AOK vs BLUI

AOKAiShares Core 30/70 Conservative Allocation ETF

BLUICBluemonte Diversified Income ETF

In short

AOK One ticker, one conservative portfolio. Since 2008 AOK has tracked S&P's target-risk index built to hold 30% stocks and 70% bonds, using a handful of iShares funds underneath, and it pays monthly.

BLUI One ticker, one job: Bluemonte's team picks other income ETFs (junk bonds, bank loans, mortgages, REITs, preferreds) and decides the mix. Actively managed since its 2025 launch, with income paid out monthly.

Stated mandate

AOK The fund seeks diversified exposure through equity and fixed-income ETFs to represent a conservative target-risk allocation, with greater emphasis on income and capital preservation.

BLUI The Fund seeks total return and income and is actively managed. Under normal circumstances, it invests at least 80% of its assets in income-generating investments.

Why people hold it

• AOK 0.15% net of a waiver through November 30, 2026 (0.20% gross), below the typical fee here and a fraction of active rivals like CGMS at 0.39% or XRLX at 1.20%.
• The split is rules, not hunches: S&P sets 70% bonds, 30% stocks and resets the mix annually. AOK follows it closely, one of the stronger builds in its peer group.spglobal.com
• One trade buys a stack of iShares blocks: core US bonds, international bonds, US and foreign stocks. No rebalancing spreadsheet, one line on the statement, monthly payouts.ishares.com
• Trading since November 2008, making it one of the original target-risk ETFs, with the same rules-based mandate throughout.ishares.com

• BLUI Go-anywhere income mandate: at least 80% of assets in income generators, with the underlying funds free to hold any maturity, any credit quality, plus income-producing equities.sec.gov
• A fund of ETFs, so one trade buys a spread of bond and equity-income sleeves instead of a dozen line items you rebalance yourself.sec.gov
• Pays income monthly, and the manager can reshape the blend between debt and dividend payers rather than following a fixed index recipe.sec.gov

Worth knowing

• AOK Roughly 70% of the portfolio sits in bonds, so interest-rate moves, not the stock market, do most of the driving.spglobal.com
• Equity exposure is held near 30% by design, so stock rallies reach this portfolio diluted. That is the trade for the income-and-preservation tilt.spglobal.com
• The 0.15% is net of a waiver that ends November 30, 2026; gross is 0.20%, so the posted fee steps up if iShares does not extend it.

• BLUI Costs 0.67% net of a waiver through August 31, 2027, versus 0.72% gross. That sits above the median of the eight funds in its conservative income group.
• Fund-of-funds math: the stated expenses carry the fees of the ETFs it owns on top of the manager's fee. Multi-sector rivals CGMS and MULT charge 0.39% in one layer.sec.gov
• Launched June 2025 and thinly traded, so there is a short record to judge and spreads can widen. High yield and loan exposure brings credit risk.sec.gov

Full AOK profile⁠

Full BLUI profile⁠