HISF vs VGMS: Grades, Fees and Holdings Compared

First Trust High Income Strategic Focus ETF

HISFCNasdaq

Vanguard Multi-Sector Income Bond ETF

VGMSACboe

Overlap

0.0%by weight

Expense ratio

VGMS −0.53pt a year

HISF0.83%VGMS0.30%

Avg volume · 30D

VGMS 7.0×the volume

HISF11.8KVGMS82.8K

HISF vs VGMS Performance

Nov 7, 2025 – Nov 9, 2026

+0.7%HISF+2.3%VGMS

Expense ratio: HISF 0.83%; VGMS 0.30%, better
Fund size: HISF $91M; VGMS $298M
1Y total return: HISF +0.7%; VGMS +2.3%, better
Yield (12M): HISF 5.21%; VGMS 5.54%, better
Holdings: HISF 12; VGMS 1200
Avg volume (30D): HISF 11.8K sh; VGMS 82.8K sh, better
NAV per share: HISF $43.13; VGMS $49.71
52W range

ETF.net Grade

Pillar letters and Scores for HISF, VGMS, with each pillar’s weight
Pillar	HISF	VGMS
Cost30% weight	F21	A100Higher
Mission25% weight	B56	A95Higher
Risk15% weight	C52	B69Higher
Tradability15% weight	A71Higher	B61
Holdings10% weight	C42	A92Higher
Durability5% weight	A75Higher	A71

Rank among Multi-Sector Bond Income funds

How we build Categories ›

Same Category. HISF and VGMS are both graded against the same 23 Multi-Sector Bond Income funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Multi-Sector Bond Income⁠

Category · 23 funds

See all 23 ›

VGMS ranks 1st and HISF 14th of 23 funds in the Multi-Sector Bond Income Category.

Rank 1AVGMSVanguard Multi-Sector Income Bond ETFScore 86
Rank 2AAINPAllspring Income Plus ETFScore 72
Rank 13CWTBNWisdomTree Bianco Total Return FundScore 48
Rank 14CHISFFirst Trust High Income Strategic Focus ETFScore 46
Rank 15CFFLXFIRST TRUST FLEXIBLE INCOME ETFScore 45

Our read on each fund

ETF.net Research

HISFCFirst Trust High Income Strategic Focus ETF

VGMSAVanguard Multi-Sector Income Bond ETF

In short

HISF An income-first fund that ranks risk-adjusted income above raw yield, with capital appreciation as the second job. Trading since 2014, paying monthly, built on fixed income, and charging 0.83% for the active work.

VGMS No data

Stated mandate

HISF The Fund seeks risk-adjusted income as its primary objective and capital appreciation secondarily.

VGMS No data

Why people hold it

HISF Pays monthly, so income arrives on a schedule closer to the one your expenses run on.
The mandate is explicit: risk-adjusted income first, capital appreciation second. That ordering tells you what gets priority when the two pull against each other.
Live since 2014, so there is a real operating history across very different rate regimes behind it, not a backtest.
Fixed income does the heavy lifting here, an income-built portfolio sitting in a peer group dominated by stock-and-bond allocation funds.

VGMS No data

Worth knowing

HISF At 0.83% a year, it runs above the typical expense ratio in its multi-asset peer group. Active income selection is what that premium buys.
Cheaper allocation options share the peer group: AOA at 0.19%, IRTR at 0.08%. Neither is built around an income-first mandate.
It trades thinly for its category, so limit orders and a look at the spread matter more here than with the household names.

VGMS No data

Full HISF profile⁠

Full VGMS profile⁠

HISF vs VGMS Holdings

How HISF and VGMS differ

Overlap by weight

0.0%

About this figure: HISF holds other funds. We compare those funds, not the stocks inside them.

Level by level

Holdings0 in both0.0%
Sector13 Sectors67.5%
Countryby domicile74.8%

Sector

Sector weights in HISF and VGMS, widest gap first
Sector	Gap	HISF	VGMS
Corporate	VGMS +32.5 points	42.3%	74.8%
Securitized	HISF +19.5 points	29.3%	9.8%
Government	HISF +7.8 points	23.2%	15.4%
Financials	HISF +3.1 points	3.1%	0.0%
Utilities	HISF +0.9 points	0.9%	0.0%
Communication	HISF +0.5 points	0.5%	0.0%
Municipal	HISF +0.3 points	0.3%	0.0%
Real Estate	HISF +0.3 points	0.3%	0.0%
Consumer Discretionary	HISF +0.1 points	0.1%	0.0%
Energy	Same weight	0.0%	0.0%
Consumer Staples	Same weight	0.0%	0.0%
Industrials	Same weight	0.0%	0.0%
Materials	Same weight	0.0%	0.0%

Country, concentration and asset class

Country by domicile

Country weights in HISF and VGMS, widest gap first
Country	Gap	HISF	VGMS
United States	HISF +25.2 points	100.0%	74.8%
Turkey	VGMS +10.3 points	0.0%	10.3%
United Kingdom	VGMS +2.6 points	0.0%	2.6%
Mexico	VGMS +1.5 points	0.0%	1.5%
Japan	VGMS +1.5 points	0.0%	1.5%
Canada	VGMS +1.2 points	0.0%	1.2%
Germany	VGMS +0.9 points	0.0%	0.9%
Argentina	VGMS +0.9 points	0.0%	0.9%
Other countries (19)	VGMS +6.2 points	0.0%	6.2%

Outside the US: VGMS 40% developed, 60% emerging.

Concentration

Weight in the 10 largest Holdings

HISF95.1%
VGMS15.7%

Securities held

HISF11
VGMS1,187

Asset class

HISF: Multi-Asset
VGMS: Bonds

Holdings

Only in HISF11
In both0
Only in VGMS1,187

Only in HISF

11 securities, 99.98% of HISF by weight

First Trust Core Investment Grade ETF28.21%
First Trust Tactical High Yield ETF11.92%
First Trust Intermediate Duration Investment Grade Corporate ETF10.08%
First Trust Low Duration Opportunities ETF9.94%
First Trust Long Duration Opportunities ETF7.19%
First Trust Senior Loan Fund6.85%
First Trust Smith Opportunistic Fixed Income ETF6.02%
First Trust Structured Credit Income Opportunities ETF4.99%
First Trust Limited Duration Investment Grade Corporate ETF4.97%
First Trust Preferred Securities and Income ETF4.92%
First Trust Emerging Markets Local Currency Bond ETF4.90%

Only in VGMS

1,187 securities, 100% of VGMS by weight

US 2YR NOTE (CBT) Dec265.36%
Usd/Eur Fwd 202612163.18%
US 5YR NOTE (CBT) Dec260.69%
United States Treasury Note/Bond 4.25% 06/30/20290.58%
US LONG BOND(CBT) Dec260.55%
Petroleos Mexicanos 8.75% 06/02/20290.51%
United States Treasury Bill 09/02/20270.48%
United States Treasury Note/Bond 4.25% 01/15/20280.47%
United States Treasury Bill 09/30/20270.47%
United States Treasury Note/Bond 3.88% 09/30/20290.46%
Foundry JV Holdco LLC 5.90% 01/25/20330.44%
United States Treasury Note/Bond 3.50% 01/31/20280.44%
Hawaiian Electric Co Inc 6.00% 10/01/20330.43%
TransDigm Inc 6.38% 05/31/20330.43%
Bank of America Corp 4.70% 04/23/20320.40%
Philippine Government International Bond 5.33% 06/24/20360.40%
General Motors Financial Co Inc 4.60% 01/08/20310.39%
Aon North America Inc / Aon Global Holdings Plc 5.35% 09/17/20290.39%
Sumisho Air Lease Corp 4.50% 03/24/20290.38%
Capital One Financial Corp 4.72% 01/30/20320.37%
Morocco Government International Bond 4.75% 05/26/20340.36%
Nissan Motor Acceptance Co LLC 6.13% 09/30/20300.36%
United States Treasury Note/Bond 4.00% 10/31/20290.36%
XPLR Infrastructure Operating Partners LP 4.50% 09/15/20270.35%
Saudi Government International Bond 5.88% 01/12/20560.35%
TransDigm Inc 6.75% 01/31/20350.34%
PR RNO Property Owner 1 LLC 6.50% 05/01/20310.33%
Mexico Government International Bond 6.25% 08/27/20370.32%
Venture Global Plaquemines LNG LLC 6.50% 06/15/20340.32%
United States Treasury Note/Bond 3.88% 11/30/20270.31%
El Salvador Government International Bond 9.25% 04/17/20300.31%
Pacific Gas and Electric Co 6.10% 01/15/20290.30%
WR Grace Holdings LLC 5.63% 08/15/20290.30%
Cloud Software Group LLC 8.25% 06/30/20320.30%
State Oil Co of the Azerbaijan Republic 6.57% 07/07/20560.30%
Seadrill Finance Ltd 6.75% 07/15/20340.30%
ZF North America Capital Inc 7.50% 03/24/20310.29%
Organon & Co / Organon Foreign Debt Co-Issuer BV 5.13% 04/30/20310.28%
Ingram Micro Inc 4.75% 05/15/20290.28%
BWX Technologies Inc 4.13% 04/15/20290.28%
Ecuador Government International Bond 6.90% 07/31/20350.27%
Performance Food Group Inc 5.63% 03/01/20340.27%
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc 4.63% 03/01/20290.26%
Miter Brands Acquisition Holdco Inc / MIWD Borrower LLC 6.75% 04/01/20320.26%
Ascent Resources Utica Holdings LLC / ARU Finance Corp 6.63% 10/15/20320.26%
Indonesia Government International Bond 1.10% 03/12/20330.26%
US Bancorp 4.86% 07/27/20300.25%
NCL Corp Ltd 5.88% 01/15/20310.25%
Hazine Mustesarligi Varlik Kiralama AS 6.75% 09/01/20300.25%
Freedom Mortgage Holdings LLC 7.88% 04/01/20330.25%

Weight gaps

HISF and VGMS share no securities.

All 11 HISF holdings⁠All 1,198 VGMS holdings⁠

How we measure overlap

Each holding counts at its smaller weight in the two funds, summed over the full Holdings. Sector, country and asset class use the same rule on each fund’s split. Cash, FX and derivative lines stay out of the counts. Two bond funds get no overlap figure.

HISF vs VGMS Cost

Overpaying HISF vs VGMS

$9,710

On $10,000 over 30 years. 7% growth a year before fees, expense ratio only.

HISF 0.83%
$15,859
VGMS 0.30%
$6,149

Amount$10,000

Years30 years

Cost over time

HISF 0.83%
VGMS 0.30%
Overpaying

Year by year

Year	HISF	VGMS	Overpaying
10	$1,474	$545	$929
20	$5,581	$2,113	$3,468
30	$15,859	$6,149	$9,710

Expense ratio

0.83%HISF
0.30%VGMS, cheaper

VGMS0.30%HISF0.83%

0.30%1.13%

Middle half of Multi-Sector Bond Income funds
Median 0.60%

VGMS cheapest of 23 funds

HISF 18th cheapest of 23 funds

HISF vs VGMS Dividends

Last 12 months to Nov 9, 2026

Yield (12M): HISF 5.21%; VGMS 5.54%, better
Payout (12M): HISF $2.25; VGMS $2.77
Last payment: HISF $0.18; VGMS $0.20
Ex-dividend: HISF Oct 21, 2026; VGMS Nov 2, 2026
Paid on: HISF Oct 30, 2026; VGMS Nov 4, 2026
Frequency: HISF Monthly; VGMS Monthly

Distribution history

Per share, 2023 to 2026, same scale for both

HISFMonthly · 46 paymentsAll HISF payments⁠

VGMSMonthly · 17 paymentsAll VGMS payments⁠

HISF vs VGMS Risk

Fall from peak · 5 years

This chart needs five years of history for both funds.

Risk facts

VolatilityStd dev, 3 years: HISF 5.2%VGMS 3.4%since Jul 2025
Return per unit of riskSharpe ratio, 3 years: HISF 0.25VGMS −0.10since Jul 2025
Worst fallMax drawdown, 5 years: HISF −13.2%VGMS −2.7%since Jun 2025
Market sensitivityBeta, 5 years: HISF 0.88VGMS 0.15; Market = 1

HISF and VGMS in the news

All news⁠

First-Year Review
Hartford Dynamic Bond ETF's first year: coupons covered a 3.9% slide
Sep 23, 2026VGMS

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HISF vs VGMS

In short

Stated mandate

Why people hold it

Worth knowing

How HISF and VGMS differ

Level by level

Sector

Country, concentration and asset class

Country by domicile

Concentration

Asset class

Holdings

Only in HISF

Only in VGMS

Weight gaps

Cost over time

Year by year

Distribution history

Fall from peak · 5 years

Risk facts

Hartford Dynamic Bond ETF's first year: coupons covered a 3.9% slide

How HISF and VGMS differ

Level by level

Sector

Country, concentration and asset class

Country by domicile

Concentration

Asset class

Holdings

Only in HISF

Only in VGMS

Weight gaps