BAMU vs SPY
Brookstone Ultra-Short Bond ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, BAMU or SPY?
Ultrashort Term Bond against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y and the full window.
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 | BAMU | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 1.05% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $66M | $811.2B |
| Dividend Yield | 2.89% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 12 | 1,515 |
| YTD Return | +0.52% | +13.54%Best |
| 1Y Return | +1.32% | +16.25%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +3.04% | +23.72%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +13.95% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 0.7%Best | 12.3% |
| Max Drawdown | -0.7%Best | -18.8% |
| $10,000 over 3 years | $10,940 | $18,677Best |
| Top 10 Weight | - | 38.2% |
| Fund Family | Brookstone Asset Management | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Fixed Income | Equity |
| Style | Ultrashort Term Bond | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Sep 27, 2023 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 3 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 27, 2023 to Oct 2, 2026 (3 years).
BAMU 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.
BAMU vs SPY Performance
Brookstone Ultra-Short Bond ETF (BAMU) is an ETF from Brookstone Asset Management and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year BAMU returned +1.32% while SPY returned +16.25%. Year to date, BAMU is up 0.52% versus a gain of 13.54% for SPY.
Over three years, BAMU compounded at +3.04% per year against +23.72% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 12.3% compared with 0.7% for BAMU. 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 -0.7% for BAMU and -18.8% 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 -0.01. They move largely independently of each other.
Fees and Cost Over Time
BAMU charges 1.05% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $105 vs $9 annually, a gap of $96 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, BAMU currently yields 2.89% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 5 holdings in BAMU and 504 in SPY, totalling 99.2% and 99.8% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.
0 positions in common, counted across the 5 positions we hold weights for in BAMU and 504 in SPY, against full books of 12 and 1,515.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 497 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for BAMU (99.2% of the fund), and 4 for BAMU that do not appear in SPY (79.4%).
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.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of BAMU 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, BAMU or SPY?
BAMU has an expense ratio of 1.05% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $96 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, BAMU or SPY?
Over the past year BAMU returned +1.32% vs +16.25% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, BAMU or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 12.3% annualized versus 0.7% for BAMU. Worst drawdown: BAMU -0.7% vs SPY -18.8%.
Should I hold both BAMU and SPY?
BAMU and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of -0.01, 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, BAMU or SPY?
BAMU yields 2.89% while SPY yields 0.98%, so BAMU currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than BAMU?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.