EHI vs SPY
Western Asset Global High Income Fund Inc vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, EHI or SPY?
High Yield Bond against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. EHI is less concentrated, with 13.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.8%.
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
| Metric | EHI | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 1.89% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $192M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 13.19% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 398 | 505 |
| YTD Return | -4.93% | +10.96%Best |
| 1Y Return | -4.58% | +15.52%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +4.73% | +20.73%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | -0.83% | +12.53%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 16.3% | 14.6%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -66.1% | -56.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $9,592 | $18,044Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 13.8%Best | 37.8% |
| Fund Family | Franklin Templeton Investments (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Fixed Income | Equity |
| Style | High Yield Bond | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jul 29, 2003 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 3, 2003 to Sep 16, 2026 (23 years).
EHI vs SPY 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 is available from the range buttons; it is not the opening view here because over the whole period one of these two funds moves so much further than the other that its line would sit flat on the axis.
EHI vs SPY Performance
Western Asset Global High Income Fund Inc (EHI) is an ETF from Franklin Templeton Investments (US) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year EHI returned -4.58% while SPY returned +15.52%. Year to date, EHI is down 4.93% versus a gain of 10.96% for SPY.
Over three years, EHI compounded at +4.73% per year against +20.73% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are -0.83% and +12.53% respectively. Across the full 23-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +9.36% annualized vs -1.49%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
EHI has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 16.3% compared with 14.6% for SPY. 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 -66.1% for EHI and -56.5% for SPY. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.69. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
EHI charges 1.89% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $189 vs $9 annually, a gap of $180 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, EHI currently yields 13.19% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
0.1% of EHI's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 0.3% of SPY's money is in holdings EHI also owns.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
The two holdings books were reported 277 days apart, EHI as of Nov 28, 2025 and SPY as of Sep 1, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
1 positions in common, counted across the 259 positions we hold weights for in EHI and 504 in SPY, against full books of 398 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 496 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for EHI (99.0% of the fund), and 256 for EHI that do not appear in SPY (101.4%).
Some of those will be the same company recorded under a different code in one of the two books, so the real difference in what you would own is no larger than this and may be smaller. We do not name the individual positions here for that reason.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in EHI | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| CCitigroup Inc 6.875 11/73 6.88 2173-11-15 | 0.13% | 0.34% | 0.21% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of EHI and SPY you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, EHI or SPY?
EHI has an expense ratio of 1.89% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $180 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, EHI or SPY?
Over the past year EHI returned -4.58% vs +15.52% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (23 years), EHI annualized -1.49% vs +9.36% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, EHI or SPY?
EHI has been the more volatile fund at 16.3% annualized versus 14.6% for SPY. Worst drawdown: EHI -66.1% vs SPY -56.5%.
Should I hold both EHI and SPY?
EHI and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.69, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, EHI or SPY?
EHI yields 13.19% while SPY yields 0.98%, so EHI currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than EHI?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. EHI is less concentrated, with 13.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.8%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.