This ETF Could Be a Better Bet Than Senior Loans

The Federal Reserve recently pared interest rates by 25 basis points, setting the stage for what some experts believe will be two more cuts before the end of this year and another pair in early 2026. With Treasury yields set to decline, advisors and fixed income investors may be inclined to examine high-yield corporate debt and the related ETFs, including senior loan funds. The WisdomTree Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond Fund (HYZD) could prove to be the better idea. It already has been.

The $187.5 million HYZD, which follows the WisdomTree U.S. High Yield Corporate Bond, Zero Duration Index, is outpacing the largest senior loan ETFs this year. That’s old hat, because the WisdomTree ETF beat one of those rivals in each of the past four years. It also beat another competitor in three of the prior four years. That’s an impressive track record, particularly when considering that senior loans, due to their floating rate note (FRN) component, often perform well when rates are high.

Highlighting HYZD Opportunity

A benefit offered by HYZD is that it’s diverse at the issuer level. Some competing bank loan ETFs are heavily allocated to bonds from just two or three sectors. Meanwhile, five sectors command double-digit weights in the WisdomTree ETF.

“HYZD takes a more diversified approach, choosing from the wider high-yield bond market and spreading exposure across different sectors. This broader diversification helps balance risk and supports more consistent, risk-adjusted returns without leaning too heavily on a small set of sectors,” observed Behnood Noei, fixed income director at WisdomTree.

Although its effective duration is measured in months, not years, HYZD sports a 30-day SEC yield of 5.67%. It’s not cheating investors on income. Interestingly, that stout yield isn’t achieved by taking on excessive credit risk. In fact, HYZD focuses on higher quality junk bonds.

“The Fund focuses on the higher-quality issuers of the high-yield market, reducing default and drawdown risk while still offering competitive yields. By contrast, senior loan funds tend to concentrate more heavily in lower-rated, cyclical issuers that are more vulnerable during periods of slowdown or distress,” added Noei.

Another important point as it relates to HYZD is liquidity. That’s long been a point of emphasis with senior loan funds. However, with animal spirits elevated, investors tend to gloss over potential liquidity issues with senior loans. That being said, sentiment can change rapidly. 2025’s confirmed as much. HZYD’s superior liquidity profile, particularly when factoring in the aforementioned favorable traits, is something to consider.

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This article was prepared as part of WisdomTree’s general paid sponsorship of VettaFi | ETF Trends. This specific content within and any opinions expressed therein belong solely to VettaFi and do not reflect the opinion or analysis of WisdomTree, its employees, or its affiliates. Content published on VettaFi | ETF Trends is provided for educational purposes only and should not be considered investment or tax advice. For investment or tax advice, please consult a financial professional. 

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