ETF Versus

HYG vs JNK

iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF vs State Street SPDR Bloomberg High Yield Bond 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
JNK State Street

State Street SPDR Bloomberg High Yield Bond ETF (JNK) is an exchange-traded fund issued by State Street that provides exposure to below-investment-grade U.S. corporate bonds offering higher yields. It charges an above-average expense ratio of 0.40%. The fund offers a high dividend yield of 6.68%. Launched in 2007, the fund has a 19-year track record.

AUM: $7.0B ER: 0.40% Yield: 6.68% Since: Nov 28, 2007

Quick Verdict

JNK has a slightly lower expense ratio (0.40% vs 0.49%), saving about $173 per $10,000 over 10 years. Both funds have delivered similar 1-year returns (0.9% vs 0.5%), tracking closely. Income investors may prefer JNK for its higher yield (6.7% vs 5.9%).

Key Metrics

Metric HYG JNK
Expense Ratio 0.49% 0.40%
Dividend Yield 5.9% 6.7%
Fund Family iShares State Street
Category US High Yield Bond US High Yield Bond

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

80 85 90 95 100 105 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
HYG -8.9%
JNK -12.2%

Performance Comparison

Period HYG JNK Difference
1 Month -1.13% -1.25% +0.12%
3 Months -1.61% -1.82% +0.21%
6 Months -1.82% -2.05% +0.23%
YTD -1.61% -1.82% +0.21%
1 Year +0.86% +0.47% +0.39%
3 Years +5.62% +3.45% +2.17%
5 Years -8.89% -12.20% +3.31%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period HYG Fees JNK Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $960 $786 $173
$10.000 20 years $4.052 $3.334 $718
$10.000 30 years $12.832 $10.601 $2.232
$50.000 10 years $4.799 $3.932 $867
$50.000 30 years $64.162 $53.003 $11.159
$100.000 30 years $128.324 $106.005 $22.318

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric HYG JNK
Annualized Volatility 7.6% 7.7%
Max Drawdown -19.3% -20.6%
Sharpe Ratio -0.80 -0.89

Dividend Comparison

Metric HYG JNK
Annual Dividend (per share) $4.67 $6.38
Dividend Yield 5.88% 6.68%
Distribution Frequency Monthly Monthly

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose JNK if...

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

Choose JNK if...

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

Either works if...

you just need broad us high yield bond exposure. Both are solid options — pick whichever your brokerage offers commission-free.

Related Comparisons