Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
HYG vs IBB: how they differ
HYG is a bond index fund and IBB an equity index fund, and over the year IBB returned more, +41.5% against +2.9%.
iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF and iShares Biotechnology ETF.
| HYG iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | IBB iShares Biotechnology ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | iShares |
| What it is | US high yield bonds | Biotechnology |
| Total return, 1 year | +2.9% | +41.5% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | −14.6 pts | +24.0 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.49% | 0.44% |
| Holdings | not filed | 248 |
HYG in plain words
HYG is a bond fund tracking the US high yield bonds. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +2.9% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.49% a year.
IBB in plain words
IBB is an index equity fund tracking the Biotechnology. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +41.5% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.44% a year. By its holdings filed for Jun 30, 2026, 36% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 248 positions, with the top ten at 44.8%. It sat 6.5% below its high of Aug 19, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, HYG or IBB?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, HYG returned +2.9% and IBB returned +41.5%, so IBB returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, HYG or IBB?
- HYG charges 0.49% a year and IBB charges 0.44%, so IBB is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
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Where these figures came from
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, HYG against IBB, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/HYG-IBB Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources