YLD vs. BNDW
YLD (Principal Active High Yield ETF) and BNDW (Vanguard Total World Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - YLD is a High Yield Bonds fund actively managed by Principal, while BNDW is a Global Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg Global Aggregate Float Adjusted Composite Index. YLD is actively managed, while BNDW is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, YLD returned 4.66%/yr vs -0.25%/yr for BNDW. Their 0.25 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. YLD charges 0.39%/yr vs 0.05%/yr for BNDW.
Performance
YLD vs. BNDW - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, YLD achieves a 3.34% return, which is significantly higher than BNDW's -0.20% return.
YLD
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- -0.01%
- 6M
- 2.42%
- YTD
- 3.34%
- 1Y
- 5.69%
- 3Y*
- 8.40%
- 5Y*
- 4.66%
- 10Y*
- 5.58%
- ALL TIME*
- 5.33%
BNDW
- 1D
- -0.28%
- 1M
- -1.09%
- 6M
- -0.59%
- YTD
- -0.20%
- 1Y
- 1.26%
- 3Y*
- 3.97%
- 5Y*
- -0.25%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 1.72%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $6.34M | $6.07M | $7.03M | |
| $3.84M | $3.59M | $3.77M |
YLD vs. BNDW - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
YLD Principal Active High Yield ETF | 3.34% | 6.55% | 9.19% | 12.93% | -8.78% | 9.17% | 1.50% | 13.58% | -5.35% |
BNDW Vanguard Total World Bond ETF | -0.20% | 5.02% | 2.42% | 7.18% | -12.88% | -2.10% | 6.22% | 8.37% | 1.27% |
Correlation
The correlation between YLD and BNDW is 0.45, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.45 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.43 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.41 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 6, 2018 | 0.25 |
The correlation between YLD and BNDW shifts across timeframes, from 0.25 (all time) to 0.45 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
YLD vs. BNDW — Risk / Return Rank
YLD
BNDW
YLD vs. BNDW - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Principal Active High Yield ETF (YLD) and Vanguard Total World Bond ETF (BNDW). 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.
| YLD | BNDW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.73 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.16 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.23 | 1.09 | +0.14 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.86 | 0.69 | +2.17 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.79 | 1.67 | +8.11 |
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Drawdowns
YLD vs. BNDW - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum YLD drawdown since its inception was -28.34%, which is greater than BNDW's maximum drawdown of -17.22%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for YLD and BNDW.
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Drawdown Indicators
| YLD | BNDW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -28.34% | -17.22% | -11.12% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.98% | -2.70% | +0.72% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.62% | -3.57% | -2.05% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -13.89% | -16.93% | +3.04% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -28.34% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.14% | -2.14% | +2.00% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.67% | -4.90% | +2.23% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.58% | 1.11% | -0.53% |
Volatility
YLD vs. BNDW - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Principal Active High Yield ETF (YLD) is 0.77%, while Vanguard Total World Bond ETF (BNDW) has a volatility of 0.96%. This indicates that YLD experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BNDW based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| YLD | BNDW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.77% | 0.96% | -0.19% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.53% | 2.82% | +0.71% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.42% | 3.38% | +1.04% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.38% | 5.22% | +1.16% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 8.11% | 4.88% | +3.23% |
YLD vs. BNDW - Expense Ratio Comparison
YLD has a 0.39% expense ratio, which is higher than BNDW's 0.05% expense ratio.
Dividends
YLD vs. BNDW - Dividend Comparison
YLD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.28%, more than BNDW's 4.27% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BNDW Vanguard Total World Bond ETF | 3.99% | 4.12% | 3.90% | 3.73% | 2.02% | 2.58% | 1.56% | 3.05% | 1.66% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
YLD Principal Active High Yield ETF | 6.70% | 7.33% | 7.12% | 6.46% | 6.51% | 3.92% | 4.40% | 4.81% | 5.42% | 6.28% | 4.47% | 2.56% |
Frequently Asked Questions
YLD and BNDW have a correlation of 0.45, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
BNDW has higher volatility (0.96%) compared to YLD (0.77%). In terms of maximum drawdown, YLD dropped -28.34% vs BNDW's -17.22%.
On 5-year performance, YLD leads with 4.66% vs -0.25% for BNDW. On fees, BNDW is cheaper at 0.05% per year. On volatility, YLD has been the lower-risk option at 0.77%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, YLD has performed better with a 4.66% return vs -0.25%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BNDW is cheaper with a 0.05% expense ratio, compared with 0.39% for YLD.
YLD has the higher dividend yield at 6.70%, compared with 3.99% for BNDW.
YLD is categorized as High Yield Bonds, while BNDW is Global Bonds. They also come from different issuers: Principal and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.39% for YLD and 0.05% for BNDW.
YLD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.28 vs 0.55), 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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