ETF Versus

HYG vs IEF

iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF vs iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

HYG iShares

iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (HYG) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to below-investment-grade U.S. corporate bonds offering higher yields. It charges an above-average expense ratio of 0.49%. The fund offers a high dividend yield of 5.88%. Launched in 2007, the fund has a 19-year track record.

AUM: $16.3B ER: 0.49% Yield: 5.88% Since: Apr 4, 2007
IEF iShares

iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to intermediate-term U.S. Treasury bonds. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.15%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.84%. Launched in 2002, the fund has a 24-year track record.

AUM: $48.0B ER: 0.15% Yield: 3.84% Since: Jul 22, 2002

Quick Verdict

IEF is significantly cheaper at 0.15% vs 0.49% expense ratio, saving you approximately $662 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. HYG has edged ahead over the past year (0.9% vs -0.4%). Income investors may prefer HYG for its higher yield (5.9% vs 3.8%).

Key Metrics

Metric HYG IEF
Expense Ratio 0.49% 0.15%
Dividend Yield 5.9% 3.8%
Fund Family iShares iShares
Category US High Yield Bond US Intermediate Treasury

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

75 81 87 93 99 105 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
HYG -8.9%
IEF -15.9%

Performance Comparison

Period HYG IEF Difference
1 Month -1.13% -2.14% +1.01%
3 Months -1.61% -1.08% -0.53%
6 Months -1.82% -1.41% -0.41%
YTD -1.61% -1.08% -0.53%
1 Year +0.86% -0.38% +1.24%
3 Years +5.62% -4.38% +10.00%
5 Years -8.89% -15.92% +7.03%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period HYG Fees IEF Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $960 $298 $662
$10.000 20 years $4.052 $1.278 $2.774
$10.000 30 years $12.832 $4.109 $8.723
$50.000 10 years $4.799 $1.490 $3.309
$50.000 30 years $64.162 $20.547 $43.615
$100.000 30 years $128.324 $41.094 $87.229

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric HYG IEF
Annualized Volatility 7.6% 7.7%
Max Drawdown -19.3% -24.7%
Sharpe Ratio -0.80 -1.00

Dividend Comparison

Metric HYG IEF
Annual Dividend (per share) $4.67 $3.65
Dividend Yield 5.88% 3.84%
Distribution Frequency Monthly Monthly

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose IEF if...

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

Choose HYG if...

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

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