ETF Versus

DGRO vs HYG

iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF vs iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

DGRO iShares

iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to U.S. dividend-paying stocks selected for yield or dividend growth. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.08%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 2.10%. Launched in 2014, the fund has a 12-year track record.

AUM: $36.8B ER: 0.08% Yield: 2.10% Since: Jun 10, 2014
HYG iShares

iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (HYG) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to below-investment-grade U.S. corporate bonds offering higher yields. It charges an above-average expense ratio of 0.49%. The fund offers a high dividend yield of 5.88%. Launched in 2007, the fund has a 19-year track record.

AUM: $16.3B ER: 0.49% Yield: 5.88% Since: Apr 4, 2007

Quick Verdict

DGRO is significantly cheaper at 0.08% vs 0.49% expense ratio, saving you approximately $800 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Over the past year, DGRO has significantly outperformed with a 13.9% return vs 0.9%. Income investors may prefer HYG for its higher yield (5.9% vs 2.1%).

Key Metrics

Metric DGRO HYG
Expense Ratio 0.08% 0.49%
Dividend Yield 2.1% 5.9%
Fund Family iShares iShares
Category US Dividend US High Yield Bond

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

80 95 110 125 140 155 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
DGRO +42.9%
HYG -8.9%

Performance Comparison

Period DGRO HYG Difference
1 Month -4.90% -1.13% -3.77%
3 Months +0.57% -1.61% +2.18%
6 Months +2.36% -1.82% +4.18%
YTD +0.57% -1.61% +2.18%
1 Year +13.94% +0.86% +13.08%
3 Years +39.53% +5.62% +33.91%
5 Years +42.86% -8.89% +51.75%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period DGRO Fees HYG Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $159 $960 $800
$10.000 20 years $686 $4.052 $3.366
$10.000 30 years $2.212 $12.832 $10.620
$50.000 10 years $797 $4.799 $4.002
$50.000 30 years $11.061 $64.162 $53.100
$100.000 30 years $22.123 $128.324 $106.201

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric DGRO HYG
Annualized Volatility 13.9% 7.6%
Max Drawdown -20.7% -19.3%
Sharpe Ratio 0.26 -0.80

Dividend Comparison

Metric DGRO HYG
Annual Dividend (per share) $1.47 $4.67
Dividend Yield 2.10% 5.88%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Monthly

Top Holdings

DGRO Top Holdings

NameWeight
Exxon Mobil CorporationXOM3.43%
Johnson & JohnsonJNJ2.94%
JPMorgan Chase & Co.JPM2.93%
Apple Inc.AAPL2.87%
Microsoft CorporationMSFT2.71%
AbbVie Inc.ABBV2.67%
Broadcom Inc.AVGO2.49%
The Procter & Gamble CompanyPG2.14%
Philip Morris International Inc.PM2.05%
Merck & Co., Inc.MRK2.05%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose DGRO if...

you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.

Choose DGRO if...

recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.

Choose HYG if...

you prioritize dividend income and want higher regular distributions from your portfolio.

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