Data as of Nov 4, 2026.
APRJ vs BALQ: Dividend Yield & Total Return
APRJ and BALQ both write options for income.
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Net assets on Nov 3, 2026: $27m for Innovator Premium Income 30 Barrier ETF - April and $43m for iShares Nasdaq Premium Income Active ETF.
8.6 pts behind SPY
APRJ over 1 year: paid 6.2%, price −0.1%, total +6.2%, SPY +14.8%, −8.6 pts. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
SPY
+14.8%
APRJ
+6.2%
6.2% of it arrived as cash
8.6 pts behind SPY
Total return, distributions reinvested
8.6 pts behind SPY
APRJ over 1 year: paid 6.2%, price −0.1%, total +6.2%, SPY +14.8%, −8.6 pts. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
SPY
+14.8%
APRJ
+6.2%
8.6 pts behind SPY
6.2% of it arrived as cash. Total return, distributions reinvested. APRJ over 1 year: paid 6.2%, price −0.1%, total +6.2%, SPY +14.8%, −8.6 pts. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
Data to Nov 4, 2026.4.1 pts ahead of QQQ
BALQ since launch: paid 10.0%, price +5.1%, total +15.6%, QQQ +11.5%, +4.1 pts. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
QQQ
+11.5%
BALQ
+15.6%
10.0% of it arrived as cash
4.1 pts ahead of QQQ
Total return, distributions reinvested
4.1 pts ahead of QQQ
BALQ since launch: paid 10.0%, price +5.1%, total +15.6%, QQQ +11.5%, +4.1 pts. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
QQQ
+11.5%
BALQ
+15.6%
10.0% cash
4.1 pts ahead of QQQ
10.0% of it arrived as cash. Both charts share one scale, with zero at the line. BALQ since launch: paid 10.0%, price +5.1%, total +15.6%, QQQ +11.5%, +4.1 pts. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
Data to Nov 4, 2026.Pair scorecard
BALQ costs 0.44 points a year less; BALQ is 1.6 times larger.
Points (pts) are percentage points.
| Measure | APRJ | BALQ |
|---|---|---|
| Paid and earned | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +6.2% | not published |
| Price change | fell 0.1% (1 year) | rose 5.1% (since Dec 3, 2025) |
| Return of capital, issuer estimate | 53% of the Oct 2, 2026 payment | 97% of the Nov 5, 2026 payment |
| Against its benchmark | ||
| Benchmark | S&P 500, measured through SPY | Nasdaq-100, measured through QQQ |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.79% | 0.35% |
| Net assets, as of Nov 3, 2026 | $27m | $43m |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | 0% | |
What they share
By the books each fund has filed, APRJ and BALQ hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Holdings dated Jul 31, 2026 and Nov 3, 2026.
half
0% in common
Only in one fund ↓
Side by side
As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ. Cash paid: distributions over the window, as a share of the starting price. Payout rate: the latest payment, annualized, over today’s price.
Window by window
| Total return | Cash paid | Against the benchmark | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Window | APRJ | BALQ | APRJ | BALQ | APRJ | BALQ |
| 3 months | +1.0% | −3.8% | 1.7% | 2.1% | +1.2 pts | −0.3 pts |
| 6 months | +2.5% | +1.3% | 3.4% | 5.2% | −2.5 pts | +1.7 pts |
| 1 year | +6.2% | – | 6.2% | – | −8.6 pts | – |
| 3 years | +19.2% | – | 17.7% | – | −63.7 pts | – |
| Since launchNot the same days: APRJ Apr 2023 · BALQ Dec 2025 | +24.5% | +15.6% | 21.1% | 10.0% | −70.4 pts | +4.1 pts |
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APRJ
Over the year to Nov 4, 2026, APRJ paid 6.2% of its starting value in cash distributions while its price fell 0.1%. With every distribution reinvested, the fund returned +6.2%. S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.8% over the same days, so a holder was behind by 8.6 pts. At its price on Nov 4, 2026 the latest distribution annualizes to 6.9%, paid quarterly. Innovator estimates that 53% of the distribution paid Oct 2, 2026 was a return of capital (its 19a-1 notice). That is a tax label, not a measure of erosion.
BALQ
Over the period from its first trade on Dec 3, 2025 to Nov 4, 2026, BALQ paid 10.0% of its starting value in cash distributions while its price rose 5.1%. With every distribution reinvested, the fund returned +15.6%. Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) returned +11.5% over the same days, so a holder was ahead by 4.1 pts. At its price on Nov 4, 2026 the latest distribution annualizes to 8.5%, paid monthly. iShares estimates that 97% of the distribution paid Nov 5, 2026 was a return of capital (its 19a-1 notice).
Questions people ask
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How this is computed
Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for each security both funds hold.
Every number is an ETFIQ calculation with distributions reinvested.
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ETFIQ, APRJ against BALQ, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/income/aprj-vs-balq
ETFIQ. (Nov 4, 2026). APRJ against BALQ. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/income/aprj-vs-balq
[APRJ against BALQ (ETFIQ, Nov 4, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/income/aprj-vs-balq)
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