LQDW ranks 1st and VAIE 13th of 25 funds in the Index Option Income Category.
LQDW vs VAIE
LQDW −0.40pt a year
0.34%0.74%
LQDW 2.1×the volume
107K50.5K
LQDW vs VAIE Performance
+0.6%−1.7%
- LQDW 0.34%, better
- VAIE 0.74%
- LQDW $353M
- VAIE $69M
- LQDW +1.8%
- VAIE
- LQDW 12.41%
- VAIE
- LQDW 3192
- VAIE 3
- LQDW 107K sh, better
- VAIE 50.5K sh
- LQDW $22.87
- VAIE $23.26
ETF.net Grade
| Pillar | LQDW | VAIE |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | A100Higher | B63 |
| Mission | A94 | |
| Risk | B66Higher | B60 |
| Tradability | A78Higher | C45 |
| Holdings | A100 | |
| Durability | A82Higher | D34 |
Rank among Index Option Income funds
Same Category. LQDW and VAIE are both graded against the same 25 Index Option Income funds, so their Grades compare head to head.
Our read on each fund
LQDWA
VAIEB
In short
LQDW Covered calls, but on bonds. LQDW owns iShares' flagship investment-grade corporate bond fund and writes monthly calls against it, paying distributions monthly, at less than half the option-income cohort's median fee.
Stated mandate
LQDW The fund seeks to track a strategy holding LQD while writing monthly covered calls to generate income.
Why people hold it
Worth knowing
LQDW vs VAIE Holdings
How we measure overlap
Each holding counts at its smaller weight in the two funds, summed over the full Holdings. Sector, country and asset class use the same rule on each fund’s split. Cash, FX and derivative lines stay out of the counts. Two bond funds get no overlap figure.
LQDW vs VAIE Cost
Overpaying VAIE vs LQDW
$7,375
On $10,000 over 30 years. 7% growth a year before fees, expense ratio only.
LQDW 0.34%
$6,932
VAIE 0.74%
$14,307
Cost over time
Year by year
| Year | LQDW | VAIE | Overpaying |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $616 | $1,319 | $703 |
| 20 | $2,386 | $5,015 | $2,629 |
| 30 | $6,932 | $14,307 | $7,375 |
- 0.34%LQDW, cheaper
- 0.74%VAIE
- Middle half of Index Option Income funds
- Median 0.81%
LQDW cheapest of 25 funds
VAIE 9th cheapest of 25 funds
LQDW vs VAIE Dividends
- LQDW 12.41%
- VAIE
- LQDW $2.83
- VAIE
- LQDW $0.38
- VAIE $0.08
- LQDW Oct 2, 2026
- VAIE Oct 29, 2026
- LQDW Oct 7, 2026
- VAIE Oct 30, 2026
- LQDW Monthly
- VAIE Weekly
Distribution history
LQDW vs VAIE Risk
Fall from peak · 5 years
Risk facts
- Volatility
- LQDW 4.2%VAIE
- Return per unit of risk
- LQDW 0.16VAIE
- Worst fall
- LQDW −9.2%VAIE
- Market sensitivity
- LQDW 0.59VAIE 0.86
LQDW and VAIE in the news
Popular comparisons
- 0.34% · 0.39%
- Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.
- 0.74% · 0.39%
- Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.
- 0.34% · 0.74%
- Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.
- 0.74% · 0.74%
- Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.
- 0.34% · 0.44%
- Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.
- 0.74% · 0.44%
- Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

