ETF Versus

HYG vs IJH

iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF vs iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

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
IJH iShares

iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (IJH) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to mid-cap U.S. companies balancing growth potential and stability. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.05%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.31%. Launched in 2000, the fund has a 26-year track record.

AUM: $104.0B ER: 0.05% Yield: 1.31% Since: May 22, 2000

Quick Verdict

IJH is significantly cheaper at 0.05% vs 0.49% expense ratio, saving you approximately $860 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Over the past year, IJH has significantly outperformed with a 16.1% return vs 0.9%. Income investors may prefer HYG for its higher yield (5.9% vs 1.3%).

Key Metrics

Metric HYG IJH
Expense Ratio 0.49% 0.05%
Dividend Yield 5.9% 1.3%
Fund Family iShares iShares
Category US High Yield Bond US Mid Cap

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

80 92 104 116 128 140 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
HYG -8.9%
IJH +28.1%

Performance Comparison

Period HYG IJH Difference
1 Month -1.13% -5.55% +4.42%
3 Months -1.61% +1.78% -3.39%
6 Months -1.82% +3.54% -5.36%
YTD -1.61% +1.78% -3.39%
1 Year +0.86% +16.09% -15.23%
3 Years +5.62% +36.14% -30.52%
5 Years -8.89% +28.09% -36.98%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period HYG Fees IJH Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $960 $100 $860
$10.000 20 years $4.052 $430 $3.622
$10.000 30 years $12.832 $1.388 $11.444
$50.000 10 years $4.799 $499 $4.300
$50.000 30 years $64.162 $6.941 $57.221
$100.000 30 years $128.324 $13.882 $114.441

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric HYG IJH
Annualized Volatility 7.6% 19.8%
Max Drawdown -19.3% -24.6%
Sharpe Ratio -0.80 0.12

Dividend Comparison

Metric HYG IJH
Annual Dividend (per share) $4.67 $0.89
Dividend Yield 5.88% 1.31%
Distribution Frequency Monthly Quarterly

Top Holdings

IJH Top Holdings

NameWeight
TechnipFMC plcFTI0.92%
Casey's General Stores, Inc.CASY0.84%
Curtiss-Wright CorporationCW0.78%
Flex Ltd.FLEX0.76%
United Therapeutics CorporationUTHR0.72%
XPO, Inc.XPO0.70%
Woodward, Inc.WWD0.67%
US Foods Holding Corp.USFD0.64%
FabrinetFN0.63%
Burlington Stores, Inc.BURL0.62%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose IJH if...

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

Choose IJH 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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