JQC vs. VIG

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

JQC (Nuveen Credit Strategies Income Fund) and VIG (Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF) are both funds - JQC is a Bank Loan fund managed by Nuveen, while VIG is a Dividend fund tracking the S&P U.S. Dividend Growers Index. Over the past 10 years, JQC returned 5.86%/yr vs 13.25%/yr for VIG. At a 0.41 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. JQC charges 4.34%/yr vs 0.04%/yr for VIG.

Performance

JQC vs. VIG - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Nuveen Credit Strategies Income Fund (JQC) and Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, JQC achieves a 1.57% return, which is significantly lower than VIG's 7.77% return. Over the past 10 years, JQC has underperformed VIG with an annualized return of 5.86%, while VIG has yielded a comparatively higher 13.25% annualized return.

JQC

• 1D: 0.21%
• 1M: 1.03%
• YTD: 1.57%
• 6M: 1.46%
• 1Y: 3.75%
• 3Y*: 12.04%
• 5Y*: 4.89%
• 10Y*: 5.86%

VIG

• 1D: 0.76%
• 1M: 3.28%
• YTD: 7.77%
• 6M: 7.94%
• 1Y: 20.63%
• 3Y*: 16.56%
• 5Y*: 10.78%
• 10Y*: 13.25%

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

JQC vs. VIG - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
JQC Nuveen Credit Strategies Income Fund	1.57%	-0.36%	22.29%	15.26%	-14.22%	13.29%	-2.96%	21.78%	-4.33%	-0.27%
VIG Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF	7.77%	14.17%	16.99%	14.51%	-9.80%	23.76%	15.43%	29.62%	-2.08%	22.22%

Correlation

The correlation between JQC and VIG is 0.17, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.17
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.29
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.35
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.34
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 28, 2006	0.41

Over the past year, the correlation between JQC and VIG has dropped to 0.17 - well below their long-term average of 0.41, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

JQC vs. VIG — Risk / Return Rank

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

JQC

JQC Risk / Return Rank: 4
JQC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 4
JQC Sortino Ratio Rank: 4
JQC Omega Ratio Rank: 4
JQC Calmar Ratio Rank: 5
JQC Martin Ratio Rank: 4

VIG

VIG Risk / Return Rank: 60
VIG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 61
VIG Sortino Ratio Rank: 64
VIG Omega Ratio Rank: 60
VIG Calmar Ratio Rank: 53
VIG Martin Ratio Rank: 60

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. VIG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Nuveen Credit Strategies Income Fund (JQC) and Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG). 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.

	JQC	VIG	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.34	2.07	-1.73
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.56	3.01	-2.45
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.07	1.37	-0.30
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.47	2.67	-2.21
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	0.94	10.82	-9.88
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

JQC vs. VIG - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current JQC Sharpe Ratio is 0.34, which is lower than the VIG Sharpe Ratio of 2.07. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of JQC and VIG, 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

	JQC	VIG	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.34	2.07	-1.73
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.37	0.76	-0.39
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.34	0.83	-0.49
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.23	0.60	-0.37

Drawdowns

JQC vs. VIG - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum JQC drawdown since its inception was -75.18%, which is greater than VIG's maximum drawdown of -46.81%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for JQC and VIG.

Drawdown Indicators

	JQC	VIG	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-75.18%	-46.81%	-28.37%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.15%	-7.91%	-2.24%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-15.37%	-14.95%	-0.42%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-19.83%	-20.39%	+0.56%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-47.99%	-31.72%	-16.27%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.55%	0.00%	-4.55%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.82%	-5.52%	-3.30%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.02%	1.96%	+3.06%

Volatility

JQC vs. VIG - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Nuveen Credit Strategies Income Fund (JQC) is 2.16%, while Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG) has a volatility of 2.32%. This indicates that JQC experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VIG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	JQC	VIG	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.16%	2.32%	-0.16%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.76%	7.64%	+1.12%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.11%	10.01%	+1.10%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.17%	14.23%	-1.06%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.56%	16.05%	+1.51%

JQC vs. VIG - Expense Ratio Comparison

JQC has a 4.34% expense ratio, which is higher than VIG's 0.04% expense ratio.

Dividends

JQC vs. VIG - Dividend Comparison

JQC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 13.11%, more than VIG's 1.46% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
JQC Nuveen Credit Strategies Income Fund	13.11%	12.91%	11.39%	11.42%	9.71%	10.03%	16.11%	16.14%	6.53%	7.42%	6.99%	7.51%
VIG Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF	1.46%	1.62%	1.73%	1.88%	1.96%	1.55%	1.63%	1.71%	2.08%	1.88%	2.14%	2.34%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both JQC and VIG in my portfolio?

JQC and VIG have a correlation of 0.17, 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 VIG?

VIG has higher volatility (2.32%) compared to JQC (2.16%). In terms of maximum drawdown, JQC dropped -75.18% vs VIG's -46.81%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VIG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.07 vs 0.34), 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.