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.
AGNC wins 2–1 on our six-dimension comparison, but NLY can still be the better fit depending on your priorities — see each dimension below.
AGNC wins this comparison 2–1 across 6 dimensions. AGNC yields 13.20% — higher than NLY's 12.92% — and carries a 4.8/10 dividend safety score (Weak) vs 4.2/10 for NLY (Weak). AGNC wins 2–1 on our six-dimension comparison, but NLY can still be the better fit depending on your priorities — see each dimension below.
On dividend safety, AGNC scores 4.8/10 (Weak) vs 4.2/10 (Weak) for NLY — AGNC has a stronger composite of payout coverage, yield zone, and dividend trend signals. On yield, AGNC's 13.20% vs 12.92% represents a $280 annual income gap on $100,000 invested.
Scorecard at a glance
| Dimension | AGNC | NLY | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yield | 13.20% | 12.92% | AGNC wins |
| Dividend safety | 4.8/10 | 4.2/10 | AGNC wins |
| Growth trend | -0.50% vs 5y | -0.72% vs 5y | NLY wins |
| Volatility (beta) | 1.30 | 1.27 | Tie |
| Scale | $12.8B | $15.9B | Tie |
| Tax efficiency | Ordinary income | Ordinary income | Tie |
| Overall | 2 wins | 1 wins | AGNC wins |
Dimension by dimension
AGNC wins on yield (13.20% vs 12.92%)
On a $10,000 investment that's about $28 more in annual dividend income before taxes — though higher yield often comes with higher risk.
AGNC's higher yield (13.20%) looks attractive but investors should weigh whether the extra income compensates for any additional risk versus NLY's 12.92% — especially if the higher yield is driven by covered calls or a falling share price.
AGNC wins on safety (4.8/10 vs 4.2/10)
Our score combines yield zone, payout ratio, trend vs 5-year average, instrument type, and size. AGNC scores better on the weighted average of those factors.
AGNC (4.8/10) scores 0.6 points higher than NLY (4.2/10). A higher safety score means lower historical indicators of dividend cut risk — payout ratio, yield zone, and trend all factor in.
NLY shows healthier dividend-vs-price trend
NLY's yield is 0.72% below its 5y average, versus 0.50% 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 ($12.8B 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 for income, AGNC or NLY?
AGNC wins 2–1 on our six-dimension comparison, but NLY can still be the better fit depending on your priorities — see each dimension below.
AGNC vs NLY: which has a higher dividend yield?
AGNC yields 13.20% and NLY yields 12.92%. On a $10,000 investment that's about $28 more in annual dividend income before taxes — though higher yield often comes with higher risk.
Is AGNC or NLY a safer dividend in 2026?
AGNC scores 4.8/10 (Weak) on the Infnits dividend safety scale. NLY scores 4.2/10 (Weak). AGNC is the safer pick on our scoring model.
Which has better dividend growth, AGNC or NLY?
NLY's yield is 0.72% below its 5y average, versus 0.50% for AGNC. Lower (or below-average) yield trend often means price appreciation outpaced distributions — a healthier signal.
AGNC vs NLY: which is more tax-efficient?
Both pay primarily ordinary-income distributions (covered call ETF, REIT, or mREIT). Hold in a tax-advantaged account for the cleanest treatment.
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