IBHJ vs. FTSL
IBHJ (iShares iBonds 2030 Term High Yield and Income ETF) and FTSL (First Trust Senior Loan Fund) are both High Yield Bonds funds. IBHJ is passively managed, while FTSL is actively managed. Over the past year, IBHJ returned 7.29% vs 4.53% for FTSL. A 0.50 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. IBHJ charges 0.35%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for FTSL.
Performance
IBHJ vs. FTSL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IBHJ achieves a 1.50% return, which is significantly higher than FTSL's 0.62% return.
IBHJ
- 1D
- -0.34%
- 1M
- 0.50%
- YTD
- 1.50%
- 6M
- 2.06%
- 1Y
- 7.29%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
FTSL
- 1D
- -0.02%
- 1M
- 0.20%
- YTD
- 0.62%
- 6M
- 0.99%
- 1Y
- 4.53%
- 3Y*
- 7.34%
- 5Y*
- 5.02%
- 10Y*
- 4.45%
IBHJ vs. FTSL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
IBHJ iShares iBonds 2030 Term High Yield and Income ETF | 1.50% | 9.28% | 7.32% | 8.37% |
FTSL First Trust Senior Loan Fund | 0.62% | 5.98% | 8.27% | 6.49% |
Correlation
The correlation between IBHJ and FTSL is 0.48, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.48 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 26, 2023 | 0.50 |
The correlation between IBHJ and FTSL has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.48 to 0.50 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
IBHJ vs. FTSL — Risk / Return Rank
IBHJ
FTSL
IBHJ vs. FTSL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares iBonds 2030 Term High Yield and Income ETF (IBHJ) and First Trust Senior Loan Fund (FTSL). 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.
| IBHJ | FTSL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.36 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.70 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.34 | 1.51 | -0.16 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.98 | 1.95 | +1.03 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 13.41 | 7.25 | +6.16 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| IBHJ | FTSL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.80 | 2.15 | -0.36 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | — | 1.50 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.86 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.53 | 0.85 | +0.68 |
Drawdowns
IBHJ vs. FTSL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IBHJ drawdown since its inception was -4.93%, smaller than the maximum FTSL drawdown of -22.67%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IBHJ and FTSL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IBHJ | FTSL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -4.93% | -22.67% | +17.74% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.46% | -2.33% | -0.13% |
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 DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.39% | -0.03% | -0.36% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.62% | -0.76% | +0.14% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.54% | 0.63% | -0.09% |
Volatility
IBHJ vs. FTSL - Volatility Comparison
iShares iBonds 2030 Term High Yield and Income ETF (IBHJ) has a higher volatility of 1.09% compared to First Trust Senior Loan Fund (FTSL) at 0.36%. This indicates that IBHJ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FTSL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IBHJ | FTSL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.09% | 0.36% | +0.73% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.20% | 1.95% | +1.25% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.07% | 2.11% | +1.96% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.95% | 3.35% | +2.60% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.95% | 5.19% | +0.76% |
IBHJ vs. FTSL - Expense Ratio Comparison
IBHJ has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is lower than FTSL's 0.86% expense ratio.
Dividends
IBHJ vs. FTSL - Dividend Comparison
IBHJ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.68%, more than FTSL's 6.46% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
IBHJ iShares iBonds 2030 Term High Yield and Income ETF | 6.68% | 6.64% | 6.87% | 3.66% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IBHJ and FTSL have a correlation of 0.48, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IBHJ has higher volatility (1.09%) compared to FTSL (0.36%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IBHJ dropped -4.93% vs FTSL's -22.67%.
On 1-year performance, IBHJ leads with 7.29% vs 4.53% for FTSL. On fees, IBHJ is cheaper at 0.35% per year. On volatility, FTSL has been the lower-risk option at 0.36%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, IBHJ has performed better with a 7.29% return vs 4.53%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IBHJ is cheaper with a 0.35% expense ratio, compared with 0.86% for FTSL.
IBHJ has the higher dividend yield at 6.68%, compared with 6.46% for FTSL.
They also come from different issuers: iShares and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.35% for IBHJ and 0.86% for FTSL.
FTSL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.15 vs 1.80), 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.
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