ADX vs SPY
Adams Diversified Equity Fund Inc vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, ADX or SPY?
ADX has been ahead.
ADX led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% 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 | ADX | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | - | 0.09% |
| AUM | $3.2B | $814.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 7.24% | 1.01% |
| Holdings | 108 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +12.17% | +12.71%Best |
| 1Y Return | +22.33%Best | +19.36% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +25.57%Best | +21.09% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +15.44%Best | +12.69% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 22.7% | 15.3%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -58.8% | -56.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $20,501Best | $18,173 |
| Top 10 Weight | 40.4% | 38.0%Best |
| Fund Family | Adams Funds | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Oct 1, 1929 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Jan 2, 1996 to Sep 8, 2026 (30.7 years).
ADX 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 30.7 years both funds cover.
ADX vs SPY Performance
Adams Diversified Equity Fund Inc (ADX) is an ETF from Adams Funds and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year ADX returned +22.33% while SPY returned +19.36%. Year to date, ADX is up 12.17% versus a gain of 12.71% for SPY.
Over three years, ADX compounded at +25.57% per year against +21.09% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +15.44% and +12.69% respectively. Across the full 31-year window we track, ADX has the edge at +14.97% annualized vs +8.79%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
ADX has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 22.7% compared with 15.3% 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 -58.8% for ADX 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.
Holdings Overlap
94.7% of ADX's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 62.5% of SPY's money is in holdings ADX also owns.
Most of ADX is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
93 positions in common, counted across the 105 positions we hold weights for in ADX and 503 in SPY, against full books of 108 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 401 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for ADX (37.0% of the fund), and 12 for ADX that do not appear in SPY (5.6%).
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 ADX | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp. | 7.63% | 7.71% | 0.08% |
| AAPLApple Inc Ord | 6.69% | 6.83% | 0.14% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp 4.100 Feb 06 37 | 4.59% | 5.50% | 0.91% |
| GOOGL Alphabet Inc. Class A | 5.82% | 3.33% | 2.49% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 3.84% | 4.08% | 0.24% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 2.87% | 2.97% | 0.10% |
| METAMeta Platform Inc | 1.89% | 1.94% | 0.05% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc | 2.26% | 1.27% | 0.99% |
| JPMJpmorgan Chase & Co. | 2.04% | 1.44% | 0.60% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 1.75% | 1.51% | 0.24% |
94.7% of ADX 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 performed better, ADX or SPY?
Over the past year ADX returned +22.33% vs +19.36% for SPY, so ADX leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (31 years), ADX annualized +14.97% vs +8.79% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, ADX or SPY?
ADX has been the more volatile fund at 22.7% annualized versus 15.3% for SPY. Worst drawdown: ADX -58.8% vs SPY -56.5%.
Should I hold both ADX and SPY?
ADX 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.
What is the holdings overlap between ADX and SPY?
94.7% of ADX's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 62.5% of SPY's is in holdings ADX also owns. They hold 93 positions in common, counted across the 105 positions we hold weights for in ADX and 503 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, ADX or SPY?
ADX yields 7.24% while SPY yields 1.01%, so ADX currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than ADX?
ADX led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% 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.