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: 2026-04-10

BIL SPDR

State Street SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL) is an exchange-traded fund issued by SPDR 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: $51.5B ER: 0.14% Yield: 3.95% Since: May 25, 2007
JNK SPDR

State Street SPDR Bloomberg High Yield Bond ETF (JNK) is an exchange-traded fund issued by SPDR 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 6.60%. Launched in 2007, the fund has a 19-year track record.

AUM: $6.9B ER: 0.40% Yield: 6.60% Since: Nov 28, 2007

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. JNK has edged ahead over the past year (4.6% vs -0.0%). Income investors may prefer JNK for its higher yield (6.6% vs 4.0%).

Key Metrics

Metric BIL JNK
Expense Ratio 0.14% 0.40%
Dividend Yield 4.0% 6.6%
Fund Family SPDR SPDR
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 2022-07 2023-10 2025-01 2026-04
BIL +0.0%
JNK -11.4%

Performance Comparison

Period BIL JNK Difference
1 Month +0.03% +0.31% -0.28%
3 Months +0.01% -1.30% +1.31%
6 Months -0.10% -0.53% +0.43%
YTD +0.08% -0.85% +0.93%
1 Year -0.03% +4.60% -4.63%
3 Years -0.08% +4.83% -4.91%
5 Years +0.00% -11.39% +11.39%

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 -4.13 -0.86

Dividend Comparison

Metric BIL JNK
Annual Dividend (per share) $3.62 $6.37
Dividend Yield 3.95% 6.61%
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...

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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