ADME vs SPY
Aptus Drawdown Managed Equity ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, ADME or SPY?
Large Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 40.4%.
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 | ADME | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.79% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $304M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.35% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 167 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +8.22% | +10.96%Best |
| 1Y Return | +9.74% | +15.52%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +15.56% | +20.73%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +6.80% | +12.53%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 13.4%Best | 15.3% |
| Max Drawdown | -28.7%Best | -34.1% |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $13,895 | $18,044Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 40.4% | 37.8%Best |
| Fund Family | Aptus ETFs | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jun 8, 2016 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Jun 9, 2016 to Sep 16, 2026 (10.3 years).
ADME 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 covers the 10.3 years both funds cover.
ADME vs SPY Performance
Aptus Drawdown Managed Equity ETF (ADME) is an ETF from Aptus ETFs and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year ADME returned +9.74% while SPY returned +15.52%. Year to date, ADME is up 8.22% versus a gain of 10.96% for SPY.
Over three years, ADME compounded at +15.56% per year against +20.73% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +6.80% and +12.53% respectively. Across the full 10-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +13.97% annualized vs +8.28%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 15.3% compared with 13.4% for ADME. 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 -28.7% for ADME and -34.1% 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 0.87. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
ADME charges 0.79% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $79 vs $9 annually, a gap of $70 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, ADME currently yields 0.35% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
98.3% of ADME's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 77.1% of SPY's money is in holdings ADME also owns.
Most of ADME is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
161 positions in common, counted across the 164 positions we hold weights for in ADME and 504 in SPY, against full books of 167 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 337 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for ADME (22.4% of the fund), and 3 for ADME that do not appear in SPY (0.7%).
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 ADME | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 8.31% | 8.01% | 0.30% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 7.24% | 7.26% | 0.02% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 5.74% | 5.66% | 0.08% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc | 5.42% | 2.39% | 3.03% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 3.83% | 3.79% | 0.04% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 2.55% | 2.66% | 0.11% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 2.02% | 1.93% | 0.09% |
| JPMJpmorgan Chase | 1.81% | 1.45% | 0.36% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 1.66% | 1.60% | 0.06% |
| TSLATesla Inc | 1.61% | 1.52% | 0.09% |
98.3% of ADME is already inside SPY.
You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, ADME or SPY?
ADME has an expense ratio of 0.79% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $70 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, ADME or SPY?
Over the past year ADME returned +9.74% vs +15.52% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (10 years), ADME annualized +8.28% vs +13.97% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, ADME or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 15.3% annualized versus 13.4% for ADME. Worst drawdown: ADME -28.7% vs SPY -34.1%.
Should I hold both ADME and SPY?
ADME and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.87, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between ADME and SPY?
98.3% of ADME's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 77.1% of SPY's is in holdings ADME also owns. They hold 161 positions in common, counted across the 164 positions we hold weights for in ADME and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, ADME or SPY?
ADME yields 0.35% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than ADME?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 40.4%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.