FRA vs. DSU
Compare and contrast key facts about BlackRock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund Inc (FRA) and BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc. (DSU).
FRA is managed by BlackRock. It was launched on Oct 29, 2003. DSU is managed by BlackRock. It was launched on Nov 6, 1998.
Performance
FRA vs. DSU - Performance Comparison
Loading graphics...
FRA vs. DSU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FRA BlackRock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund Inc | -3.38% | -3.75% | 21.56% | 25.46% | -10.59% | 17.81% | -2.38% | 20.82% | -8.27% | 0.76% |
DSU BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc. | -2.96% | 5.97% | 11.13% | 30.34% | -15.51% | 19.36% | 1.60% | 23.84% | -10.04% | 10.68% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FRA achieves a -3.38% return, which is significantly lower than DSU's -2.96% return. Over the past 10 years, FRA has underperformed DSU with an annualized return of 6.61%, while DSU has yielded a comparatively higher 8.10% annualized return.
FRA
- 1D
- 3.86%
- 1M
- -0.13%
- YTD
- -3.38%
- 6M
- -9.61%
- 1Y
- -3.81%
- 3Y*
- 10.06%
- 5Y*
- 6.51%
- 10Y*
- 6.61%
DSU
- 1D
- 1.91%
- 1M
- -2.04%
- YTD
- -2.96%
- 6M
- -4.26%
- 1Y
- 3.08%
- 3Y*
- 12.06%
- 5Y*
- 7.09%
- 10Y*
- 8.10%
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
FRA vs. DSU - Expense Ratio Comparison
FRA has a 2.17% expense ratio, which is lower than DSU's 2.47% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
FRA vs. DSU — Risk / Return Rank
FRA
DSU
FRA vs. DSU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BlackRock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund Inc (FRA) and BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc. (DSU). 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.
| FRA | DSU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.27 | 0.23 | -0.50 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.26 | 0.39 | -0.65 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.96 | 1.07 | -0.11 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.23 | 0.18 | -0.41 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.55 | 1.01 | -1.55 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
Loading graphics...
Sharpe Ratios by Period
| FRA | DSU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.27 | 0.23 | -0.50 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.51 | 0.61 | -0.09 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.43 | 0.51 | -0.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.31 | 0.23 | +0.09 |
Correlation
The correlation between FRA and DSU is 0.38, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.
Dividends
FRA vs. DSU - Dividend Comparison
FRA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 13.49%, more than DSU's 12.35% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FRA BlackRock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund Inc | 13.49% | 12.62% | 10.81% | 10.44% | 6.88% | 5.96% | 7.61% | 6.44% | 6.90% | 5.31% | 5.65% | 6.17% |
DSU BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc. | 12.35% | 11.64% | 11.01% | 9.70% | 7.56% | 6.21% | 7.96% | 7.43% | 8.41% | 6.98% | 6.60% | 8.07% |
Drawdowns
FRA vs. DSU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FRA drawdown since its inception was -51.43%, smaller than the maximum DSU drawdown of -72.03%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FRA and DSU.
Loading graphics...
Drawdown Indicators
| FRA | DSU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -51.43% | -72.03% | +20.60% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -15.47% | -12.55% | -2.92% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.77% | -24.23% | +5.46% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -42.80% | -45.36% | +2.56% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -11.62% | -4.83% | -6.79% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.19% | -11.67% | +4.48% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 6.44% | 2.28% | +4.16% |
Volatility
FRA vs. DSU - Volatility Comparison
BlackRock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund Inc (FRA) has a higher volatility of 5.65% compared to BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc. (DSU) at 4.16%. This indicates that FRA's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than DSU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading graphics...
Volatility by Period
| FRA | DSU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.65% | 4.16% | +1.49% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 8.21% | 6.52% | +1.69% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.30% | 13.36% | +0.94% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 12.78% | 11.74% | +1.04% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 15.49% | 15.90% | -0.41% |