Data as of Nov 4, 2026.
CAIQ vs QLDY: Dividend Yield & Total Return
CAIQ and QLDY both write options for income.
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Net assets: $286m on Jul 31, 2026 for Calamos Nasdaq Autocallable Income ETF, and $53m on Nov 3, 2026 for Defiance Nasdaq 100 LightningSpread Income ETF.
5.7 pts behind QQQ
CAIQ since launch: paid 16.8%, price −4.1%, total +13.0%, QQQ +18.7%, −5.7 pts. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
QQQ
+18.7%
CAIQ
+13.0%
16.8% of it arrived as cash
5.7 pts behind QQQ
Total return, distributions reinvested
5.7 pts behind QQQ
CAIQ since launch: paid 16.8%, price −4.1%, total +13.0%, QQQ +18.7%, −5.7 pts. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
QQQ
+18.7%
CAIQ
+13.0%
16.8% as cash
5.7 pts behind QQQ
16.8% of it arrived as cash. Total return, distributions reinvested. CAIQ since launch: paid 16.8%, price −4.1%, total +13.0%, QQQ +18.7%, −5.7 pts. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
Data to Nov 4, 2026.3.2 pts behind QQQ
QLDY over 1 year: paid 35.3%, price −27.2%, total +9.1%, QQQ +12.3%, −3.2 pts. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
QQQ
+12.3%
QLDY
+9.1%
35.3% of it arrived as cash
3.2 pts behind QQQ
Total return, distributions reinvested
3.2 pts behind QQQ
QLDY over 1 year: paid 35.3%, price −27.2%, total +9.1%, QQQ +12.3%, −3.2 pts. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
QQQ
+12.3%
QLDY
+9.1%
3.2 pts behind QQQ
35.3% of it arrived as cash. Both charts share one scale, with zero at the line. QLDY over 1 year: paid 35.3%, price −27.2%, total +9.1%, QQQ +12.3%, −3.2 pts. Data to Nov 4, 2026.
Data to Nov 4, 2026.Pair scorecard
CAIQ costs 0.30 points a year less.
Points (pts) are percentage points.
| Measure | CAIQ | QLDY |
|---|---|---|
| Paid and earned | ||
| Total return, 1 year | not published | +9.1% |
| Price change | fell 4.1% (since Nov 20, 2025) | fell 27.2% (1 year) |
| Return of capital, issuer estimate | 100% of the Nov 9, 2026 payment | 0% of the Nov 2, 2026 payment |
| Against its benchmark | ||
| Benchmark | Nasdaq-100, measured through QQQ | Nasdaq-100, measured through QQQ |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.74% | 1.04% |
| Net assets, CAIQ as of Jul 31, 2026 and QLDY as of Nov 3, 2026 | $286m | $53m |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | 0% | |
What they share
By the books each fund has filed, CAIQ and QLDY hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Holdings dated Jul 31, 2026 and Nov 4, 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 | CAIQ | QLDY | CAIQ | QLDY | CAIQ | QLDY |
| 3 months | −2.9% | −4.5% | 4.5% | 9.5% | +0.6 pts | −1.1 pts |
| 6 months | −1.9% | −3.1% | 8.6% | 18.5% | −1.6 pts | −2.8 pts |
| 1 year | – | +9.1% | – | 35.3% | – | −3.2 pts |
| Since launchNot the same days: CAIQ Nov 2025 · QLDY Sep 2025 | +13.0% | +13.2% | 16.8% | 39.1% | −5.7 pts | −3.7 pts |
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CAIQ
Over the period from its first trade on Nov 20, 2025 to Nov 4, 2026, CAIQ paid 16.8% of its starting value in cash distributions while its price fell 4.1%. With every distribution reinvested, the fund returned +13.0%. Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) returned +18.7% over the same days, so a holder was behind by 5.7 pts. At its price on Nov 4, 2026 the latest distribution annualizes to 19.6%, paid monthly. Calamos estimates that 100% of the distribution paid Nov 9, 2026 was a return of capital (its 19a-1 notice). That is a tax label, not a measure of erosion.
QLDY
Over the year to Nov 4, 2026, QLDY paid 35.3% of its starting value in cash distributions while its price fell 27.2%. With every distribution reinvested, the fund returned +9.1%. Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) returned +12.3% over the same days, so a holder was behind by 3.2 pts. At its price on Nov 4, 2026 the latest distribution annualizes to 19.7%, paid weekly. Defiance estimates that 0% of the distribution paid Nov 2, 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, CAIQ against QLDY, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/income/caiq-vs-qldy
ETFIQ. (Nov 4, 2026). CAIQ against QLDY. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/income/caiq-vs-qldy
[CAIQ against QLDY (ETFIQ, Nov 4, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/income/caiq-vs-qldy)
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