ETF Versus

BIL vs JNK

State Street SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF vs State Street SPDR Bloomberg High Yield Bond ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

BIL State Street

State Street SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL) is an exchange-traded fund issued by State Street that provides exposure to short-duration U.S. Treasury bonds with low interest rate risk. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.14%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.95%. Launched in 2007, the fund has a 19-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.14% Yield: 3.95% Since: 2007-05-30
JNK State Street

State Street SPDR Bloomberg High Yield Bond ETF (JNK) is an exchange-traded fund issued by State Street that provides exposure to below-investment-grade U.S. corporate bonds offering higher yields. It charges an above-average expense ratio of 0.40%. The fund offers a high dividend yield of 6.66%. Launched in 2007, the fund has a 19-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.40% Yield: 6.66% Since: 2007-12-04

Quick Verdict

BIL is significantly cheaper at 0.14% vs 0.40% expense ratio, saving you approximately $508 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Both funds have delivered similar 1-year returns (-0.0% vs 0.6%), tracking closely. Income investors may prefer JNK for its higher yield (6.7% vs 4.0%).

Key Metrics

Metric BIL JNK
Expense Ratio 0.14% 0.40%
Dividend Yield 4.0% 6.7%
Fund Family State Street State Street
Category US Short-Term Treasury US High Yield Bond

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

80 85 90 95 100 105 2021-04 2022-06 2023-10 2024-12 2026-04
BIL -0.1%
JNK -12.0%

Performance Comparison

Period BIL JNK Difference
1 Month +0.03% -0.76% +0.79%
3 Months +0.01% -1.55% +1.56%
6 Months -0.09% -1.81% +1.72%
YTD +0.01% -1.55% +1.56%
1 Year -0.01% +0.56% -0.57%
3 Years -0.04% +3.73% -3.77%
5 Years -0.08% -11.96% +11.88%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period BIL Fees JNK Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $278 $786 $508
$10,000 20 years $1,194 $3,334 $2,140
$10,000 30 years $3,841 $10,601 $6,760
$50,000 10 years $1,391 $3,932 $2,541
$50,000 30 years $19,203 $53,003 $33,800
$100,000 30 years $38,406 $106,005 $67,599

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric BIL JNK
Annualized Volatility 1.1% 7.7%
Max Drawdown -0.7% -20.6%
Sharpe Ratio -4.14 -0.88

Dividend Comparison

Metric BIL JNK
Annual Dividend (per share) $3.62 $6.37
Dividend Yield 3.95% 6.66%
Distribution Frequency Monthly Monthly

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose BIL if...

you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.

Choose JNK if...

you prioritize dividend income and want higher regular distributions from your portfolio.

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