SPHY vs. PFRL

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

SPHY (SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF) and PFRL (PGIM Floating Rate Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SPHY is a High Yield Bonds fund tracking the ICE BofA US High Yield Index, while PFRL is a Bank Loan fund actively managed by PGIM. SPHY is passively managed, while PFRL is actively managed. Over the past 3 years, SPHY returned 8.78%/yr vs 8.62%/yr for PFRL. At a 0.40 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SPHY charges 0.05%/yr vs 0.72%/yr for PFRL.

Performance

SPHY vs. PFRL - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF (SPHY) and PGIM Floating Rate Income ETF (PFRL). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SPHY achieves a 1.32% return, which is significantly lower than PFRL's 1.96% return.

SPHY

• 1D: 0.09%
• 1M: -0.18%
• YTD: 1.32%
• 6M: 1.93%
• 1Y: 6.98%
• 3Y*: 8.78%
• 5Y*: 4.29%
• 10Y*: 5.03%

PFRL

• 1D: 0.01%
• 1M: 0.48%
• YTD: 1.96%
• 6M: 2.68%
• 1Y: 6.12%
• 3Y*: 8.62%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

SPHY vs. PFRL - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
SPHY SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF	1.32%	8.59%	8.54%	12.81%	-0.84%
PFRL PGIM Floating Rate Income ETF	1.96%	6.25%	9.40%	13.75%	1.27%

Correlation

The correlation between SPHY and PFRL is 0.35, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.35
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.40
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 25, 2022	0.40

SPHY vs. PFRL - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	SPHY	PFRL
Financial Services	99.9%	-
Energy	0.1%	11.9%
Basic Materials	-	-
Communication Services	-	88.1%
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Industrials	-	97.9%
Real Estate	-	-
Technology	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

SPHY vs. PFRL — Risk / Return Rank

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

SPHY

SPHY Risk / Return Rank: 69
SPHY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 63
SPHY Sortino Ratio Rank: 70
SPHY Omega Ratio Rank: 70
SPHY Calmar Ratio Rank: 64
SPHY Martin Ratio Rank: 76

PFRL

PFRL Risk / Return Rank: 92
PFRL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 94
PFRL Sortino Ratio Rank: 94
PFRL Omega Ratio Rank: 95
PFRL Calmar Ratio Rank: 89
PFRL Martin Ratio Rank: 87

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.

SPHY vs. PFRL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF (SPHY) and PGIM Floating Rate Income ETF (PFRL). 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.

	SPHY	PFRL	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.90	3.19	-1.29
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.88	4.59	-1.71
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.38	1.69	-0.31
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.90	4.90	-1.99
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	13.14	16.66	-3.53
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SPHY vs. PFRL - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SPHY Sharpe Ratio is 1.90, which is lower than the PFRL Sharpe Ratio of 3.19. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SPHY and PFRL, 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

	SPHY	PFRL	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.90	3.19	-1.29
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.60	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.64	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.63	1.66	-1.03

Drawdowns

SPHY vs. PFRL - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SPHY drawdown since its inception was -21.97%, which is greater than PFRL's maximum drawdown of -8.83%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SPHY and PFRL.

Drawdown Indicators

	SPHY	PFRL	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-21.97%	-8.83%	-13.14%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.41%	-1.25%	-1.16%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-4.85%	-8.83%	+3.98%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-15.29%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-21.97%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.44%	-0.05%	-0.39%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.29%	-0.44%	-1.85%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.53%	0.37%	+0.16%

Volatility

SPHY vs. PFRL - Volatility Comparison

SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF (SPHY) has a higher volatility of 1.10% compared to PGIM Floating Rate Income ETF (PFRL) at 0.42%. This indicates that SPHY's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PFRL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SPHY	PFRL	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.10%	0.42%	+0.68%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.94%	1.58%	+1.36%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.69%	1.93%	+1.76%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	7.18%	4.85%	+2.33%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	7.88%	4.85%	+3.03%

SPHY vs. PFRL - Expense Ratio Comparison

SPHY has a 0.05% expense ratio, which is lower than PFRL's 0.72% expense ratio.

Dividends

SPHY vs. PFRL - Dividend Comparison

SPHY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.28%, more than PFRL's 6.83% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PFRL PGIM Floating Rate Income ETF	6.83%	7.34%	8.96%	9.84%	3.55%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
SPHY SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF	7.28%	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

Can I hold both SPHY and PFRL in my portfolio?

SPHY and PFRL have a correlation of 0.35, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, SPHY or PFRL?

SPHY has higher volatility (1.10%) compared to PFRL (0.42%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SPHY dropped -21.97% vs PFRL's -8.83%.

Which ETF is better, SPHY or PFRL?

On 3-year performance, SPHY leads with 8.78% vs 8.62% for PFRL. On fees, SPHY is cheaper at 0.05% per year. On volatility, PFRL has been the lower-risk option at 0.42%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, SPHY or PFRL?

Over the 3-year period, SPHY has performed better with a 8.78% return vs 8.62%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, SPHY or PFRL?

SPHY is cheaper with a 0.05% expense ratio, compared with 0.72% for PFRL.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, SPHY or PFRL?

SPHY has the higher dividend yield at 7.28%, compared with 6.83% for PFRL.

What is the main difference between SPHY and PFRL?

SPHY is categorized as High Yield Bonds, while PFRL is Bank Loan. They also come from different issuers: State Street and PGIM. Their fees differ too: 0.05% for SPHY and 0.72% for PFRL.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PFRL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.19 vs 1.90), 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.