XLF vs HYG — 18-Year Performance Comparison
Financials vs High Yield Bonds — backtested 2007–2024
XLF wins$23,288 vs $22,983 on $10,000 over 18 years
XLFFinancials
Final value$23,288
CAGR+4.8%
Max drawdown-63.6%
Best year+36% (2013)
Years won12 of 18
HYGHigh Yield Bonds
Final value$22,983
CAGR+4.7%
Max drawdown-17.5%
Best year+29% (2009)
Years won6 of 18
Growth of $10,000
2007–2024XLFHYG
XLF$23,288
HYG$22,983
50/50 mix$25,458
50/50 blend: $25,458 (+5.3%/yr CAGR)
Splitting equally between XLF and HYG would have outperformed both individually — diversification smoothed the ride. Try a custom split →
Year-by-year: XLF vs HYG
| Year | XLF | HYG | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | +30.9% | +8.0% | XLF |
| 2023 | +12.2% | +11.5% | XLF |
| 2022 | -10.5% | -11.0% | XLF |
| 2021 | +35.0% | +3.8% | XLF |
| 2020 | -1.7% | +4.5% | HYG |
| 2019 | +32.1% | +14.1% | XLF |
| 2018 | -14.6% | -2.0% | HYG |
| 2017 | +22.2% | +6.1% | XLF |
| 2016 | +22.8% | +13.4% | XLF |
| 2015 | -1.5% | -5.0% | XLF |
| 2014 | +15.2% | +1.9% | XLF |
| 2013 | +35.6% | +5.8% | XLF |
| 2012 | +29.0% | +11.7% | XLF |
| 2011 | -17.1% | +6.8% | HYG |
| 2010 | +12.1% | +11.9% | XLF |
| 2009 | +17.5% | +28.5% | HYG |
| 2008 | -55.3% | -17.6% | HYG |
| 2007 | -18.6% | +1.6% | HYG |
More comparisons
Build your portfolio
Mix XLF + HYG with custom allocations
Try a 70/30 or 40/60 split — or add up to 3 more ETFs. See exactly how your custom portfolio would have performed.
Open Portfolio Builder →Past performance does not guarantee future results.