FALN vs. USHY

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

FALN (iShares Fallen Angels USD Bond ETF) and USHY (iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF) are both High Yield Bonds funds from iShares - FALN tracks the Bloomberg US High Yield Fallen Angel 3% Capped Index while USHY tracks the ICE BofA US High Yield Constrained. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, FALN returned 3.78%/yr vs 4.24%/yr for USHY. Their correlation of 0.85 suggests significant overlap in exposure. FALN charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for USHY.

Performance

FALN vs. USHY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares Fallen Angels USD Bond ETF (FALN) and iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (USHY). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FALN achieves a 1.56% return, which is significantly higher than USHY's 1.42% return.

FALN

• 1D: -0.22%
• 1M: 0.68%
• YTD: 1.56%
• 6M: 1.36%
• 1Y: 8.66%
• 3Y*: 9.18%
• 5Y*: 3.78%
• 10Y*: —

USHY

• 1D: -0.27%
• 1M: 0.40%
• YTD: 1.42%
• 6M: 1.77%
• 1Y: 7.02%
• 3Y*: 8.91%
• 5Y*: 4.24%
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

FALN vs. USHY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
FALN iShares Fallen Angels USD Bond ETF	1.56%	8.92%	7.68%	13.47%	-13.79%	5.40%	14.85%	17.42%	-4.97%	0.28%
USHY iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	1.42%	8.81%	8.45%	12.73%	-11.18%	5.02%	6.17%	14.24%	-2.41%	0.16%

Correlation

The correlation between FALN and USHY is 0.92, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.92
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.93
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.93
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 27, 2017	0.85

The correlation between FALN and USHY has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.85 to 0.93 - a consistent structural relationship.

FALN vs. USHY - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	FALN	USHY
Real Estate	100.0%	0.8%
Basic Materials	-	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	99.2%
Financial Services	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Industrials	-	-
Technology	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

FALN vs. USHY — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

FALN

FALN Risk / Return Rank: 54
FALN Sharpe Ratio Rank: 55
FALN Sortino Ratio Rank: 57
FALN Omega Ratio Rank: 60
FALN Calmar Ratio Rank: 44
FALN Martin Ratio Rank: 53

USHY

USHY Risk / Return Rank: 60
USHY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 55
USHY Sortino Ratio Rank: 61
USHY Omega Ratio Rank: 60
USHY Calmar Ratio Rank: 58
USHY Martin Ratio Rank: 69

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

FALN vs. USHY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Fallen Angels USD Bond ETF (FALN) and iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (USHY). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	FALN	USHY	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.91	1.93	-0.02
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.78	2.91	-0.13
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.37	1.37	0.00
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.20	2.90	-0.70
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	9.17	13.03	-3.86
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

FALN vs. USHY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FALN Sharpe Ratio is 1.91, which is comparable to the USHY Sharpe Ratio of 1.93. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FALN and USHY, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	FALN	USHY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.91	1.93	-0.02
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.52	0.58	-0.06
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.74	0.58	+0.16

Drawdowns

FALN vs. USHY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FALN drawdown since its inception was -29.22%, which is greater than USHY's maximum drawdown of -22.44%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FALN and USHY.

Drawdown Indicators

	FALN	USHY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-29.22%	-22.44%	-6.78%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-3.96%	-2.43%	-1.53%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-5.92%	-4.66%	-1.26%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-18.78%	-15.56%	-3.22%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.26%	-0.27%	+0.01%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.32%	-2.67%	-0.65%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.95%	0.54%	+0.41%

Volatility

FALN vs. USHY - Volatility Comparison

iShares Fallen Angels USD Bond ETF (FALN) has a higher volatility of 1.38% compared to iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (USHY) at 1.13%. This indicates that FALN's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than USHY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FALN	USHY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.38%	1.13%	+0.25%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	3.64%	2.91%	+0.73%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.54%	3.65%	+0.89%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	7.31%	7.34%	-0.03%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	8.95%	8.25%	+0.70%

FALN vs. USHY - Expense Ratio Comparison

FALN has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is higher than USHY's 0.15% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

FALN vs. USHY - Dividend Comparison

FALN's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.46%, less than USHY's 6.92% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
FALN iShares Fallen Angels USD Bond ETF	6.46%	6.31%	6.24%	5.37%	5.08%	3.40%	5.14%	5.35%	5.97%	6.98%	3.55%
USHY iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	6.92%	6.79%	6.89%	6.63%	6.08%	5.07%	5.30%	5.92%	6.30%	0.73%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both FALN and USHY in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.92, FALN and USHY move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which is riskier, FALN or USHY?

FALN has higher volatility (1.38%) compared to USHY (1.13%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FALN dropped -29.22% vs USHY's -22.44%.

Which ETF is better, FALN or USHY?

On 5-year performance, USHY leads with 4.24% vs 3.78% for FALN. On fees, USHY is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, USHY has been the lower-risk option at 1.13%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, FALN or USHY?

Over the 5-year period, USHY has performed better with a 4.24% return vs 3.78%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, FALN or USHY?

USHY is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for FALN.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, FALN or USHY?

USHY has the higher dividend yield at 6.92%, compared with 6.46% for FALN.

What is the main difference between FALN and USHY?

FALN tracks Bloomberg US High Yield Fallen Angel 3% Capped Index, while USHY tracks ICE BofA US High Yield Constrained. Their fees differ too: 0.25% for FALN and 0.15% for USHY.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

USHY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.93 vs 1.91), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.