NIE vs. BST

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

NIE (Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund) is Derivative Income fund actively managed by Virtus, while BST (BlackRock Science and Technology Trust) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, NIE returned 14.43%/yr vs 20.54%/yr for BST. A 0.69 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.

Performance

NIE vs. BST - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund (NIE) and BlackRock Science and Technology Trust (BST). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NIE achieves a 10.90% return, which is significantly lower than BST's 24.81% return. Over the past 10 years, NIE has underperformed BST with an annualized return of 14.43%, while BST has yielded a comparatively higher 20.54% annualized return.

NIE

• 1D: 0.04%
• 1M: 3.96%
• YTD: 10.90%
• 6M: 12.85%
• 1Y: 28.61%
• 3Y*: 20.97%
• 5Y*: 11.05%
• 10Y*: 14.43%

BST

• 1D: -1.50%
• 1M: 14.60%
• YTD: 24.81%
• 6M: 28.67%
• 1Y: 46.47%
• 3Y*: 23.83%
• 5Y*: 5.46%
• 10Y*: 20.54%

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

NIE vs. BST - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
NIE Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund	10.90%	12.15%	28.64%	26.71%	-26.73%	18.89%	33.78%	31.09%	-5.69%	23.68%
BST BlackRock Science and Technology Trust	24.81%	23.65%	17.96%	30.07%	-38.28%	-0.35%	69.27%	34.57%	8.84%	57.43%

Correlation

The correlation between NIE and BST is 0.75, 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	0.75
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.71
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.77
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.70
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 30, 2014	0.69

The correlation between NIE and BST has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.69 to 0.77 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

NIE vs. BST — Risk / Return Rank

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

NIE

NIE Risk / Return Rank: 70
NIE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 75
NIE Sortino Ratio Rank: 73
NIE Omega Ratio Rank: 66
NIE Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
NIE Martin Ratio Rank: 69

BST

BST Risk / Return Rank: 88
BST Sharpe Ratio Rank: 92
BST Sortino Ratio Rank: 91
BST Omega Ratio Rank: 90
BST Calmar Ratio Rank: 82
BST Martin Ratio Rank: 87

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.

NIE vs. BST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund (NIE) and BlackRock Science and Technology Trust (BST). 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.

	NIE	BST	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.51	2.59	-0.07
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.56	3.47	+0.09
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.45	1.45	0.00
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.20	3.05	+0.15
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	13.43	10.09	+3.34
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

NIE vs. BST - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NIE Sharpe Ratio is 2.51, which is comparable to the BST Sharpe Ratio of 2.59. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NIE and BST, 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

	NIE	BST	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.51	2.59	-0.07
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.63	0.23	+0.40
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.73	0.80	-0.07
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.44	0.66	-0.22

Drawdowns

NIE vs. BST - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NIE drawdown since its inception was -57.90%, which is greater than BST's maximum drawdown of -47.72%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NIE and BST.

Drawdown Indicators

	NIE	BST	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-57.90%	-47.72%	-10.18%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.99%	-15.31%	+6.32%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-20.79%	-23.37%	+2.58%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-31.04%	-47.72%	+16.68%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-38.99%	-47.72%	+8.73%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-1.50%	+1.50%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.01%	-12.98%	+4.97%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.14%	4.62%	-2.48%

Volatility

NIE vs. BST - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund (NIE) is 3.37%, while BlackRock Science and Technology Trust (BST) has a volatility of 6.35%. This indicates that NIE experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BST based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NIE	BST	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.37%	6.35%	-2.98%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.03%	15.24%	-6.21%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.46%	18.07%	-6.61%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.54%	23.61%	-6.07%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.76%	25.75%	-5.99%

Dividends

NIE vs. BST - Dividend Comparison

NIE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 9.33%, more than BST's 8.56% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BST BlackRock Science and Technology Trust	8.56%	10.36%	8.21%	8.91%	10.57%	5.38%	3.85%	10.52%	6.41%	4.80%	6.69%	6.93%
NIE Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund	9.33%	10.14%	8.11%	9.56%	21.81%	10.86%	5.37%	6.71%	8.20%	7.19%	8.25%	8.46%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NIE and BST in my portfolio?

NIE and BST have a correlation of 0.75, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, NIE or BST?

BST has higher volatility (6.35%) compared to NIE (3.37%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NIE dropped -57.90% vs BST's -47.72%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BST currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.59 vs 2.51), 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.