HYDB vs SYFI: Grades, Fees and Holdings Compared

iShares High Yield Systematic Bond ETF

HYDBACboe

AB Short Duration High Yield ETF

SYFIANYSE Arca

Overlap

No data

Expense ratio

HYDB −0.05pt a year

HYDB0.35%SYFI0.40%

Avg volume · 30D

HYDB 1.5×the volume

HYDB175KSYFI117K

HYDB vs SYFI Performance

Oct 31, 2025 – Oct 30, 2026

+1.1%HYDB+3.5%SYFI

Expense ratio: HYDB 0.35%, better; SYFI 0.40%
Fund size: HYDB $1.53B; SYFI $939M
1Y total return: HYDB +1.1%; SYFI +3.5%, better
Yield (12M): HYDB 7.16%, better; SYFI 5.97%
Holdings: HYDB 253; SYFI 566
Avg volume (30D): HYDB 175K sh, better; SYFI 117K sh
NAV per share: HYDB $44.72; SYFI $35.00
52W range

ETF.net Grade

Pillar letters and Scores for HYDB, SYFI, with each pillar’s weight
Pillar	HYDB	SYFI
Cost30% weight	A93Higher	A70
Mission25% weight	A95Higher	A83
Risk15% weight	C42	A71Higher
Tradability15% weight	A85	A87Higher
Holdings10% weight	B66Higher	C46
Durability5% weight	A84Higher	B69

Rank among International High Yield Bond funds

How we build Categories ›

Same Category. HYDB and SYFI are both graded against the same 13 International High Yield Bond funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

International High Yield Bond⁠

Category · 13 funds

See all 13 ›

HYDB ranks 1st and SYFI 2nd of 13 funds in the International High Yield Bond Category.

Rank 1AHYDBiShares High Yield Systematic Bond ETFScore 81
Rank 2ASYFIAB Short Duration High Yield ETFScore 73
Rank 3BGHYGiShares US & Intl High Yield Corp Bond ETFScore 66

Our read on each fund

ETF.net Research

HYDBAiShares High Yield Systematic Bond ETF

SYFIAAB Short Duration High Yield ETF

In short

HYDB No data

SYFI A converted mutual fund that takes high yield short: average duration stays under four years, the bonds are picked globally rather than tracked, and the income lands monthly.

Stated mandate

HYDB No data

SYFI The Fund seeks the highest available income without taking what the Adviser views as undue principal risk. It is actively managed and normally invests at least 80% of assets in below-investment-grade debt securities and related derivatives, while maintaining average duration below four years.

Why people hold it

HYDB No data

SYFI Keeps average duration below four years, so rate swings move it less than long-dated bond funds, while the income still comes from below-investment-grade credit.sec.gov
Actively managed and global: roughly 600 positions picked by AB's credit team, not whatever a benchmark index happens to hold that month.
The 0.40% fee sits right at the median for high yield bond ETFs, unusual for an active mandate in a group ruled by index trackers.
Not a startup strategy: it converted from an AB mutual fund in 2024 and kept the predecessor's objective and record. etf.com named it Best New US Fixed Income ETF.alliancebernstein.com sec.gov

Worth knowing

HYDB No data

SYFI Index rivals are far cheaper: SCYB, SPHY and USHY each charge under a tenth of a percent. The 0.40% here buys the active short-duration mandate instead.
Short duration trims rate sensitivity, not credit risk: at least 80% of assets sit in below-investment-grade debt and related derivatives.sec.gov
It has traded on an exchange only since 2024, a shorter market history than the long-running index funds it sits beside.gcs-web.com

Full HYDB profile⁠

Full SYFI profile⁠

HYDB vs SYFI Holdings

How HYDB and SYFI differ

No overlap figure

Two bond funds rarely hold the same issues.

Level by level

Countryby domicile89.9%
Asset classFixed Income100%

Sector

No Sector split for SYFI.

Country, concentration and asset class

Country by domicile

Country weights in HYDB and SYFI, widest gap first
Country	More in HYDBMore in SYFI	HYDB	SYFI
United States	HYDB +7.4 points	86.9%	79.5%
Ireland	SYFI +2.3 points	0.0%	2.3%
Cayman Islands	SYFI +1.9 points	0.0%	1.9%
Italy	SYFI +1.8 points	0.0%	1.8%
France	SYFI +1.2 points	0.2%	1.4%
Australia	HYDB +0.9 points	1.4%	0.5%
Japan	HYDB +0.8 points	2.1%	1.3%
Netherlands	SYFI +0.6 points	0.0%	0.6%
Other countries (16)	SYFI +1.2 points	9.4%	10.6%

Concentration

Weight in the 10 largest Holdings

HYDB7.5%
SYFI12.6%

Securities held

HYDB249
SYFI560

Asset class

HYDB: Fixed Income
SYFI: Fixed Income

Holdings

Two bond funds rarely hold the same issues, so this page lists no shared Holdings. HYDB holds 249 securities, SYFI 560.

All 256 HYDB holdings⁠All 557 SYFI 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.

HYDB vs SYFI Cost

Overpaying SYFI vs HYDB

$964

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

HYDB 0.35%
$7,126
SYFI 0.40%
$8,090

Amount$10,000

Years30 years

Cost over time

HYDB 0.35%
SYFI 0.40%
Overpaying

Year by year

Year	HYDB	SYFI	Overpaying
10	$634	$723	$89
20	$2,454	$2,793	$339
30	$7,126	$8,090	$964

Expense ratio

0.35%HYDB, cheaper
0.40%SYFI

HYDB0.35%SYFI0.40%

0.35%0.69%

Middle half of International High Yield Bond funds
Median 0.46%

HYDB cheapest of 13 funds

SYFI 3rd cheapest of 13 funds

HYDB vs SYFI Dividends

Last 12 months to Oct 30, 2026

Yield (12M): HYDB 7.16%, better; SYFI 5.97%
Payout (12M): HYDB $3.21; SYFI $2.10
Last payment: HYDB $0.27; SYFI $0.16
Ex-dividend: HYDB Oct 1, 2026; SYFI Oct 1, 2026
Paid on: HYDB Oct 6, 2026; SYFI Oct 6, 2026
Frequency: HYDB Monthly; SYFI Monthly

Distribution history

Per share, 2023 to 2026, same scale for both

HYDBMonthly · 45 paymentsAll HYDB payments⁠

SYFIMonthly · 28 paymentsAll SYFI payments⁠

HYDB vs SYFI Risk

Fall from peak · 5 years

This chart needs five years of history for both funds.

Risk facts

VolatilityStd dev, 3 years: HYDB 4.9%SYFI 2.8%since Jul 2024
Return per unit of riskSharpe ratio, 3 years: HYDB 0.77SYFI 0.64since Jul 2024
Worst fallMax drawdown, 5 years: HYDB −14.3%SYFI −4.5%since Jun 2024
Market sensitivityBeta, 5 years: HYDB 0.65SYFI 0.45; Market = 1

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