BESF vs SPY

BESF vs SPY

Which is better, BESF or SPY?

Mid Cap Value against Large Cap Blend.

SPY has a lower expense ratio. BESF led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 55.0%.

Lower Fees: SPYHigher Returns: BESFLess Concentrated: SPY

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

MetricBESFSPY
Expense Ratio0.80%0.09%Best
AUM$36M$804.7B
Dividend Yield5.85%0.98%
Holdings23505
YTD Return+20.25%Best+12.47%
1Y Return+65.13%Best+17.51%
3Y Return (annualized)-+21.18%
5Y Return (annualized)-+12.88%
Volatility (annualized)16.1%11.9%Best
Max Drawdown-11.0%-8.9%Best
$10,000 over 1.3 years$17,795Best$13,085
Top 10 Weight55.0%38.0%Best
Fund FamilyEA Series TrustState Street Investment Management
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleMid Cap ValueLarge Cap Blend
InceptionJun 3, 2025Jan 22, 1993

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.3 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jun 4, 2025 to Sep 11, 2026 (1.3 years).

BESF 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 1.3 years both funds cover.

BESF vs SPY Performance

Bastion Energy ETF (BESF) is an ETF from EA Series Trust and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year BESF returned +65.13% while SPY returned +17.51%. Year to date, BESF is up 20.25% versus a gain of 12.47% for SPY.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

BESF has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 16.1% compared with 11.9% 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 -11.0% for BESF and -8.9% 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 -0.20. They move largely independently of each other.

Fees and Cost Over Time

BESF charges 0.80% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $80 vs $9 annually, a gap of $71 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, BESF currently yields 5.85% against 0.98% for SPY.

Holdings Overlap

BESF already in SPY31.4%
SPY already in BESF0.5%

31.4% of BESF's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 0.5% of SPY's money is in holdings BESF also owns.

The two portfolios partly overlap.

7 positions in common, counted across the 22 positions we hold weights for in BESF and 504 in SPY, against full books of 23 and 505.

What only one of them owns

Measured across the 22 and 504 positions we hold weights for.

SPY holds 487 positions BESF does not, 99.0% of the fund.

Largest: NVDA 7.71%, AAPL 6.83%, MSFT 5.50%, AMZN 4.08%, GOOGL 3.33%

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in BESFWeight in SPYDifference
WMBWilliams Cos. Inc.5.17%0.13%5.04%
OKEOneok Inc.5.10%0.08%5.02%
EQTEqt Corp4.63%0.05%4.58%
CHKChesapeake Energy Corp4.58%0.03%4.55%
SRESempra Common Stock4.30%0.09%4.21%
FANGDiamondback Energy Inc.4.02%0.06%3.96%
DVNDevon Energy Corp.3.61%0.08%3.53%

31.4% of BESF 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.

BESFSPY

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, BESF or SPY?

BESF has an expense ratio of 0.80% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $71 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, BESF or SPY?

Over the past year BESF returned +65.13% vs +17.51% for SPY, so BESF leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), BESF annualized +55.79% vs +22.98% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, BESF or SPY?

BESF has been the more volatile fund at 16.1% annualized versus 11.9% for SPY. Worst drawdown: BESF -11.0% vs SPY -8.9%.

Should I hold both BESF and SPY?

BESF and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of -0.20, 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 BESF and SPY?

31.4% of BESF's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 0.5% of SPY's is in holdings BESF also owns. They hold 7 positions in common, counted across the 22 positions we hold weights for in BESF and 504 in SPY.

Which pays a higher dividend, BESF or SPY?

BESF yields 5.85% while SPY yields 0.98%, so BESF currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is SPY better than BESF?

SPY has a lower expense ratio. BESF led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 55.0%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.