IDU vs. BRLN
IDU (iShares U.S. Utilities ETF) and BRLN (BlackRock Floating Rate Loan ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IDU is a Utilities Equities fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Utilities Index, while BRLN is a Bank Loan fund actively managed by BlackRock. IDU is passively managed, while BRLN is actively managed. Over the past 3 years, IDU returned 13.84%/yr vs 7.50%/yr for BRLN. At a 0.04 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IDU charges 0.42%/yr vs 0.55%/yr for BRLN.
Performance
IDU vs. BRLN - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IDU achieves a 3.25% return, which is significantly higher than BRLN's 1.44% return.
IDU
- 1D
- 0.60%
- 1M
- -4.84%
- YTD
- 3.25%
- 6M
- 1.90%
- 1Y
- 9.25%
- 3Y*
- 13.84%
- 5Y*
- 9.17%
- 10Y*
- 8.80%
BRLN
- 1D
- 0.09%
- 1M
- 0.87%
- YTD
- 1.44%
- 6M
- 2.08%
- 1Y
- 5.39%
- 3Y*
- 7.50%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
IDU vs. BRLN - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IDU iShares U.S. Utilities ETF | 3.25% | 15.23% | 23.23% | -5.02% | 7.97% |
BRLN BlackRock Floating Rate Loan ETF | 1.44% | 5.38% | 7.49% | 13.42% | 2.13% |
Correlation
The correlation between IDU and BRLN is -0.13, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.13 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.06 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 7, 2022 | 0.04 |
The correlation between IDU and BRLN shifts across timeframes, from -0.13 (1 year) to 0.06 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
IDU vs. BRLN — Risk / Return Rank
IDU
BRLN
IDU vs. BRLN - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Utilities ETF (IDU) and BlackRock Floating Rate Loan ETF (BRLN). 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.
| IDU | BRLN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.10 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.75 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.12 | 1.34 | -0.22 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.01 | 2.70 | -1.69 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.38 | 10.51 | -8.13 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| IDU | BRLN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.68 | 1.77 | -1.10 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.56 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.47 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.42 | 2.19 | -1.77 |
Drawdowns
IDU vs. BRLN - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IDU drawdown since its inception was -53.88%, which is greater than BRLN's maximum drawdown of -3.85%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IDU and BRLN.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IDU | BRLN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -53.88% | -3.85% | -50.03% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.15% | -2.00% | -7.15% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -16.74% | -3.85% | -12.89% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.11% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -36.18% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.30% | -0.12% | -7.18% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.38% | -0.31% | -11.07% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.89% | 0.51% | +3.38% |
Volatility
IDU vs. BRLN - Volatility Comparison
iShares U.S. Utilities ETF (IDU) has a higher volatility of 5.11% compared to BlackRock Floating Rate Loan ETF (BRLN) at 0.80%. This indicates that IDU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BRLN based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IDU | BRLN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.11% | 0.80% | +4.31% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.94% | 2.24% | +8.70% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 13.80% | 3.06% | +10.74% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.49% | 3.73% | +12.76% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.72% | 3.73% | +14.99% |
IDU vs. BRLN - Expense Ratio Comparison
IDU has a 0.42% expense ratio, which is lower than BRLN's 0.55% expense ratio.
Dividends
IDU vs. BRLN - Dividend Comparison
IDU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.23%, less than BRLN's 6.35% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BRLN BlackRock Floating Rate Loan ETF | 6.35% | 6.50% | 7.87% | 9.06% | 1.48% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
IDU iShares U.S. Utilities ETF | 2.23% | 2.23% | 2.29% | 2.79% | 2.39% | 2.39% | 2.94% | 2.71% | 2.80% | 2.62% | 3.18% | 4.22% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IDU and BRLN have a correlation of -0.13, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IDU has higher volatility (5.11%) compared to BRLN (0.80%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IDU dropped -53.88% vs BRLN's -3.85%.
On 3-year performance, IDU leads with 13.84% vs 7.50% for BRLN. On fees, IDU is cheaper at 0.42% per year. On volatility, BRLN has been the lower-risk option at 0.80%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, IDU has performed better with a 13.84% return vs 7.50%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IDU is cheaper with a 0.42% expense ratio, compared with 0.55% for BRLN.
BRLN has the higher dividend yield at 6.35%, compared with 2.23% for IDU.
IDU is categorized as Utilities Equities, while BRLN is Bank Loan. They also come from different issuers: iShares and BlackRock. Their fees differ too: 0.42% for IDU and 0.55% for BRLN.
BRLN currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.77 vs 0.68), 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.
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