If you want maximum headline income
→ CMS
CMS leads headline yield (~10.0%). Check the tape for total return and NAV path before sizing up.
Two income funds compared side-by-side using the available DivAgent snapshot. See which one fits your yield strategy.
8-second verdict · always free
If you want maximum headline income
→ CMS
CMS leads headline yield (~10.0%). Check the tape for total return and NAV path before sizing up.
If you want total return (paid + price)
→ BIL
BIL leads 1Y total return (~3.3%). Prefer this when you care about paid + price, not yield alone.
If you need sleep-at-night sizing
→ BIL
BIL is Tier 1 vs Tier 2 — the structurally lower-risk pick in this matchup.
CMS currently combines a high annualized yield with a negative 1Y NAV change. That is a neutral screening signal, not evidence of how the distribution was funded. Review the reported total return and issuer documents.
When the edge flips — yield, total return, or NAV path — we email the updated tape. Plus the free Yield Trap cheat sheet: what high-yield funds actually paid vs what their prices did.
Path A · Still deciding
Related battlesMore BIL and CMS matchups in the same decision space — different trade-offs.
Path B · Picked a side
Full ticker auditsDeep-dive BIL or CMS: distribution history, risk tier, peer set.
Audit CMS →Path C · Want a system
Leaderboard & portfoliosSee how income funds rank by risk tier and matrix cell — then track holdings free.
What this means: BIL is ratedTier 1 (Cornerstone)while CMS is ratedTier 2 (Yield Plus).BIL is structurally lower risk than CMS.
| Metric | BIL | CMS |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 3.30% | 3.23% |
| NAV Change (1Y) | -0.37% | -6.74% |
| Max Drawdown | -0.54% | -9.19% |
| Beta | N/A | N/A |
* Returns include dividend reinvestment. Drawdown calculates peak-to-trough decline over trailing 12 months.
The comparison remains available, but DivAgent will not assign a winner until both funds have current yield, total return, risk tier, drawdown, and fee data. Missing values are shown as N/A in the tables below.
Every investor has a unique risk profile. Use our Portfolio Intelligence tool to see the impact of adding these ETFs to your holdings.