. (DSU) and Brookfield Real Assets Income Fund Inc. (RA). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, DSU achieves a -0.75% return, which is significantly lower than RA's 5.38% return.

DSU

• 1D: 0.32%
• 1M: -1.99%
• 6M: -1.99%
• YTD: -0.75%
• 1Y: 0.25%
• 3Y*: 9.32%
• 5Y*: 6.96%
• 10Y*: 7.64%
• ALL TIME*: 5.00%

RA

• 1D: 0.31%
• 1M: 0.14%
• 6M: 3.94%
• YTD: 5.38%
• 1Y: 8.00%
• 3Y*: 1.61%
• 5Y*: 0.72%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 6.00%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
DSU BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc.	$3.25M	$3.55M	$3.30M
RA Brookfield Real Assets Income Fund Inc.	$1.63M	$1.68M	$1.92M

DSU vs. RA - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
DSU BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc.	-0.75%	5.97%	11.13%	30.34%	-15.51%	19.36%	1.60%	23.84%	-10.04%	10.68%
RA Brookfield Real Assets Income Fund Inc.	5.38%	8.32%	15.87%	-9.02%	-13.47%	32.35%	-4.17%	24.89%	-9.15%	15.99%

Correlation

The correlation between DSU and RA is 0.31, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.31
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.33
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.39
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 5, 2016	0.39

Return for Risk

DSU vs. RA — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

DSU

DSU Risk / Return Rank: 5
DSU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 5
DSU Sortino Ratio Rank: 5
DSU Omega Ratio Rank: 5
DSU Calmar Ratio Rank: 5
DSU Martin Ratio Rank: 5

RA

RA Risk / Return Rank: 27
RA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 28
RA Sortino Ratio Rank: 28
RA Omega Ratio Rank: 30
RA Calmar Ratio Rank: 25
RA Martin Ratio Rank: 22

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

DSU vs. RA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc. (DSU) and Brookfield Real Assets Income Fund Inc. (RA). 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.

	DSU	RA	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.03	0.95	-0.92
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.11	1.40	-1.30
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.01	1.18	-0.17
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.04	1.17	-1.14
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	0.12	3.15	-3.03

DSU vs. RA - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current DSU Sharpe Ratio is 0.03, which is lower than the RA Sharpe Ratio of 0.95. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of DSU and RA, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

DSU vs. RA - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum DSU drawdown since its inception was -72.03%, which is greater than RA's maximum drawdown of -50.66%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DSU and RA.

Drawdown Indicators

	DSU	RA	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-72.03%	-50.66%	-21.37%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.21%	-6.73%	-0.48%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-14.59%	-28.42%	+13.83%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-24.23%	-30.83%	+6.60%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-45.36%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-3.18%	-1.31%	-1.87%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-11.55%	-7.98%	-3.57%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.11%	2.49%	-0.38%

Volatility

DSU vs. RA - Volatility Comparison

BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc. (DSU) has a higher volatility of 1.99% compared to Brookfield Real Assets Income Fund Inc. (RA) at 1.80%. This indicates that DSU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than RA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	DSU	RA	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.99%	1.80%	+0.19%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	6.46%	6.91%	-0.45%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	8.30%	8.31%	-0.01%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	11.73%	17.53%	-5.80%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.90%	20.50%	-4.60%

DSU vs. RA - Expense Ratio Comparison

DSU has a 2.47% expense ratio, which is lower than RA's 2.76% expense ratio.

Dividends

DSU vs. RA - Dividend Comparison

DSU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 12.58%, more than RA's 11.05% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
DSU BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc.	12.58%	11.64%	11.01%	9.70%	7.56%	6.21%	7.96%	7.43%	8.41%	6.98%	6.60%	8.07%
RA Brookfield Real Assets Income Fund Inc.	11.05%	10.93%	10.63%	16.74%	14.79%	11.31%	13.39%	11.19%	12.52%	10.22%	0.89%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both DSU and RA in my portfolio?

DSU and RA have a correlation of 0.31, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, DSU or RA?

DSU has higher volatility (1.99%) compared to RA (1.80%). In terms of maximum drawdown, DSU dropped -72.03% vs RA's -50.66%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

RA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.95 vs 0.03), 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.