FKIQX vs. NWQIX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

FKIQX (Franklin Income Fund Class A) and NWQIX (Nuveen Flexible Income Fund) are both Diversified Portfolio funds. Over the past 5 years, FKIQX returned 6.10%/yr vs 4.54%/yr for NWQIX. A 0.62 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. FKIQX charges 0.71%/yr vs 0.70%/yr for NWQIX.

Performance

FKIQX vs. NWQIX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Franklin Income Fund Class A (FKIQX) and Nuveen Flexible Income Fund (NWQIX). 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 FKIQX having a 5.13% return and NWQIX slightly higher at 5.19%.

FKIQX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.83%
• YTD: 5.13%
• 6M: 5.55%
• 1Y: 14.25%
• 3Y*: 9.89%
• 5Y*: 6.10%
• 10Y*: —

NWQIX

• 1D: 0.15%
• 1M: 1.57%
• YTD: 5.19%
• 6M: 6.53%
• 1Y: 15.18%
• 3Y*: 10.84%
• 5Y*: 4.54%
• 10Y*: 5.68%

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

FKIQX vs. NWQIX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
FKIQX Franklin Income Fund Class A	5.13%	11.66%	7.04%	8.57%	-5.59%	17.58%	3.46%	15.69%	-6.59%
NWQIX Nuveen Flexible Income Fund	5.19%	12.22%	6.03%	11.61%	-13.64%	4.94%	5.54%	18.57%	-5.17%

Correlation

The correlation between FKIQX and NWQIX is 0.55, 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	0.55
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.67
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.70
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 11, 2018	0.62

The correlation between FKIQX and NWQIX shifts across timeframes, from 0.55 (1 year) to 0.70 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

FKIQX vs. NWQIX — Risk / Return Rank

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

FKIQX

FKIQX Risk / Return Rank: 92
FKIQX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 90
FKIQX Sortino Ratio Rank: 93
FKIQX Omega Ratio Rank: 93
FKIQX Calmar Ratio Rank: 91
FKIQX Martin Ratio Rank: 92

NWQIX

NWQIX Risk / Return Rank: 97
NWQIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 98
NWQIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 98
NWQIX Omega Ratio Rank: 97
NWQIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 93
NWQIX Martin Ratio Rank: 97

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.

FKIQX vs. NWQIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Franklin Income Fund Class A (FKIQX) and Nuveen Flexible Income Fund (NWQIX). 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.

	FKIQX	NWQIX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	3.01	4.06	-1.05
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	4.70	6.50	-1.80
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.71	1.93	-0.22
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.84	5.31	-0.47
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	18.95	25.30	-6.36
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

FKIQX vs. NWQIX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FKIQX Sharpe Ratio is 3.01, which is comparable to the NWQIX Sharpe Ratio of 4.06. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FKIQX and NWQIX, 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

	FKIQX	NWQIX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.01	4.06	-1.05
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.78	0.80	-0.02
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.90	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.70	0.77	-0.07

Drawdowns

FKIQX vs. NWQIX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FKIQX drawdown since its inception was -25.31%, which is greater than NWQIX's maximum drawdown of -23.89%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FKIQX and NWQIX.

Drawdown Indicators

	FKIQX	NWQIX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-25.31%	-23.89%	-1.42%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-3.06%	-2.94%	-0.12%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-7.47%	-4.59%	-2.88%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-13.70%	-17.75%	+4.05%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-23.89%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.90%	-3.01%	+0.11%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.78%	0.61%	+0.17%

Volatility

FKIQX vs. NWQIX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Franklin Income Fund Class A (FKIQX) is 1.06%, while Nuveen Flexible Income Fund (NWQIX) has a volatility of 1.22%. This indicates that FKIQX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than NWQIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FKIQX	NWQIX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.06%	1.22%	-0.16%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	3.60%	3.06%	+0.54%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.92%	3.85%	+1.07%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	7.87%	5.68%	+2.19%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	10.12%	6.33%	+3.79%

FKIQX vs. NWQIX - Expense Ratio Comparison

FKIQX has a 0.71% expense ratio, which is higher than NWQIX's 0.70% expense ratio.

Dividends

FKIQX vs. NWQIX - Dividend Comparison

FKIQX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.45%, less than NWQIX's 5.93% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
FKIQX Franklin Income Fund Class A	5.45%	5.08%	5.52%	5.45%	5.35%	6.40%	5.14%	5.03%	1.38%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
NWQIX Nuveen Flexible Income Fund	5.93%	6.52%	5.20%	7.84%	7.02%	4.39%	4.82%	5.71%	6.23%	5.67%	5.52%	5.70%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both FKIQX and NWQIX in my portfolio?

FKIQX and NWQIX have a correlation of 0.55, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, FKIQX or NWQIX?

NWQIX has higher volatility (1.22%) compared to FKIQX (1.06%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FKIQX dropped -25.31% vs NWQIX's -23.89%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

NWQIX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (4.06 vs 3.01), 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.