iShares 1-5 Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF

IGSB

Market cap $22.5B

IGSB offers nearly twice the dividend yield of SMB, but comes with more risk. Both ETFs focus on investing in bonds with short maturity spans.

IGSB charges a slightly higher expense ratio but delivers a marginally higher yield than SCHO. IGSB holds a vastly broader set of investment-grade corporate bonds, while SCHO focuses on short-term Treasuries.

VCSH costs slightly less and offers a marginally higher dividend yield than IGSB IGSB holds thousands more bonds than VCSH, and has a much lower beta. Both ETFs have nearly identical five-year drawdowns and similar recent total returns These 10 Stocks Could Mint the Next Wave of Millionaires ›

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Costs are nearly identical, but iShares 1-5 Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF offers a slightly higher yield than Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF Both ETFs delivered the same 1-year return and nearly identical risk profiles, with minimal drawdowns over five years VCSH uses a sampling approach that reports fewer line items, while IGSB fully replicates the index and lists more individual bonds, resulting in wider reported holdings. Both remain broadly diversified These 10 Stocks Could Mint the Next Wave of Millionaires ›

iShares 1-5 Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF faces moderate duration risk associated with rising credit spreads amid a shaky jobs market. On the other hand, there are the benefits of recent and expected Fed rate cuts; inflation expectations remain elevated, but PPI and retail data show cooling. Given recession and unemployment risks for the growth mandate and limited inflation up the pipe given PPI and growth concerns as well, duration isn't crazy at the moment.

IGSB offers broader diversification, with almost double the number of holdings as VCSH. Both ETFs deliver similar yields and nearly identical recent returns, but IGSB's expense ratio is just slightly higher.

Sovereign risks are evident and corporate earnings have impressed. However, these are known factors – it's time to look ahead. We remain bearish high yield credit, with the spread between high yield-to-investment grade narrowing toward the -1 sigma boundary. Fundamentals in high yield credit have probably struck an inflection point. Investment grade fundamentals seem better-off. However, credit spreads are exceptionally narrow.

IGSB's current yield reflects its credit risk, and the credit premium is already priced in, so the question is the tactical moment, also with CPI releases coming today. Employment data and labor market pressures are becoming central to the rate cut narrative as inflation looks more reasonable and the growth mandate becomes emphasised. The macro relationship between employment and credit spreads suggests an ambiguous picture despite duration benefit from possibly lower baseline rates.

Advisors don't want to take on much interest rate risk. But many are willing to take on some credit risk.