IQHI vs. SEIX

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

IQHI (IQ MacKay ESG High Income ETF) and SEIX (Virtus Seix Senior Loan ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IQHI is a High Yield Bonds fund actively managed by IndexIQ, while SEIX is a Bank Loan fund actively managed by Virtus. Both are actively managed. Over the past 3 years, IQHI returned 7.87%/yr vs 7.15%/yr for SEIX. Their 0.24 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. IQHI charges 0.40%/yr vs 0.57%/yr for SEIX.

Performance

IQHI vs. SEIX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in IQ MacKay ESG High Income ETF (IQHI) and Virtus Seix Senior Loan ETF (SEIX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IQHI achieves a 1.80% return, which is significantly lower than SEIX's 2.94% return.

IQHI

• 1D: -0.24%
• 1M: -0.42%
• 6M: 1.14%
• YTD: 1.80%
• 1Y: 5.33%
• 3Y*: 7.87%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 8.64%

SEIX

• 1D: -0.02%
• 1M: 0.68%
• 6M: 3.10%
• YTD: 2.94%
• 1Y: 5.43%
• 3Y*: 7.15%
• 5Y*: 5.78%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 5.34%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
IQHI IQ MacKay ESG High Income ETF	$26.41K	$291.15K	$233.86K
SEIX Virtus Seix Senior Loan ETF	$1.82M	$1.54M	$1.82M

IQHI vs. SEIX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
IQHI IQ MacKay ESG High Income ETF	1.80%	8.59%	6.98%	12.40%	2.78%
SEIX Virtus Seix Senior Loan ETF	2.94%	5.10%	8.42%	12.51%	2.03%

Correlation

The correlation between IQHI and SEIX is 0.22, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.22
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.20
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 25, 2022	0.24

Return for Risk

IQHI vs. SEIX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

IQHI

IQHI Risk / Return Rank: 63
IQHI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 59
IQHI Sortino Ratio Rank: 60
IQHI Omega Ratio Rank: 62
IQHI Calmar Ratio Rank: 61
IQHI Martin Ratio Rank: 73

SEIX

SEIX Risk / Return Rank: 96
SEIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 97
SEIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 97
SEIX Omega Ratio Rank: 97
SEIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 94
SEIX Martin Ratio Rank: 94

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

IQHI vs. SEIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for IQ MacKay ESG High Income ETF (IQHI) and Virtus Seix Senior Loan ETF (SEIX). 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	IQHI	SEIX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.40	3.27	-1.87
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.05	5.18	-3.13
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.27	1.71	-0.44
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.14	4.70	-2.56
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.01	18.68	-9.67

IQHI vs. SEIX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IQHI Sharpe Ratio is 1.40, which is lower than the SEIX Sharpe Ratio of 3.27. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IQHI and SEIX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

IQHI vs. SEIX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IQHI drawdown since its inception was -4.19%, smaller than the maximum SEIX drawdown of -17.51%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IQHI and SEIX.

Drawdown Indicators

	IQHI	SEIX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-4.19%	-17.51%	+13.32%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.46%	-1.13%	-1.33%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-3.97%	-3.01%	-0.96%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-6.69%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.65%	-0.20%	-0.45%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.61%	-0.86%	+0.25%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.58%	0.28%	+0.30%

Volatility

IQHI vs. SEIX - Volatility Comparison

IQ MacKay ESG High Income ETF (IQHI) has a higher volatility of 1.03% compared to Virtus Seix Senior Loan ETF (SEIX) at 0.43%. This indicates that IQHI's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SEIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IQHI	SEIX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.03%	0.43%	+0.60%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.88%	1.33%	+1.55%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.77%	1.63%	+2.14%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	4.83%	2.92%	+1.91%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	4.83%	4.29%	+0.54%

IQHI vs. SEIX - Expense Ratio Comparison

IQHI has a 0.40% expense ratio, which is lower than SEIX's 0.57% expense ratio.

Dividends

IQHI vs. SEIX - Dividend Comparison

IQHI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.09%, more than SEIX's 7.16% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
IQHI IQ MacKay ESG High Income ETF	7.47%	7.88%	8.83%	6.92%	1.29%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
SEIX Virtus Seix Senior Loan ETF	7.16%	7.52%	8.09%	8.74%	5.76%	4.16%	3.75%	3.82%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IQHI and SEIX in my portfolio?

IQHI and SEIX have a correlation of 0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, IQHI or SEIX?

IQHI has higher volatility (1.03%) compared to SEIX (0.43%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IQHI dropped -4.19% vs SEIX's -17.51%.

Which ETF is better, IQHI or SEIX?

On 3-year performance, IQHI leads with 7.87% vs 7.15% for SEIX. On fees, IQHI is cheaper at 0.40% per year. On volatility, SEIX has been the lower-risk option at 0.43%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, IQHI or SEIX?

Over the 3-year period, IQHI has performed better with a 7.87% return vs 7.15%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, IQHI or SEIX?

IQHI is cheaper with a 0.40% expense ratio, compared with 0.57% for SEIX.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, IQHI or SEIX?

IQHI has the higher dividend yield at 7.47%, compared with 7.16% for SEIX.

What is the main difference between IQHI and SEIX?

IQHI is categorized as High Yield Bonds, while SEIX is Bank Loan. They also come from different issuers: IndexIQ and Virtus. Their fees differ too: 0.40% for IQHI and 0.57% for SEIX.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SEIX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.27 vs 1.40), 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.