JQC vs SPY
Nuveen Credit Strategies Income Fund vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, JQC or SPY?
Bank Loan against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. JQC is less concentrated, with 23.6% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.8%.
MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | JQC | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 5.48% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | - | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 11.63% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 471 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +2.39% | +12.09%Best |
| 1Y Return | -0.79% | +16.29%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +9.80% | +21.20%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +5.00% | +13.37%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 16.7% | 14.5%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -81.3% | -56.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $12,763 | $18,728Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 23.6%Best | 37.8% |
| Fund Family | Nuveen | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Fixed Income | Equity |
| Style | Bank Loan | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jun 25, 2003 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Jun 26, 2003 to Sep 18, 2026 (23.2 years).
JQC vs SPY growth
Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view is available from the range buttons; it is not the opening view here because over the whole period one of these two funds moves so much further than the other that its line would sit flat on the axis.
JQC vs SPY Performance
Nuveen Credit Strategies Income Fund (JQC) is an ETF from Nuveen and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year JQC returned -0.79% while SPY returned +16.29%. Year to date, JQC is up 2.39% versus a gain of 12.09% for SPY.
Over three years, JQC compounded at +9.80% per year against +21.20% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +5.00% and +13.37% respectively. Across the full 23-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +9.54% annualized vs -2.31%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
JQC has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 16.7% compared with 14.5% for SPY. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.
The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -81.3% for JQC and -56.5% for SPY. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.61. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
JQC charges 5.48% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $548 vs $9 annually, a gap of $539 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, JQC currently yields 11.63% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 264 holdings in JQC and 504 in SPY, totalling 103.5% and 99.9% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.
The two holdings books were reported 213 days apart, JQC as of Jan 31, 2026 and SPY as of Sep 1, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
0 positions in common, counted across the 264 positions we hold weights for in JQC and 504 in SPY, against full books of 471 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 497 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for JQC (99.3% of the fund), and 253 for JQC that do not appear in SPY (103.5%).
Some of those will be the same company recorded under a different code in one of the two books, so the real difference in what you would own is no larger than this and may be smaller. We do not name the individual positions here for that reason.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of JQC and SPY you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, JQC or SPY?
JQC has an expense ratio of 5.48% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $539 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, JQC or SPY?
Over the past year JQC returned -0.79% vs +16.29% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (23 years), JQC annualized -2.31% vs +9.54% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, JQC or SPY?
JQC has been the more volatile fund at 16.7% annualized versus 14.5% for SPY. Worst drawdown: JQC -81.3% vs SPY -56.5%.
Should I hold both JQC and SPY?
JQC and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.61, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, JQC or SPY?
JQC yields 11.63% while SPY yields 0.98%, so JQC currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than JQC?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. JQC is less concentrated, with 23.6% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.8%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.