ECAT vs. NMAI

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

ECAT (BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust) and NMAI (Nuveen Multi-Asset Income Fund) are both mutual funds - ECAT is a Derivative Income fund managed by BlackRock, while NMAI is a Global Allocation fund actively managed by Nuveen. Over the past 3 years, ECAT returned 19.60%/yr vs 20.14%/yr for NMAI. A 0.66 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. ECAT charges 1.38%/yr vs 2.91%/yr for NMAI.

Performance

ECAT vs. NMAI - Performance Comparison

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

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with ECAT having a 11.44% return and NMAI slightly higher at 11.50%.

ECAT

• 1D: 0.19%
• 1M: 6.55%
• YTD: 11.44%
• 6M: 9.71%
• 1Y: 20.46%
• 3Y*: 19.60%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

NMAI

• 1D: -0.21%
• 1M: 1.62%
• YTD: 11.50%
• 6M: 10.30%
• 1Y: 23.63%
• 3Y*: 20.14%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

ECAT vs. NMAI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
ECAT BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust	11.44%	16.64%	19.96%	32.36%	-21.90%	-3.35%
NMAI Nuveen Multi-Asset Income Fund	11.50%	20.03%	11.65%	19.52%	-26.38%	-1.71%

Correlation

The correlation between ECAT and NMAI is 0.60, 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	0.60
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.59
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 23, 2021	0.66

The correlation between ECAT and NMAI has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.59 to 0.66 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

ECAT vs. NMAI — Risk / Return Rank

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

ECAT

ECAT Risk / Return Rank: 26
ECAT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 28
ECAT Sortino Ratio Rank: 27
ECAT Omega Ratio Rank: 27
ECAT Calmar Ratio Rank: 22
ECAT Martin Ratio Rank: 28

NMAI

NMAI Risk / Return Rank: 39
NMAI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 43
NMAI Sortino Ratio Rank: 38
NMAI Omega Ratio Rank: 44
NMAI Calmar Ratio Rank: 29
NMAI Martin Ratio Rank: 41

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.

ECAT vs. NMAI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust (ECAT) and Nuveen Multi-Asset Income Fund (NMAI). 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.

	ECAT	NMAI	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.53	1.88	-0.35
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.18	2.54	-0.36
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.27	1.35	-0.08
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.74	2.00	-0.26
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	6.53	8.61	-2.07
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ECAT vs. NMAI - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ECAT Sharpe Ratio is 1.53, which is comparable to the NMAI Sharpe Ratio of 1.88. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ECAT and NMAI, 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

	ECAT	NMAI	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.53	1.88	-0.35
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.55	0.35	+0.20

Drawdowns

ECAT vs. NMAI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ECAT drawdown since its inception was -32.23%, smaller than the maximum NMAI drawdown of -35.61%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ECAT and NMAI.

Drawdown Indicators

	ECAT	NMAI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-32.23%	-35.61%	+3.38%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.80%	-11.88%	+0.08%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-15.79%	-13.05%	-2.74%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.01%	-2.04%	+1.03%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.11%	-12.55%	+3.44%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.14%	2.75%	+0.39%

Volatility

ECAT vs. NMAI - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust (ECAT) is 3.31%, while Nuveen Multi-Asset Income Fund (NMAI) has a volatility of 3.98%. This indicates that ECAT experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than NMAI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ECAT	NMAI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.31%	3.98%	-0.67%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.50%	10.69%	-0.19%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	13.43%	12.63%	+0.80%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.89%	16.58%	+0.31%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.89%	16.58%	+0.31%

ECAT vs. NMAI - Expense Ratio Comparison

ECAT has a 1.38% expense ratio, which is lower than NMAI's 2.91% expense ratio.

Dividends

ECAT vs. NMAI - Dividend Comparison

ECAT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 21.67%, more than NMAI's 10.42% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
ECAT BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust	21.67%	23.00%	17.44%	9.14%	8.94%	0.54%
NMAI Nuveen Multi-Asset Income Fund	10.42%	9.89%	13.73%	10.57%	19.45%	1.88%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ECAT and NMAI in my portfolio?

ECAT and NMAI have a correlation of 0.60, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ECAT or NMAI?

NMAI has higher volatility (3.98%) compared to ECAT (3.31%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ECAT dropped -32.23% vs NMAI's -35.61%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

NMAI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.88 vs 1.53), 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.