JQC vs VOO
Nuveen Credit Strategies Income Fund vs Vanguard S&P 500 ETF
Which is better, JQC or VOO?
Bank Loan against Large Cap Blend.
VOO has a lower expense ratio. VOO 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 36.4%.
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 | VOO |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 5.48% | 0.03%Best |
| AUM | - | $997.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 11.71% | 1.08% |
| Holdings | 471 | 509 |
| YTD Return | +3.04% | +13.37%Best |
| 1Y Return | -1.38% | +20.08%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +10.21% | +21.29%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +5.05% | +12.89%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 10.9%Best | 14.1% |
| Max Drawdown | -63.3% | -34.3%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $12,793 | $18,335Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 23.6%Best | 36.4% |
| Fund Family | Nuveen | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Fixed Income | Equity |
| Style | Bank Loan | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jun 25, 2003 | Sep 7, 2010 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 9, 2010 to Sep 4, 2026 (16 years).
JQC vs VOO 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 VOO Performance
Nuveen Credit Strategies Income Fund (JQC) is an ETF from Nuveen and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year JQC returned -1.38% while VOO returned +20.08%. Year to date, JQC is up 3.04% versus a gain of 13.37% for VOO.
Over three years, JQC compounded at +10.21% per year against +21.29% for VOO; over five years the annualized figures are +5.05% and +12.89% respectively. Across the full 16-year window we track, VOO has the edge at +13.48% annualized vs +0.10%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
VOO has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 14.1% compared with 10.9% for JQC. 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 -63.3% for JQC and -34.3% for VOO. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.67. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
JQC charges 5.48% per year while VOO charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $548 vs $3 annually, a gap of $545 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, JQC currently yields 11.71% against 1.08% for VOO.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 264 holdings in JQC and 505 in VOO, totalling 103.5% and 99.9% of the two funds. That is not enough of VOO to divide by, so no overlap percentage is shown here. Within what we can see, 1 positions appear in both.
The two holdings books were reported 150 days apart, JQC as of Jan 31, 2026 and VOO as of Jun 30, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
1 positions in common, counted across the 264 positions we hold weights for in JQC and 505 in VOO, against full books of 471 and 509.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 496 positions for VOO that do not appear in our book for JQC (99.5% of the fund), and 253 for JQC that do not appear in VOO (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.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in JQC | Weight in VOO | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| LYBLyondellbasell-a | 0.00% | 0.02% | 0.02% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of JQC and VOO 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 VOO?
JQC has an expense ratio of 5.48% while VOO charges 0.03%. VOO is the cheaper option, by $545 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, JQC or VOO?
Over the past year JQC returned -1.38% vs +20.08% for VOO, so VOO leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (16 years), JQC annualized +0.10% vs +13.48% for VOO. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, JQC or VOO?
VOO has been the more volatile fund at 14.1% annualized versus 10.9% for JQC. Worst drawdown: JQC -63.3% vs VOO -34.3%.
Should I hold both JQC and VOO?
JQC and VOO have a monthly-return correlation of 0.67, 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 VOO?
JQC yields 11.71% while VOO yields 1.08%, so JQC currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VOO better than JQC?
VOO has a lower expense ratio. VOO 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 36.4%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.