JQC vs. ECAT

Last updated Jul 11, 2026

JQC (Nuveen Credit Strategies Income Fund) and ECAT (BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust) are both mutual funds - JQC is a Bank Loan fund managed by Nuveen, while ECAT is a Tactical Allocation fund managed by BlackRock. Over the past 3 years, JQC returned 10.72%/yr vs 20.17%/yr for ECAT. At a 0.41 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. JQC charges 4.34%/yr vs 1.43%/yr for ECAT.

Performance

JQC vs. ECAT - Performance Comparison

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

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, JQC achieves a 1.98% return, which is significantly lower than ECAT's 14.88% return.

JQC

• 1D: -0.21%
• 1M: 0.62%
• 6M: 0.58%
• YTD: 1.98%
• 1Y: -0.64%
• 3Y*: 10.72%
• 5Y*: 4.48%
• 10Y*: 5.74%

ECAT

• 1D: 0.57%
• 1M: 3.82%
• 6M: 12.19%
• YTD: 14.88%
• 1Y: 19.84%
• 3Y*: 20.17%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

JQC vs. ECAT - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
JQC Nuveen Credit Strategies Income Fund	1.98%	-0.36%	22.29%	15.26%	-14.22%	2.75%
ECAT BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust	14.88%	16.64%	19.96%	32.36%	-21.90%	-6.25%

Correlation

The correlation between JQC and ECAT is 0.35, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.35
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.35
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 28, 2021	0.41

Return for Risk

JQC vs. ECAT — Risk / Return Rank

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

JQC

JQC Risk / Return Rank: 3
JQC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 3
JQC Sortino Ratio Rank: 3
JQC Omega Ratio Rank: 3
JQC Calmar Ratio Rank: 3
JQC Martin Ratio Rank: 3

ECAT

ECAT Risk / Return Rank: 38
ECAT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 42
ECAT Sortino Ratio Rank: 41
ECAT Omega Ratio Rank: 39
ECAT Calmar Ratio Rank: 32
ECAT Martin Ratio Rank: 36

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.

JQC vs. ECAT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

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

	JQC	ECAT	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.04	1.42	-1.46
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.02	2.05	-2.03
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.00	1.25	-0.25
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.05	1.67	-1.72
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.09	6.20	-6.29

JQC vs. ECAT - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current JQC Sharpe Ratio is -0.04, which is lower than the ECAT Sharpe Ratio of 1.42. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of JQC and ECAT, 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

JQC vs. ECAT - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum JQC drawdown since its inception was -75.18%, which is greater than ECAT's maximum drawdown of -32.23%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for JQC and ECAT.

Drawdown Indicators

	JQC	ECAT	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-75.18%	-32.23%	-42.95%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.15%	-11.80%	+1.65%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-15.37%	-15.79%	+0.42%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-19.83%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-47.99%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.16%	0.00%	-4.16%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.80%	-8.94%	+0.14%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.22%	3.17%	+2.05%

Volatility

JQC vs. ECAT - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Nuveen Credit Strategies Income Fund (JQC) is 1.92%, while BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust (ECAT) has a volatility of 4.19%. This indicates that JQC experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ECAT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	JQC	ECAT	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.92%	4.19%	-2.27%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.71%	10.97%	-2.26%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.17%	13.88%	-2.71%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.13%	16.85%	-3.72%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.51%	16.85%	+0.66%

JQC vs. ECAT - Expense Ratio Comparison

JQC has a 4.34% expense ratio, which is higher than ECAT's 1.43% expense ratio.

Dividends

JQC vs. ECAT - Dividend Comparison

JQC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 13.10%, less than ECAT's 21.25% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ECAT BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust	21.25%	23.00%	17.44%	9.14%	8.94%	0.54%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
JQC Nuveen Credit Strategies Income Fund	13.10%	12.91%	11.39%	11.42%	9.71%	10.03%	16.11%	16.14%	6.53%	7.42%	6.99%	7.51%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both JQC and ECAT in my portfolio?

JQC and ECAT have a correlation of 0.35, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, JQC or ECAT?

ECAT has higher volatility (4.19%) compared to JQC (1.92%). In terms of maximum drawdown, JQC dropped -75.18% vs ECAT's -32.23%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

ECAT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.42 vs -0.04), 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.