BALI vs PCLG
iShares US Large Cap Premium Income Active ETF vs Polen Focus Growth ETF
Which is better, BALI or PCLG?
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 62.6%.
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 | PCLG |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.35%Best | 0.49% |
| AUM | $1.5B | $92M |
| Dividend Yield | 7.81% | 0.04% |
| Holdings | 206 | 27 |
| YTD Return | +11.92%Best | -5.60% |
| 1Y Return | +15.74%Best | -8.10% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +19.08% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 10.0%Best | 17.7% |
| Max Drawdown | -6.7%Best | -23.8% |
| $10,000 over 1 years | $11,414Best | $9,249 |
| Top 10 Weight | 35.0%Best | 62.6% |
| Fund Family | BlackRock, Inc. (US) | Polen Capital |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Large Cap Growth |
| Inception | Sep 26, 2023 | Sep 30, 2025 |
Not shown on this pair: 5Y Return (annualized).
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 30, 2025 to Oct 14, 2026 (1 years).
BALI vs PCLG 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 years both funds cover.
BALI vs PCLG Performance
iShares US Large Cap Premium Income Active ETF (BALI) is an ETF from BlackRock, Inc. (US) and Polen Focus Growth ETF (PCLG) is an ETF from Polen Capital. Over the past year BALI returned +15.74% while PCLG returned -8.10%. Year to date, BALI is up 11.92% versus a loss of 5.60% for PCLG.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
PCLG has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 17.7% compared with 10.0% 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 -23.8% for PCLG. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.75. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
BALI charges 0.35% per year while PCLG 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 0.04% for PCLG.
Holdings Overlap
27.6% of BALI's money is in holdings PCLG also owns. 69.5% of PCLG's money is in holdings BALI also owns.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
15 positions in common, counted across the 211 positions we hold weights for in BALI and 29 in PCLG, against full books of 206 and 27.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 10 positions for PCLG that do not appear in our book for BALI (25.8% of the fund), and 192 for BALI that do not appear in PCLG (70.8%).
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 PCLG | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 7.35% | 7.82% | 0.47% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 5.39% | 9.35% | 3.96% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 3.40% | 5.98% | 2.58% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc. C | 2.32% | 6.16% | 3.84% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 2.25% | 6.13% | 3.88% |
| VVisa Inc Class A | 1.52% | 5.67% | 4.15% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 1.52% | 4.38% | 2.86% |
| LLYEli Lilly & Co. | 1.05% | 4.80% | 3.75% |
| ORCLOracle Corp - Common | 0.27% | 4.43% | 4.16% |
| SHOP:CAShopify Inc | 0.02% | 4.49% | 4.47% |
69.5% of PCLG 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 PCLG?
BALI has an expense ratio of 0.35% while PCLG charges 0.49%. BALI is the cheaper option, by $14 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, BALI or PCLG?
Over the past year BALI returned +15.74% vs -8.10% for PCLG, so BALI leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), BALI annualized +14.14% vs -7.51% for PCLG. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, BALI or PCLG?
PCLG has been the more volatile fund at 17.7% annualized versus 10.0% for BALI. Worst drawdown: BALI -6.7% vs PCLG -23.8%.
Should I hold both BALI and PCLG?
BALI and PCLG have a monthly-return correlation of 0.75, 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 PCLG?
69.5% of PCLG's money is in holdings BALI also owns. 69.5% of PCLG's is in holdings BALI also owns. They hold 15 positions in common, counted across the 211 positions we hold weights for in BALI and 29 in PCLG.
Which pays a higher dividend, BALI or PCLG?
BALI yields 7.81% while PCLG yields 0.04%, so BALI currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is PCLG 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 62.6%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.