Computed head-to-head · 6 dimensions
AGNC vs NLY
AGNC Investment Corp. versus Annaly Capital Management, Inc. — yield, safety, growth trend, cost, scale, and tax treatment.
NLY wins 2–1 on our six-dimension comparison, but AGNC can still be the better fit depending on your priorities — see each dimension below.
Scorecard at a glance
| Dimension | AGNC | NLY | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yield | 13.64% | 12.92% | AGNC wins |
| Dividend safety | 3.8/10 | 4.2/10 | NLY wins |
| Growth trend | -0.06% vs 5y | -0.72% vs 5y | NLY wins |
| Volatility (beta) | 1.31 | 1.27 | Tie |
| Scale | $11.8B | $15.9B | Tie |
| Tax efficiency | Ordinary income | Ordinary income | Tie |
| Overall | 1 wins | 2 wins | NLY wins |
Dimension by dimension
AGNC wins on yield (13.64% vs 12.92%)
On a $10,000 investment that's about $72 more in annual dividend income before taxes — though higher yield often comes with higher risk.
NLY wins on safety (4.2/10 vs 3.8/10)
Our score combines yield zone, payout ratio, trend vs 5-year average, instrument type, and size. NLY scores better on the weighted average of those factors.
NLY shows healthier dividend-vs-price trend
NLY's yield is 0.72% below its 5y average, versus 0.06% for AGNC. Lower (or below-average) yield trend often means price appreciation outpaced distributions — a healthier signal.
Volatility (beta) is similar
Both tickers move with comparable sensitivity to the broader market.
Comparable scale ($11.8B vs $15.9B)
Within 1.5x of each other on market cap / AUM — similar institutional footprint.
Both have similar tax-treatment concerns
Both pay primarily ordinary-income distributions (covered call ETF, REIT, or mREIT). Hold in a tax-advantaged account for the cleanest treatment.
How we compare these
Every comparison on this page is computed from current public data, not written by hand. Yield comes from the most recent dividend distribution annualized over current price. Safety scores combine yield zone, payout ratio, trend vs 5-year average, instrument type, and size — see our methodology for the exact formula. Tax-efficiency flags identify covered-call ETFs, REITs, and mREITs which distribute primarily as ordinary income.
This is educational, not investment advice.Scores reflect a snapshot of public data on the "as of" dates shown on each ticker's safety page. Verify on the issuer's investor relations page or your brokerage before making decisions.
Frequently asked
Which is better, AGNC or NLY?
NLY wins 2–1 on our six-dimension comparison, but AGNC can still be the better fit depending on your priorities — see each dimension below.
Does AGNC or NLY have a higher yield?
On a $10,000 investment that's about $72 more in annual dividend income before taxes — though higher yield often comes with higher risk.
Is AGNC or NLY a safer dividend?
AGNC scores 3.8/10 (Weak) on the Infnits dividend safety scale. NLY scores 4.2/10 (Weak). See the safety dimension above for what drove each score.
Should I own both AGNC and NLY?
It depends on overlap. Two ETFs in similar categories often hold many of the same companies — owning both can mean paying two expense ratios for similar exposure. Check the underlying holdings before stacking.
Already own AGNC or NLY? See if the other adds anything.
Connect your brokerage and Infnits checks whether adding NLY to your existing portfolio actually diversifies — or just duplicates exposure (ETF look-through included).
Check overlap with my portfolio →