BALI vs GQGU
iShares US Large Cap Premium Income Active ETF vs GQG US Equity ETF
Which is better, BALI or GQGU?
BALI has been ahead.
BALI has a lower expense ratio. BALI led over 1Y and the full window. BALI is less concentrated, with 35.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 57.2%.
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 | BALI | GQGU |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.35%Best | 0.49% |
| AUM | $1.5B | $584M |
| Dividend Yield | 7.81% | 0.95% |
| Holdings | 206 | 77 |
| YTD Return | +11.92%Best | +5.40% |
| 1Y Return | +15.74%Best | +3.28% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +19.08% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 9.4%Best | 11.8% |
| Max Drawdown | -6.7%Best | -8.4% |
| $10,000 over 1.3 years | $12,319Best | $10,428 |
| Top 10 Weight | 35.0%Best | 57.2% |
| Fund Family | BlackRock, Inc. (US) | GQG Partners LLC |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Large Cap Growth |
| Inception | Sep 26, 2023 | Jul 31, 2019 |
Not shown on this pair: 5Y Return (annualized).
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.3 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jul 14, 2025 to Oct 14, 2026 (1.3 years).
BALI vs GQGU 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 covers the 1.3 years both funds cover.
BALI vs GQGU Performance
iShares US Large Cap Premium Income Active ETF (BALI) is an ETF from BlackRock, Inc. (US) and GQG US Equity ETF (GQGU) is an ETF from GQG Partners LLC. Over the past year BALI returned +15.74% while GQGU returned +3.28%. Year to date, BALI is up 11.92% versus a gain of 5.40% for GQGU.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
GQGU has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 11.8% compared with 9.4% for BALI. 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 -6.7% for BALI and -8.4% for GQGU. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.00. They move largely independently of each other.
Fees and Cost Over Time
BALI charges 0.35% per year while GQGU charges 0.49%. On a $10,000 position that is $35 vs $49 annually, a gap of $14 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, BALI currently yields 7.81% against 0.95% for GQGU.
Holdings Overlap
36.1% of BALI's money is in holdings GQGU also owns. 71.8% of GQGU's money is in holdings BALI also owns.
Most of GQGU is already inside BALI. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
21 positions in common, counted across the 211 positions we hold weights for in BALI and 38 in GQGU, against full books of 206 and 77.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 15 positions for GQGU that do not appear in our book for BALI (25.1% of the fund), and 185 for BALI that do not appear in GQGU (62.3%).
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 BALI | Weight in GQGU | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 7.35% | 9.37% | 2.02% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 5.76% | 7.83% | 2.07% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 5.39% | 8.16% | 2.77% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 3.40% | 6.76% | 3.36% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc. C | 2.32% | 7.25% | 4.93% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 1.34% | 4.08% | 2.74% |
| DELLDell Technologies Inc | 0.30% | 4.67% | 4.37% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 2.25% | 2.56% | 0.31% |
| LRCXLrcx Uw Equity | 0.85% | 3.12% | 2.27% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 1.52% | 1.68% | 0.16% |
71.8% of GQGU is already inside BALI.
You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, BALI or GQGU?
BALI has an expense ratio of 0.35% while GQGU charges 0.49%. BALI is the cheaper option, by $14 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, BALI or GQGU?
Over the past year BALI returned +15.74% vs +3.28% for GQGU, so BALI leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), BALI annualized +17.40% vs +3.28% for GQGU. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, BALI or GQGU?
GQGU has been the more volatile fund at 11.8% annualized versus 9.4% for BALI. Worst drawdown: BALI -6.7% vs GQGU -8.4%.
Should I hold both BALI and GQGU?
BALI and GQGU have a monthly-return correlation of 0.00, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between BALI and GQGU?
71.8% of GQGU's money is in holdings BALI also owns. 71.8% of GQGU's is in holdings BALI also owns. They hold 21 positions in common, counted across the 211 positions we hold weights for in BALI and 38 in GQGU.
Which pays a higher dividend, BALI or GQGU?
BALI yields 7.81% while GQGU yields 0.95%, so BALI currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is GQGU better than BALI?
BALI has a lower expense ratio. BALI led over 1Y and the full window. BALI is less concentrated, with 35.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 57.2%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.