ETF Versus

JNK vs XLB

State Street SPDR Bloomberg High Yield Bond ETF vs State Street Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-10

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
XLB SPDR

State Street Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLB) is an exchange-traded fund issued by SPDR that provides exposure to us sector - materials securities. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.08%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.68%. Launched in 1998, the fund has a 28-year track record.

AUM: $7.0B ER: 0.08% Yield: 1.68% Since: Dec 16, 1998

Quick Verdict

XLB is significantly cheaper at 0.08% vs 0.40% expense ratio, saving you approximately $627 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Over the past year, XLB has significantly outperformed with a 32.9% return vs 4.6%. Income investors may prefer JNK for its higher yield (6.6% vs 1.7%).

Key Metrics

Metric JNK XLB
Expense Ratio 0.40% 0.08%
Dividend Yield 6.6% 1.7%
Fund Family SPDR SPDR
Category US High Yield Bond US Sector - Materials

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

80 91 102 113 124 135 2021-04 2022-07 2023-10 2025-01 2026-04
JNK -11.4%
XLB +29.3%

Performance Comparison

Period JNK XLB Difference
1 Month +0.31% +4.22% -3.91%
3 Months -1.30% +7.06% -8.36%
6 Months -0.53% +17.75% -18.28%
YTD -0.85% +12.63% -13.48%
1 Year +4.60% +32.89% -28.29%
3 Years +4.83% +28.85% -24.02%
5 Years -11.39% +29.33% -40.72%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period JNK Fees XLB Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $786 $159 $627
$10,000 20 years $3,334 $686 $2,648
$10,000 30 years $10,601 $2,212 $8,388
$50,000 10 years $3,932 $797 $3,135
$50,000 30 years $53,003 $11,061 $41,941
$100,000 30 years $106,005 $22,123 $83,882

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric JNK XLB
Annualized Volatility 7.7% 18.9%
Max Drawdown -20.6% -25.7%
Sharpe Ratio -0.86 0.13

Dividend Comparison

Metric JNK XLB
Annual Dividend (per share) $6.37 $0.87
Dividend Yield 6.61% 1.68%
Distribution Frequency Monthly Quarterly

Top Holdings

XLB Top Holdings

NameWeight
Linde plcLIN14.06%
Newmont CorporationNEM7.76%
Freeport-McMoRan Inc.FCX5.63%
CRH plcCRH4.72%
Vulcan Materials CompanyVMC4.68%
The Sherwin-Williams CompanySHW4.66%
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.APD4.60%
Corteva, Inc.CTVA4.60%
Nucor CorporationNUE4.57%
Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.MLM4.50%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose XLB if...

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

Choose XLB 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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