NJNK vs. USHY

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

NJNK (Columbia U.S. High Yield ETF) and USHY (iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF) are both High Yield Bonds funds. NJNK is actively managed, while USHY is passively managed. Over the past year, NJNK returned 6.93% vs 7.02% for USHY. Their correlation of 0.89 suggests significant overlap in exposure. NJNK charges 0.46%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for USHY.

Performance

NJNK vs. USHY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Columbia U.S. High Yield ETF (NJNK) and iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (USHY). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NJNK achieves a 1.32% return, which is significantly lower than USHY's 1.42% return.

NJNK

• 1D: -0.32%
• 1M: 0.28%
• YTD: 1.32%
• 6M: 1.46%
• 1Y: 6.93%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

USHY

• 1D: -0.27%
• 1M: 0.40%
• YTD: 1.42%
• 6M: 1.77%
• 1Y: 7.02%
• 3Y*: 8.91%
• 5Y*: 4.24%
• 10Y*: —

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

NJNK vs. USHY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
NJNK Columbia U.S. High Yield ETF	1.32%	9.03%	0.62%
USHY iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	1.42%	8.81%	1.20%

Correlation

The correlation between NJNK and USHY is 0.85, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.85
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 6, 2024	0.89

The correlation between NJNK and USHY has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.85 to 0.89 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

NJNK vs. USHY — Risk / Return Rank

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

NJNK

NJNK Risk / Return Rank: 56
NJNK Sharpe Ratio Rank: 51
NJNK Sortino Ratio Rank: 56
NJNK Omega Ratio Rank: 54
NJNK Calmar Ratio Rank: 55
NJNK Martin Ratio Rank: 62

USHY

USHY Risk / Return Rank: 60
USHY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 55
USHY Sortino Ratio Rank: 61
USHY Omega Ratio Rank: 60
USHY Calmar Ratio Rank: 58
USHY Martin Ratio Rank: 69

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.

NJNK vs. USHY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Columbia U.S. High Yield ETF (NJNK) and iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (USHY). 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.

	NJNK	USHY	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.74	1.93	-0.19
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.64	2.91	-0.27
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.33	1.37	-0.04
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.64	2.90	-0.26
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	10.97	13.03	-2.05
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

NJNK vs. USHY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NJNK Sharpe Ratio is 1.74, which is comparable to the USHY Sharpe Ratio of 1.93. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NJNK and USHY, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	NJNK	USHY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.74	1.93	-0.19
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.58	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.31	0.58	+0.73

Drawdowns

NJNK vs. USHY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NJNK drawdown since its inception was -4.48%, smaller than the maximum USHY drawdown of -22.44%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NJNK and USHY.

Drawdown Indicators

	NJNK	USHY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-4.48%	-22.44%	+17.96%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.63%	-2.43%	-0.20%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-4.66%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-15.56%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.32%	-0.27%	-0.05%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.50%	-2.67%	+2.17%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.63%	0.54%	+0.09%

Volatility

NJNK vs. USHY - Volatility Comparison

Columbia U.S. High Yield ETF (NJNK) has a higher volatility of 1.42% compared to iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (USHY) at 1.13%. This indicates that NJNK's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than USHY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NJNK	USHY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.42%	1.13%	+0.29%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	3.10%	2.91%	+0.19%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.00%	3.65%	+0.35%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	4.80%	7.34%	-2.54%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	4.80%	8.25%	-3.45%

NJNK vs. USHY - Expense Ratio Comparison

NJNK has a 0.46% expense ratio, which is higher than USHY's 0.15% expense ratio.

Dividends

NJNK vs. USHY - Dividend Comparison

NJNK's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.44%, less than USHY's 6.92% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
NJNK Columbia U.S. High Yield ETF	6.44%	6.34%	2.05%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
USHY iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	6.92%	6.79%	6.89%	6.63%	6.08%	5.07%	5.30%	5.92%	6.30%	0.73%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NJNK and USHY in my portfolio?

NJNK and USHY have a correlation of 0.85, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, NJNK or USHY?

NJNK has higher volatility (1.42%) compared to USHY (1.13%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NJNK dropped -4.48% vs USHY's -22.44%.

Which ETF is better, NJNK or USHY?

On 1-year performance, USHY leads with 7.02% vs 6.93% for NJNK. On fees, USHY is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, USHY has been the lower-risk option at 1.13%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, NJNK or USHY?

Over the 1-year period, USHY has performed better with a 7.02% return vs 6.93%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, NJNK or USHY?

USHY is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.46% for NJNK.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, NJNK or USHY?

USHY has the higher dividend yield at 6.92%, compared with 6.44% for NJNK.

What is the main difference between NJNK and USHY?

They also come from different issuers: Columbia and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.46% for NJNK and 0.15% for USHY.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

USHY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.93 vs 1.74), 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.