XBB vs. IBHE

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

XBB (BondBloxx BB Rated USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF) and IBHE (iShares iBonds 2025 Term High Yield & Income ETF) are both High Yield Bonds funds - XBB tracks the ICE BofA BB US Cash Pay High Yield Constrained Index while IBHE tracks the Bloomberg 2025 Term High Yield and Income Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, XBB returned 7.84%/yr vs 5.99%/yr for IBHE. A 0.57 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. XBB charges 0.20%/yr vs 0.35%/yr for IBHE.

Performance

XBB vs. IBHE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in BondBloxx BB Rated USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (XBB) and iShares iBonds 2025 Term High Yield & Income ETF (IBHE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

XBB

• 1D: 0.21%
• 1M: 0.46%
• YTD: 1.53%
• 6M: 1.76%
• 1Y: 6.37%
• 3Y*: 7.84%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

IBHE

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.00%
• YTD: 0.00%
• 6M: 0.13%
• 1Y: 2.05%
• 3Y*: 5.99%
• 5Y*: 3.89%
• 10Y*: —

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

XBB vs. IBHE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
XBB BondBloxx BB Rated USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	1.53%	8.59%	6.41%	10.63%	-3.77%
IBHE iShares iBonds 2025 Term High Yield & Income ETF	0.00%	4.45%	7.62%	10.32%	-0.62%

Correlation

The correlation between XBB and IBHE is 0.02, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.02
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.38
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 27, 2022	0.57

Over the past year, the correlation between XBB and IBHE has dropped to 0.02 - well below their long-term average of 0.57, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

XBB vs. IBHE - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	XBB	IBHE
Consumer Cyclical	12.4%	-
Industrials	9.2%	-
Communication Services	8.7%	-
Healthcare	6.9%	-
Energy	6.3%	-
Financial Services	6.2%	-
Technology	4.4%	-
Real Estate	4.4%	100.0%
Basic Materials	3.3%	-
Utilities	2.8%	-
Consumer Defensive	2.6%	-

Return for Risk

XBB vs. IBHE — Risk / Return Rank

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

XBB

XBB Risk / Return Rank: 50
XBB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 48
XBB Sortino Ratio Rank: 50
XBB Omega Ratio Rank: 50
XBB Calmar Ratio Rank: 48
XBB Martin Ratio Rank: 55

IBHE

IBHE Risk / Return Rank: 97
IBHE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 92
IBHE Sortino Ratio Rank: 96
IBHE Omega Ratio Rank: 98
IBHE Calmar Ratio Rank: 99
IBHE Martin Ratio Rank: 99

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.

XBB vs. IBHE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BondBloxx BB Rated USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (XBB) and iShares iBonds 2025 Term High Yield & Income ETF (IBHE). 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.

	XBB	IBHE	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.64	3.31	-1.68
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.41	5.62	-3.21
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.31	2.06	-0.75
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.28	22.58	-20.30
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.49	88.89	-79.40
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XBB vs. IBHE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XBB Sharpe Ratio is 1.64, which is lower than the IBHE Sharpe Ratio of 3.31. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XBB and IBHE, 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

	XBB	IBHE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.64	3.31	-1.68
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.83	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.81	0.41	+0.40

Drawdowns

XBB vs. IBHE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XBB drawdown since its inception was -8.87%, smaller than the maximum IBHE drawdown of -26.91%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XBB and IBHE.

Drawdown Indicators

	XBB	IBHE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-8.87%	-26.91%	+18.04%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.80%	-0.11%	-2.69%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-3.86%	-0.94%	-2.92%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-8.51%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.20%	0.00%	-0.20%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.33%	-1.42%	+0.09%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.67%	0.05%	+0.62%

Volatility

XBB vs. IBHE - Volatility Comparison

BondBloxx BB Rated USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (XBB) has a higher volatility of 1.25% compared to iShares iBonds 2025 Term High Yield & Income ETF (IBHE) at 0.00%. This indicates that XBB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IBHE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XBB	IBHE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.25%	0.00%	+1.25%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.81%	0.39%	+2.42%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.92%	0.78%	+3.14%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	7.08%	4.87%	+2.21%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	7.08%	11.52%	-4.44%

XBB vs. IBHE - Expense Ratio Comparison

XBB has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is lower than IBHE's 0.35% expense ratio.

Dividends

XBB vs. IBHE - Dividend Comparison

XBB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.55%, more than IBHE's 2.29% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
IBHE iShares iBonds 2025 Term High Yield & Income ETF	2.29%	4.53%	6.92%	7.17%	5.77%	4.84%	5.74%	3.73%
XBB BondBloxx BB Rated USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	5.55%	5.42%	6.35%	6.15%	3.73%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XBB and IBHE in my portfolio?

XBB and IBHE have a correlation of 0.02, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, XBB or IBHE?

XBB has higher volatility (1.25%) compared to IBHE (0.00%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XBB dropped -8.87% vs IBHE's -26.91%.

Which ETF is better, XBB or IBHE?

On 3-year performance, XBB leads with 7.84% vs 5.99% for IBHE. On fees, XBB is cheaper at 0.20% per year. On volatility, IBHE has been the lower-risk option at 0.00%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, XBB or IBHE?

Over the 3-year period, XBB has performed better with a 7.84% return vs 5.99%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, XBB or IBHE?

XBB is cheaper with a 0.20% expense ratio, compared with 0.35% for IBHE.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, XBB or IBHE?

XBB has the higher dividend yield at 5.55%, compared with 2.29% for IBHE.

What is the main difference between XBB and IBHE?

XBB tracks ICE BofA BB US Cash Pay High Yield Constrained Index, while IBHE tracks Bloomberg 2025 Term High Yield and Income Index. They also come from different issuers: BondBloxx and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.20% for XBB and 0.35% for IBHE.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

IBHE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.31 vs 1.64), 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.