abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund (AEF) vs Western Asset High Income Fund II (HIX)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 9, 2026.
Summary
abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund is the larger company by market cap ($376.0 million vs $313.4 million), about 1.2 times the size. On valuation, abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund trades at a lower trailing P/E (2.0x vs 7.0x for Western Asset High Income Fund II). Western Asset High Income Fund II offers the higher dividend yield (16.90% vs 8.53%).
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | AEF | HIX |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $9.26 | $3.48 |
| Market cap | $375.97M | $313.44M |
| 1-day change | -2.22% | -0.29% |
| YTD return | +32.29% | — |
| 1-year return | +41.59% | — |
| 5-year return | +9.59% | — |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 1.95 | 6.96 |
| EPS (TTM) | $4.74 | $0.50 |
| Dividend yield | 8.53% | 16.90% |
| Annual dividend | $0.79 | $0.588 |
| 52-week high | $10.14 | $4.35 |
| 52-week low | $6.26 | $3.45 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -8.68% | -20.00% |
| Average volume | 98.43K | 368.52K |
| Shares outstanding | 40.60M | 90.07M |
| Sector | Finance | Finance |
| Industry | Finance/Investors Services | Finance/Investors Services |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Western Asset High Income Fund II trades at a higher earnings multiple (7.0x vs 2.0x trailing P/E).
- Western Asset High Income Fund II offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (16.90% vs 8.53%).
About abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund
AEF stock →abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund, Inc. is a closed ended equity mutual fund and managed by Aberdeen Asset Managers Limited.
Finance · Finance/Investors Services
About Western Asset High Income Fund II
HIX stock →Western Asset High Income Fund II Inc. is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC.
Finance · Finance/Investors Services
AEF vs HIX FAQ
Which is bigger, abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund or Western Asset High Income Fund II?
abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund (AEF) is larger, with a market capitalization of $375.97M compared with $313.44M for Western Asset High Income Fund II (HIX).
Which has the lower P/E ratio, AEF or HIX?
AEF has the lower trailing P/E at 2.0, versus 7.0 for HIX. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund or Western Asset High Income Fund II?
Western Asset High Income Fund II has the higher yield at 16.90%, compared with 8.53% for abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund.
Are abrdn Emerging Markets ex-China Fund and Western Asset High Income Fund II in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Finance/Investors Services industry within the Finance sector.