LQDB vs. SPHY
LQDB (iShares BBB Rated Corporate Bond ETF) and SPHY (SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - LQDB is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the iBoxx USD Liquid Investment Grade BBB 0+ Index , while SPHY is a High Yield Bonds fund tracking the ICE BofA US High Yield Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, LQDB returned 0.84%/yr vs 4.39%/yr for SPHY. A 0.62 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. LQDB charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.05%/yr for SPHY.
Performance
LQDB vs. SPHY - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, LQDB achieves a 0.77% return, which is significantly lower than SPHY's 1.54% return.
LQDB
- 1D
- -0.18%
- 1M
- 0.58%
- YTD
- 0.77%
- 6M
- 0.56%
- 1Y
- 5.96%
- 3Y*
- 5.59%
- 5Y*
- 0.84%
- 10Y*
- —
SPHY
- 1D
- -0.21%
- 1M
- 0.42%
- YTD
- 1.54%
- 6M
- 1.93%
- 1Y
- 7.16%
- 3Y*
- 8.97%
- 5Y*
- 4.39%
- 10Y*
- 5.15%
LQDB vs. SPHY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LQDB iShares BBB Rated Corporate Bond ETF | 0.77% | 7.50% | 2.37% | 9.60% | -15.51% | 2.35% |
SPHY SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF | 1.54% | 8.59% | 8.54% | 12.81% | -10.57% | 3.46% |
Correlation
The correlation between LQDB and SPHY is 0.68, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.68 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.71 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.62 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 21, 2021 | 0.62 |
The correlation between LQDB and SPHY has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.62 to 0.71 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
LQDB vs. SPHY — Risk / Return Rank
LQDB
SPHY
LQDB vs. SPHY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares BBB Rated Corporate Bond ETF (LQDB) and SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF (SPHY). 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.
| LQDB | SPHY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.49 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.82 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.26 | 1.39 | -0.13 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.24 | 2.98 | -0.74 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.94 | 13.52 | -6.57 |
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
| LQDB | SPHY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.47 | 1.96 | -0.49 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.12 | 0.62 | -0.49 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.65 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.15 | 0.64 | -0.49 |
Drawdowns
LQDB vs. SPHY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum LQDB drawdown since its inception was -21.63%, roughly equal to the maximum SPHY drawdown of -21.97%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LQDB and SPHY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| LQDB | SPHY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -21.63% | -21.97% | +0.34% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.67% | -2.41% | -0.26% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.90% | -4.85% | -1.05% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.63% | -15.29% | -6.34% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -21.97% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.83% | -0.22% | -0.61% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.93% | -2.29% | -5.64% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.86% | 0.53% | +0.33% |
Volatility
LQDB vs. SPHY - Volatility Comparison
iShares BBB Rated Corporate Bond ETF (LQDB) has a higher volatility of 1.31% compared to SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF (SPHY) at 1.14%. This indicates that LQDB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPHY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| LQDB | SPHY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.31% | 1.14% | +0.17% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.08% | 2.91% | +0.17% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.07% | 3.68% | +0.39% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.87% | 7.17% | -0.30% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 6.85% | 7.89% | -1.04% |
LQDB vs. SPHY - Expense Ratio Comparison
LQDB has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is higher than SPHY's 0.05% 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
LQDB vs. SPHY - Dividend Comparison
LQDB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.70%, less than SPHY's 7.27% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LQDB iShares BBB Rated Corporate Bond ETF | 4.70% | 4.65% | 4.46% | 3.90% | 4.14% | 1.32% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
SPHY SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF | 7.27% | 7.38% | 7.80% | 7.30% | 6.47% | 5.13% | 5.63% | 5.73% | 4.09% | 4.41% | 4.27% | 4.29% |
Frequently Asked Questions
LQDB and SPHY have a correlation of 0.68, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
LQDB has higher volatility (1.31%) compared to SPHY (1.14%). In terms of maximum drawdown, LQDB dropped -21.63% vs SPHY's -21.97%.
On 5-year performance, SPHY leads with 4.39% vs 0.84% for LQDB. On fees, SPHY is cheaper at 0.05% per year. On volatility, SPHY has been the lower-risk option at 1.14%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, SPHY has performed better with a 4.39% return vs 0.84%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SPHY is cheaper with a 0.05% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for LQDB.
SPHY has the higher dividend yield at 7.27%, compared with 4.70% for LQDB.
LQDB is categorized as Corporate Bonds, while SPHY is High Yield Bonds. LQDB tracks iBoxx USD Liquid Investment Grade BBB 0+ Index , while SPHY tracks ICE BofA US High Yield Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for LQDB and 0.05% for SPHY.
SPHY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.96 vs 1.47), 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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