GBND vs JHCB

GBND vs JHCB

Which is better, GBND or JHCB?

Nearly the same fund. GBND costs less.

GBND has a lower expense ratio. GBND led over 1Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.97.

Lower Fees: GBNDHigher Returns: GBND

MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricGBNDJHCB
Expense Ratio0.25%Best0.29%
AUM$601M$99M
Dividend Yield4.01%5.42%
Holdings747181
YTD Return-2.40%Best-3.09%
1Y Return-2.18%Best-3.15%
3Y Return (annualized)-+5.71%
5Y Return (annualized)--0.34%
Volatility (annualized)4.0%Best4.3%
Max Drawdown-4.9%Best-5.0%
$10,000 over 1.3 years$10,090Best$10,042
Fund FamilyGoldman Sachs Asset ManagementJohn Hancock Investment Management
CategoryFixed IncomeFixed Income
InceptionJun 24, 2025Mar 30, 2021

Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight, Style.

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.3 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jun 26, 2025 to Oct 14, 2026 (1.3 years).

GBND vs JHCB growth

Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view covers the 1.3 years both funds cover.

Compare GBND against instead:GBND vs SPYGBND vs QQQGBND vs VOOGBND vs VTIJHCB against:JHCB vs VXUS

GBND vs JHCB Performance

Goldman Sachs Core Bond ETF (GBND) is an ETF from Goldman Sachs Asset Management and John Hancock Corporate Bond ETF (JHCB) is an ETF from John Hancock Investment Management. Over the past year GBND returned -2.18% while JHCB returned -3.15%. Year to date, GBND is down 2.40% versus a loss of 3.09% for JHCB.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

JHCB has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 4.3% compared with 4.0% for GBND. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.

The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -4.9% for GBND and -5.0% for JHCB. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.97. They move almost in lockstep, so holding both mostly duplicates the same exposure.

Fees and Cost Over Time

GBND charges 0.25% per year while JHCB charges 0.29%. On a $10,000 position that is $25 vs $29 annually, a gap of $4 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, GBND currently yields 4.01% against 5.42% for JHCB.

Holdings Overlap

We hold position weights for 480 holdings in GBND and 161 in JHCB, totalling 52.2% and 89.1% of the two funds. Neither is a share of a fund we can divide by, so no overlap percentage is shown here. Within what we can see, 18 positions appear in both.

18 positions in common, counted across the 480 positions we hold weights for in GBND and 161 in JHCB, against full books of 747 and 181.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in GBNDWeight in JHCBDifference
MSCI 3.875 02/15/31 0.04%1.13%1.09%
MS V5.32 07/19/35Morgan Stanley 5.32 07/19/20350.02%1.07%1.05%
HXL 5.875 02/26/35Hexcel Corporation 5.88% Feb 26, 20350.01%0.99%0.98%
MTB V6.082 03/13/32M&T Bank Corporat V/R 03/13/320.20%0.70%0.50%
MS V2.239 07/21/32 GMorgan Stanley 2.24% 21Jul20320.04%0.73%0.69%
C V2.561 05/01/32Citigroup Inc0.25%0.39%0.14%
BA 5.15 05/01/30The Boeing Co 5.150 May 01 300.01%0.60%0.59%
RCL 6.25 03/15/32 14Royal Caribbean 6.25% 03/15/320.17%0.37%0.20%
AMGN 5.25 03/02/33Amgen Inc 5.25% Mar 02, 20330.02%0.50%0.48%
ORCL 4 11/15/47Oracle Corp0.02%0.43%0.41%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

Whichever of GBND and JHCB you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.

GBNDJHCB

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, GBND or JHCB?

GBND has an expense ratio of 0.25% while JHCB charges 0.29%. GBND is the cheaper option, by $4 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, GBND or JHCB?

Over the past year GBND returned -2.18% vs -3.15% for JHCB, so GBND leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), GBND annualized +0.69% vs +0.32% for JHCB. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, GBND or JHCB?

JHCB has been the more volatile fund at 4.3% annualized versus 4.0% for GBND. Worst drawdown: GBND -4.9% vs JHCB -5.0%.

Should I hold both GBND and JHCB?

GBND and JHCB have a monthly-return correlation of 0.97, so they move almost identically. What is left to separate them is the fee and the index each one tracks. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which pays a higher dividend, GBND or JHCB?

GBND yields 4.01% while JHCB yields 5.42%, so JHCB currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is JHCB better than GBND?

GBND has a lower expense ratio. GBND led over 1Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.97. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.