NPFD vs. JQC
NPFD (Nuveen Variable Rate Preferred & Income Fund) and JQC (Nuveen Credit Strategies Income Fund) are both mutual funds - NPFD is a Preferred Stock fund actively managed by Nuveen, while JQC is a Bank Loan fund managed by Nuveen. Over the past 3 years, NPFD returned 14.01%/yr vs 10.59%/yr for JQC. Their 0.32 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship.
Performance
NPFD vs. JQC - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NPFD achieves a 1.07% return, which is significantly lower than JQC's 1.97% return.
NPFD
- 1D
- -0.16%
- 1M
- -2.39%
- 6M
- -1.76%
- YTD
- 1.07%
- 1Y
- 3.44%
- 3Y*
- 14.01%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 1.76%
JQC
- 1D
- -0.21%
- 1M
- -0.42%
- 6M
- -1.83%
- YTD
- 1.97%
- 1Y
- -2.16%
- 3Y*
- 10.59%
- 5Y*
- 4.73%
- 10Y*
- 5.56%
- ALL TIME*
- 4.93%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2.37M | $2.54M | $2.74M | |
| $925.98K | $854.23K | $961.63K |
NPFD vs. JQC - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NPFD Nuveen Variable Rate Preferred & Income Fund | 1.07% | 15.94% | 23.52% | -1.10% | -25.33% | 1.40% |
JQC Nuveen Credit Strategies Income Fund | 1.97% | -0.36% | 22.29% | 15.26% | -14.22% | 2.20% |
Correlation
The correlation between NPFD and JQC is 0.35, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.35 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.31 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 16, 2021 | 0.32 |
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
NPFD vs. JQC — Risk / Return Rank
NPFD
JQC
NPFD vs. JQC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Nuveen Variable Rate Preferred & Income Fund (NPFD) and Nuveen Credit Strategies Income Fund (JQC). 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.
| NPFD | JQC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.56 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.77 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.07 | 0.97 | +0.10 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.32 | -0.25 | +0.57 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.40 | -0.47 | +1.88 |
Loading charts...
Drawdowns
NPFD vs. JQC - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NPFD drawdown since its inception was -39.18%, smaller than the maximum JQC drawdown of -75.18%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NPFD and JQC.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| NPFD | JQC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -39.18% | -75.18% | +36.00% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.88% | -10.15% | +0.27% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -9.88% | -15.37% | +5.49% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -19.83% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -47.99% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.31% | -4.17% | -0.14% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -16.92% | -8.78% | -8.14% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.26% | 5.32% | -3.06% |
Volatility
NPFD vs. JQC - Volatility Comparison
Nuveen Variable Rate Preferred & Income Fund (NPFD) has a higher volatility of 1.66% compared to Nuveen Credit Strategies Income Fund (JQC) at 1.47%. This indicates that NPFD's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than JQC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| NPFD | JQC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.66% | 1.47% | +0.19% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 8.37% | 8.52% | -0.15% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 9.66% | 11.13% | -1.47% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.99% | 13.08% | +1.91% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 14.99% | 17.49% | -2.50% |
Dividends
NPFD vs. JQC - Dividend Comparison
NPFD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.58%, less than JQC's 13.14% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
JQC Nuveen Credit Strategies Income Fund | 13.14% | 12.91% | 11.39% | 11.42% | 9.71% | 10.03% | 16.11% | 16.14% | 6.53% | 7.42% | 6.99% | 7.51% |
NPFD Nuveen Variable Rate Preferred & Income Fund | 10.58% | 10.50% | 9.57% | 6.61% | 8.33% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
NPFD and JQC 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.
NPFD has higher volatility (1.66%) compared to JQC (1.47%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NPFD dropped -39.18% vs JQC's -75.18%.
NPFD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.33 vs -0.23), 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.
Find the right allocation for NPFD and JQC
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer