HYG vs. ESHY

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

HYG (iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF) and ESHY (Xtrackers J.P. Morgan ESG USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF) are both High Yield Bonds funds - HYG tracks the iBoxx $ Liquid High Yield Index while ESHY tracks the JPMorgan ESG DM Corporate High Yield USD Index. Both are passively managed. HYG charges 0.49%/yr vs 0.20%/yr for ESHY.

Performance

HYG vs. ESHY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (HYG) 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

HYG

• 1D: -0.28%
• 1M: 0.36%
• YTD: 1.32%
• 6M: 1.73%
• 1Y: 6.51%
• 3Y*: 8.48%
• 5Y*: 3.77%
• 10Y*: 4.94%

ESHY

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

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

HYG vs. ESHY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)
HYG iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	0.60%
ESHY Xtrackers J.P. Morgan ESG USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	0.00%

HYG vs. ESHY - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	HYG	ESHY
Utilities	99.6%	-
Real Estate	0.4%	-
Basic Materials	-	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	100.0%
Financial Services	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Industrials	-	-
Technology	-	-

Return for Risk

HYG vs. ESHY — Risk / Return Rank

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

HYG

HYG Risk / Return Rank: 55
HYG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 49
HYG Sortino Ratio Rank: 52
HYG Omega Ratio Rank: 52
HYG Calmar Ratio Rank: 55
HYG Martin Ratio Rank: 66

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.

HYG vs. ESHY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (HYG) 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.

	HYG	ESHY	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.72	—	—
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.59	—	—
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.33	—	—
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.79	—	—
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	12.34	—	—
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

	HYG	ESHY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.72	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.50	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.60	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.46	—	—

Drawdowns

HYG vs. ESHY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum HYG drawdown since its inception was -34.25%, which is greater than ESHY's maximum drawdown of 0.00%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for HYG and ESHY.

Drawdown Indicators

	HYG	ESHY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-34.25%	0.00%	-34.25%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.34%	—	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-4.56%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-15.79%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-22.03%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.28%	0.00%	-0.28%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.24%	0.00%	-3.24%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.53%	—	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	HYG	ESHY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.21%	—	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	3.01%	—	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.81%	0.00%	+3.81%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	7.53%	0.00%	+7.53%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	8.29%	0.00%	+8.29%

HYG vs. ESHY - Expense Ratio Comparison

HYG has a 0.49% expense ratio, which is higher than ESHY's 0.20% expense ratio.

Dividends

HYG vs. ESHY - Dividend Comparison

HYG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.92%, 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%
HYG iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	5.92%	5.71%	6.01%	5.74%	5.30%	4.02%	4.88%	4.99%	5.54%	5.12%	5.27%	5.90%

Frequently Asked Questions

Which ETF is better, HYG 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, HYG or ESHY?

ESHY is cheaper with a 0.20% expense ratio, compared with 0.49% for HYG.

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

HYG has the higher dividend yield at 5.92%, compared with 0.00% for ESHY.

What is the main difference between HYG and ESHY?

HYG tracks iBoxx $ Liquid High Yield Index, while ESHY tracks JPMorgan ESG DM Corporate High Yield USD Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Deutsche Bank. Their fees differ too: 0.49% for HYG and 0.20% for ESHY.