FTSL vs. ESHY

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

FTSL (First Trust Senior Loan Fund) and ESHY (Xtrackers J.P. Morgan ESG USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF) are both High Yield Bonds funds. FTSL is actively managed, while ESHY is passively managed. FTSL charges 0.86%/yr vs 0.20%/yr for ESHY.

Performance

FTSL vs. ESHY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust Senior Loan Fund (FTSL) and Xtrackers J.P. Morgan ESG USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (ESHY). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

FTSL

• 1D: 0.03%
• 1M: 0.20%
• YTD: 0.65%
• 6M: 0.98%
• 1Y: 4.56%
• 3Y*: 7.36%
• 5Y*: 5.02%
• 10Y*: 4.44%

ESHY

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.00%
• YTD: —
• 6M: —
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

FTSL vs. ESHY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)
FTSL First Trust Senior Loan Fund	1.30%
ESHY Xtrackers J.P. Morgan ESG USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	0.00%

FTSL vs. ESHY - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	FTSL	ESHY
Basic Materials	100.0%	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	100.0%
Financial Services	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Industrials	-	-
Real Estate	-	-
Technology	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

FTSL vs. ESHY — Risk / Return Rank

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

FTSL

FTSL Risk / Return Rank: 63
FTSL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 67
FTSL Sortino Ratio Rank: 76
FTSL Omega Ratio Rank: 85
FTSL Calmar Ratio Rank: 40
FTSL Martin Ratio Rank: 45

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.

FTSL vs. ESHY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Senior Loan Fund (FTSL) and Xtrackers J.P. Morgan ESG USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (ESHY). 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.

	FTSL	ESHY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.17	—	—
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.37	—	—
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.51	—	—
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.97	—	—
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	7.30	—	—
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	FTSL	ESHY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.17	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.51	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.86	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.85	—	—

Drawdowns

FTSL vs. ESHY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FTSL drawdown since its inception was -22.67%, which is greater than ESHY's maximum drawdown of 0.00%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FTSL and ESHY.

Drawdown Indicators

	FTSL	ESHY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-22.67%	0.00%	-22.67%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.33%	—	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-2.66%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-6.96%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-22.67%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.76%	0.00%	-0.76%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.63%	—	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	FTSL	ESHY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.36%	—	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.95%	—	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.11%	0.00%	+2.11%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	3.35%	0.00%	+3.35%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	5.18%	0.00%	+5.18%

FTSL vs. ESHY - Expense Ratio Comparison

FTSL has a 0.86% expense ratio, which is higher than ESHY's 0.20% expense ratio.

Dividends

FTSL vs. ESHY - Dividend Comparison

FTSL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.46%, while ESHY has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ESHY Xtrackers J.P. Morgan ESG USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
FTSL First Trust Senior Loan Fund	6.46%	6.59%	7.56%	7.59%	4.77%	3.17%	3.48%	4.44%	4.29%	3.64%	3.70%	3.95%

Frequently Asked Questions

Which ETF is better, FTSL or ESHY?

On fees, ESHY is cheaper at 0.20% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, FTSL or ESHY?

ESHY is cheaper with a 0.20% expense ratio, compared with 0.86% for FTSL.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, FTSL or ESHY?

FTSL has the higher dividend yield at 6.46%, compared with 0.00% for ESHY.

What is the main difference between FTSL and ESHY?

They also come from different issuers: First Trust and Deutsche Bank. Their fees differ too: 0.86% for FTSL and 0.20% for ESHY.