ETF Versus

JNK vs SPSM

State Street SPDR Bloomberg High Yield Bond ETF vs State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

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
SPSM State Street

State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap ETF (SPSM) is an exchange-traded fund issued by State Street that provides exposure to small-cap U.S. equities with higher growth potential and volatility. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.03%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.58%. Launched in 2013, the fund has a 13-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.03% Yield: 1.58% Since: 2013-07-09

Quick Verdict

SPSM is significantly cheaper at 0.03% vs 0.40% expense ratio, saving you approximately $727 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Over the past year, SPSM has significantly outperformed with a 17.2% return vs 0.6%. Income investors may prefer JNK for its higher yield (6.7% vs 1.6%).

Key Metrics

Metric JNK SPSM
Expense Ratio 0.40% 0.03%
Dividend Yield 6.7% 1.6%
Fund Family State Street State Street
Category US High Yield Bond US Small Cap

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

80 88 96 104 112 120 2021-04 2022-06 2023-10 2024-12 2026-04
JNK -12.0%
SPSM +12.9%

Performance Comparison

Period JNK SPSM Difference
1 Month -0.76% -3.44% +2.68%
3 Months -1.55% +2.81% -4.36%
6 Months -1.81% +4.13% -5.94%
YTD -1.55% +2.81% -4.36%
1 Year +0.56% +17.18% -16.62%
3 Years +3.73% +28.75% -25.02%
5 Years -11.96% +12.94% -24.90%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period JNK Fees SPSM Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $786 $60 $727
$10,000 20 years $3,334 $258 $3,075
$10,000 30 years $10,601 $835 $9,765
$50,000 10 years $3,932 $299 $3,633
$50,000 30 years $53,003 $4,176 $48,827
$100,000 30 years $106,005 $8,352 $97,653

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric JNK SPSM
Annualized Volatility 7.7% 21.5%
Max Drawdown -20.6% -28.7%
Sharpe Ratio -0.88 0.01

Dividend Comparison

Metric JNK SPSM
Annual Dividend (per share) $6.37 $0.77
Dividend Yield 6.66% 1.58%
Distribution Frequency Monthly Quarterly

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose SPSM if...

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

Choose SPSM if...

recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.

Choose JNK if...

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

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