HYLSvsSDFIETF Comparison
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First Trust Tactical High Yield ETF (HYLS) belongs to the Alternatives segment. AB Short Duration Income ETF (SDFI) is part of the Intl IG Bonds segment. HYLS's top 3 sector exposures are Finance, Business Services and Consumer Services. In contrast, SDFI's top sector exposures are Sovereign, Finance and Industrials. HYLS is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.69%, versus 0.3% for SDFI. HYLS is up 2% year-to-date (YTD) with -$92M in YTD flows. SDFI performs worse with 0.77% YTD performance, and +$45M in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of HYLS and SDFI below, and assess how they stack up in performance, liquidity, risk, exposure, holdings, and more, helping you select the best ETF for your investments.
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HYLS vs SDFI performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 09/15/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | HYLS SDFI | -1.49%-0.78% | -0.38%-0.38% | +2.00%+0.77% | +2.75%+1.85% | +17.39%n/a | +9.34%n/a |
| Flows | HYLS SDFI | -$6M+$4M | -$12M+$23M | -$92M+$45M | +$6M+$64M | +$112M- | -$337M- |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | HYLS SDFI | +2.51%+1.66% | +2.92%+1.54% | +3.64%n/a | +5.17%n/a |
| Max drawdown | HYLS SDFI | -1.57%-0.93% | -2.22%-1.13% | -3.67%n/a | -16.13%n/a |
| Max drawdown duration | HYLS SDFI | 30d21d | 84d46d | 57dn/a | 1066dn/a |
Trading data
HYLS | SDFI | |
Last sale 9/17/2026 at 7:29 PM | $40.24 | $35.01 |
| Previous close 09/16/2026 | $40.14 | $34.97 |
| Consolidated volume 09/16/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
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Main metrics
Last update 9/17/2026 at 7:29 PM
Live
Closed
HYLS | SDFI | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $40.24 | $35.01 |
| 1D performance | +0.25% | +0.11% |
| AuM | $1.61 B | $193.80 M |
| E/R | 0.69% | 0.3% |
Characteristics
HYLS | SDFI | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Active | Active |
| Provider | First Trust | AllianceBernstein |
| Benchmark | - | - |
| N° of holdings | 246 | 386 |
| Asset class | - | - |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | February 25, 2013 | June 10, 2024 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
HYLS
USA
71.69%
Other
28.31%
SDFI
USA
54.3%
Other
45.7%
Sectors
HYLS
Finance
18.7%
Business Services
12.92%
Consumer Services
9.91%
Industrials
9.02%
Other
49.45%
SDFI
Sovereign
18.68%
Finance
16.14%
Other
65.18%
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Diversification
HYLS
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
15.63%
SDFI
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
18.04%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of July 31, 2026
HYLS
Rocket Companies, 6.375% 1aug2033, USD
1.55%
1011778 B.C., 4% 15oct2030, USD
1.47%
United Rentals (North America), 6% 15dec2029, USD
1.27%
Quikrete Holdings, 6.75% 1mar2033, USD
1.08%
Fair Isaac, 6% 15may2033, USD
1.07%
Cloud Software Group, 9% 30sep2029, USD
1.04%
Viking Ocean Cruises Ship VII, 5.625% 15feb2029, USD
1.03%
Builders FirstSource, 6.75% 15may2035, USD
1.02%
EchoStar, 10.75% 30nov2029, USD
1.00%
TransDigm, 6.375% 31may2033, USD
0.93%
Shift4 Payments, 6.75% 15aug2032, USD
0.91%
Alliant Holdings Intermediate, 6.75% 15apr2028, USD
0.90%
Venture Global LNG, 7.75% 1may2035, USD
0.82%
Raven Acquisition Holdings, 6.875% 15nov2031, USD
0.77%
Neptune BidCo US, 9.29% 15apr2029, USD
0.77%
SDFI
USA, TIPS 2.125% 15apr2029, USD (X-2029)
3.17%
USA, Notes 4.125% 30jun2028, USD (BD-2028)
2.86%
USA, Notes 3.875% 31jul2030, USD (AB-2030)
1.65%
USA, Notes 4% 31may2028, USD (BC-2028)
1.62%
USA, Notes 3.625% 31aug2030, USD (AC-2030)
1.29%
USA, Notes 4% 28feb2030, USD (H-2030)
1.13%
USA, Notes 4.25% 31jan2030, USD (U-2030)
1.06%
USA, Notes 4.125% 15feb2036, USD (B-2036)
0.99%
USA, Notes 3.75% 31oct2032, USD (R-2032)
0.79%
USA, Notes 3.875% 30sep2032, USD (Q-2032)
0.78%
USA, Notes 3.75% 30nov2032, USD (S-2032)
0.71%
US01F0526800
0.58%
USA, Notes 3.625% 31dec2030, USD (AH-2030)
0.51%
USA, Notes 3.5% 31jan2028, USD (U-2028)
0.50%
Athene Global Funding, 5.133% 1jun2029, USD (2026-4)
0.42%
Frequently asked questions about HYLS and SDFI
How have the HYLS and SDFI ETFs performed in 2026?
As of September 15, 2026, HYLS is up 2% year-to-date (YTD), while SDFI has returned 0.77%. That puts HYLS better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: HYLS or SDFI?
Year-to-date, the HYLS ETF saw -$92M in flows, compared to +$45M for SDFI.
Which ETF is more volatile: HYLS or SDFI?
Over the past year, HYLS had a volatility of 2.92%, while SDFI experienced 1.54%.
Which ETF is bigger: HYLS or SDFI?
As of September 15, 2026, HYLS holds $1.61 B in assets under management (AUM), while SDFI manages $193.80 M.
What sectors do the HYLS and SDFI ETFs invest in?
HYLS leans toward sectors like Finance, Business Services and Consumer Services. Meanwhile, SDFI focuses on Sovereign and Finance.
What are the top holdings of the HYLS ETF and SDFI ETF?
HYLS top holdings include Rocket Companies, 6.375% 1aug2033, USD, 1011778 B.C., 4% 15oct2030, USD and United Rentals (North America), 6% 15dec2029, USD. SDFI holds in its top three: USA, TIPS 2.125% 15apr2029, USD (X-2029), USA, Notes 4.125% 30jun2028, USD (BD-2028) and USA, Notes 3.875% 31jul2030, USD (AB-2030).
Which ETF is more diversified: HYLS or SDFI?
HYLS holds 247 securities with 15.63% of its assets in the top 15. SDFI has 564 securities and a top 15 weight of 18.04%.
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