TAIFX vs. NWQIX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

TAIFX (American Funds Tax-Aware Conservative Growth & Income Portfolio F1) and NWQIX (Nuveen Flexible Income Fund) are both Diversified Portfolio funds. Over the past 10 years, TAIFX returned 7.83%/yr vs 5.68%/yr for NWQIX. A 0.66 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. Both charge a 0.70% expense ratio.

Performance

TAIFX vs. NWQIX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in American Funds Tax-Aware Conservative Growth & Income Portfolio F1 (TAIFX) and Nuveen Flexible Income Fund (NWQIX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, TAIFX achieves a 6.51% return, which is significantly higher than NWQIX's 5.19% return. Over the past 10 years, TAIFX has outperformed NWQIX with an annualized return of 7.83%, while NWQIX has yielded a comparatively lower 5.68% annualized return.

TAIFX

• 1D: 0.34%
• 1M: 2.81%
• YTD: 6.51%
• 6M: 7.11%
• 1Y: 16.87%
• 3Y*: 12.77%
• 5Y*: 6.90%
• 10Y*: 7.83%

NWQIX

• 1D: 0.15%
• 1M: 1.57%
• YTD: 5.19%
• 6M: 6.53%
• 1Y: 15.18%
• 3Y*: 10.84%
• 5Y*: 4.54%
• 10Y*: 5.68%

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

TAIFX vs. NWQIX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
TAIFX American Funds Tax-Aware Conservative Growth & Income Portfolio F1	6.51%	13.74%	9.96%	11.78%	-10.23%	12.35%	7.41%	15.90%	-2.19%	14.21%
NWQIX Nuveen Flexible Income Fund	5.19%	12.22%	6.03%	11.61%	-13.64%	4.94%	5.54%	18.57%	-4.07%	9.18%

Correlation

The correlation between TAIFX and NWQIX is 0.76, 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	0.76
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.71
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.73
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.67
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 22, 2012	0.66

The correlation between TAIFX and NWQIX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.66 to 0.76 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

TAIFX vs. NWQIX — Risk / Return Rank

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

TAIFX

TAIFX Risk / Return Rank: 75
TAIFX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 84
TAIFX Sortino Ratio Rank: 82
TAIFX Omega Ratio Rank: 82
TAIFX Calmar Ratio Rank: 58
TAIFX Martin Ratio Rank: 70

NWQIX

NWQIX Risk / Return Rank: 97
NWQIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 98
NWQIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 98
NWQIX Omega Ratio Rank: 97
NWQIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 93
NWQIX Martin Ratio Rank: 97

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.

TAIFX vs. NWQIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds Tax-Aware Conservative Growth & Income Portfolio F1 (TAIFX) and Nuveen Flexible Income Fund (NWQIX). 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.

	TAIFX	NWQIX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.72	4.06	-1.33
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.90	6.50	-2.61
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.55	1.93	-0.38
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.95	5.31	-2.36
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	13.44	25.30	-11.86
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

TAIFX vs. NWQIX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current TAIFX Sharpe Ratio is 2.72, which is lower than the NWQIX Sharpe Ratio of 4.06. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of TAIFX and NWQIX, 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

	TAIFX	NWQIX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.72	4.06	-1.33
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.91	0.80	+0.11
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.96	0.90	+0.06
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.06	0.77	+0.29

Drawdowns

TAIFX vs. NWQIX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum TAIFX drawdown since its inception was -21.43%, smaller than the maximum NWQIX drawdown of -23.89%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for TAIFX and NWQIX.

Drawdown Indicators

	TAIFX	NWQIX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-21.43%	-23.89%	+2.46%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-5.85%	-2.94%	-2.91%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-8.35%	-4.59%	-3.76%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-16.79%	-17.75%	+0.96%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-21.43%	-23.89%	+2.46%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.20%	-3.01%	+0.81%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.28%	0.61%	+0.67%

Volatility

TAIFX vs. NWQIX - Volatility Comparison

American Funds Tax-Aware Conservative Growth & Income Portfolio F1 (TAIFX) has a higher volatility of 1.96% compared to Nuveen Flexible Income Fund (NWQIX) at 1.22%. This indicates that TAIFX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than NWQIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	TAIFX	NWQIX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.96%	1.22%	+0.74%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	5.26%	3.06%	+2.20%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	6.33%	3.85%	+2.48%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	7.59%	5.68%	+1.91%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	8.16%	6.33%	+1.83%

TAIFX vs. NWQIX - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both TAIFX and NWQIX have an expense ratio of 0.70%.

Dividends

TAIFX vs. NWQIX - Dividend Comparison

TAIFX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.09%, less than NWQIX's 5.93% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
NWQIX Nuveen Flexible Income Fund	5.93%	6.52%	5.20%	7.84%	7.02%	4.39%	4.82%	5.71%	6.23%	5.67%	5.52%	5.70%
TAIFX American Funds Tax-Aware Conservative Growth & Income Portfolio F1	5.09%	5.50%	5.11%	4.25%	4.32%	2.40%	2.60%	3.72%	4.52%	4.08%	3.57%	3.41%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both TAIFX and NWQIX in my portfolio?

TAIFX and NWQIX have a correlation of 0.76, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, TAIFX or NWQIX?

TAIFX has higher volatility (1.96%) compared to NWQIX (1.22%). In terms of maximum drawdown, TAIFX dropped -21.43% vs NWQIX's -23.89%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

NWQIX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (4.06 vs 2.72), 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.