iShares U.S. Large Cap Premium Income Active ETF

BALI

Market cap $703M

Jay Jacobs, U.S. head of equity ETFs at BlackRock, joins CNBC's "Halftime Report" to discuss his ETF investment tips and key growth areas for 2026.

I recommend the iShares U.S. Large Cap Premium Income Active ETF (BALI) with a Buy rating and a 4-6% target allocation. BALI offers a 7.69% annualized yield via monthly distributions, combining large-cap equity exposure with an options-based income strategy.

JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF is a top S&P 500 buywrite ETF, excelling in drawdown management and income generation. iShares Advantage Large Cap Income ETF offers superior long-term growth, capturing more S&P 500 upside with only moderate additional drawdown risk. Both JEPI and BALI yield ~8.5% and have a 0.35% expense ratio, but BALI's growth-oriented strategy makes it a Stronger Buy for bullish investors.

Diving headfirst into bonds isn't the only option.

Exchange-traded funds are the go-to for conservative investors who have a long timeframe.

BALI offers high monthly yield via blue chips, S&P 500 futures, and active call option selling, but sacrifices capital growth and carries higher risk. Yield is largely from option premiums, not traditional dividends, making future payouts variable and less reliable for long-term investors. Performance lags the S&P 500, with weak momentum and only a short, unproven dividend history, raising concerns about sustainability.

iShares Advantage Large Cap Income ETF offers an 8%+ yield using a buy-write strategy with S&P 500 stocks, call options, and futures to target income and lower volatility. The BALI ETF portfolio closely mirrors the S&P 500 with a smaller number of stocks, and uses proprietary quantitative models. Since inception, BALI has outperformed other buy-write ETFs, but is more volatile.

The iShares Advantage Large Cap Income ETF aims to provide lower volatility and similar returns to the broad market with a high yield through an options overlay. Over its two-year lifespan, BALI has kept up with the market in terms of total return, making it appealing for income-focused investors and equity investors more broadly. The fund's 7% yield can be beneficial for investors needing consistent income, despite its slight underperformance compared to the total domestic market.

iShares Advantage Large Cap Income ETF offers enhanced income through dividend stocks and call options, growth potential via large cap stocks and S&P 500 futures. BlackRock is currently waiving the management fee on iShares BALI until March 31, 2025. The pro-business outlook under the new administration, including deregulation and potential Fed rate cuts, supports a bullish view for BALI's underlying stocks.

iShares Advantage Large Cap Income ETF aims to offer a high dividend yield and lower volatility via an option writing strategy, making it attractive for income-focused investors. The fund's performance has been strong, with a 22% total return over the past year, but it's still unproven in a downturn. BALI's heavy tech sector allocation could be a vulnerability, and its option strategy caps upside potential, limiting gains in bull markets.