Main Street Capital Corporation (MAIN) vs Nuveen Quality Municipal Income Fund (NAD)
MAIN leads on 7 of 12 compared metrics, though NAD is the cheaper stock.
A side-by-side comparison of Main Street Capital Corporation and Nuveen Quality Municipal Income Fund across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 26, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
MAIN
Main Street Capital Corporation
$50.19Financial Services
NAD
Nuveen Quality Municipal Income Fund
$12.04Financial Services
Total return — MAIN vs NAD
growth of $100 · last 19yMAIN +240.2%NAD -15.3%MAIN compounded faster
MAIN NAD
MAIN vs NAD: by the numbers
- •MAIN is the larger company ($4.75B vs $2.81B market cap).
- •NAD trades at the lower earnings multiple (4.87 vs 10.57 P/E).
- •NAD converts more revenue to profit (140.28% vs 58.59% net margin).
- •MAIN grew revenue faster over the past five years (16.32% vs -0.50% CAGR).
- •NAD pays the higher dividend yield (7.03% vs 6.34%).
Which is better, MAIN or NAD?
Metric tally: MAIN 7 · NAD 5It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueNAD(lower P/E)
GrowthMAIN(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeNAD(higher dividend yield)
QualityMAIN(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | MAIN | NAD |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 10.57 | 4.87● |
| Forward P/E | 13.19 | — |
| P/S ratio | 6.25● | 6.85 |
| P/B ratio | 1.47 | 0.98● |
| PEG ratio | 0.16 | — |
Profitability
| Metric | MAIN | NAD |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 100.00%● | 93.93% |
| Operating margin | 80.71%● | 69.73% |
| Net margin | 58.59% | 140.28%● |
| ROE | 13.78% | 20.16%● |
| ROIC | 8.64%● | 2.93% |
Dividends
| Metric | MAIN | NAD |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 6.34% | 7.03%● |
| Payout ratio | 57.61% | 302.14% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | MAIN | NAD |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 16.32%● | -0.50% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 65.11%● | -10.59% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 12.34%● | 0.36% |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, MAIN or NAD?
- It depends on your goal. value: NAD (lower P/E); growth: MAIN (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: NAD (higher dividend yield); quality: MAIN (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, MAIN leads 7 to 5.
- Is MAIN or NAD cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, NAD is cheaper: MAIN trades at a 10.57 P/E and NAD at 4.87.
- Which has grown faster, MAIN or NAD?
- Over the past five years, MAIN grew revenue faster — MAIN at a 16.32% CAGR versus NAD at -0.50%.
- Does MAIN or NAD pay a bigger dividend?
- MAIN yields 6.34% and NAD yields 7.03% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is MAIN or NAD more profitable?
- NAD runs the higher net margin — MAIN at 58.59% versus NAD at 140.28%.
- Which has been the better investment, MAIN or NAD?
- Over the past 10-year, MAIN delivered the higher annualized total return — MAIN at 12.78% versus NAD at 2.90%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Main Street Capital P/E ratioNuveen Quality Municipal Income Fund P/E ratioMain Street Capital dividend yieldNuveen Quality Municipal Income Fund dividend yieldMain Street Capital ROENuveen Quality Municipal Income Fund ROEMain Street Capital operating marginNuveen Quality Municipal Income Fund operating marginMain Street Capital revenue growthNuveen Quality Municipal Income Fund revenue growthMain Street Capital free cash flowNuveen Quality Municipal Income Fund free cash flow
Main Street Capital & Nuveen Quality Municipal Income Fund appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 26, 2026.