BMED vs SPY
iShares Health Innovation Active ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, BMED or SPY?
All Cap Blend against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. BMED led over 1Y, SPY over 3Y, 5Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 42.4%.
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 | BMED | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.55% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $14M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.24% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 61 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +13.16%Best | +12.99% |
| 1Y Return | +30.05%Best | +16.73% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +15.09% | +22.52%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +2.30% | +13.07%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 17.1% | 15.4%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -36.4% | -24.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $11,204 | $18,481Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 42.4% | 37.8%Best |
| Fund Family | BlackRock, Inc. (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | All Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Sep 29, 2020 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 1, 2020 to Sep 23, 2026 (6 years).
BMED 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 6 years both funds cover.
BMED vs SPY Performance
iShares Health Innovation Active ETF (BMED) is an ETF from BlackRock, Inc. (US) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year BMED returned +30.05% while SPY returned +16.73%. Year to date, BMED is up 13.16% versus a gain of 12.99% for SPY.
Over three years, BMED compounded at +15.09% per year against +22.52% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +2.30% and +13.07% respectively. Across the full 6-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +16.20% annualized vs +5.10%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
BMED has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 17.1% compared with 15.4% 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 -36.4% for BMED and -24.5% 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 0.68. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
BMED charges 0.55% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $55 vs $9 annually, a gap of $46 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, BMED currently yields 0.24% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
69.2% of BMED's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 4.7% of SPY's money is in holdings BMED also owns.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
20 positions in common, counted across the 53 positions we hold weights for in BMED and 504 in SPY, against full books of 61 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 477 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for BMED (94.7% of the fund), and 23 for BMED that do not appear in SPY (19.1%).
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 BMED | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| MRKMerck & Company Inc | 4.99% | 0.56% | 4.43% |
| ABBVAbbvie Inc. | 4.61% | 0.70% | 3.91% |
| GILDGilead Sciences | 5.01% | 0.28% | 4.73% |
| JNJJohnson & Johnson - Common | 4.27% | 0.99% | 3.28% |
| TMOThermo Fisherscientific Inc. | 4.12% | 0.34% | 3.78% |
| CRLCharles River Laboratories International Inc | 4.22% | 0.02% | 4.20% |
| EWEdwards Lifesciences Corp | 3.95% | 0.08% | 3.87% |
| MRNAModerna therapeutics | 3.86% | 0.08% | 3.78% |
| DHRDanaher Corporation | 3.64% | 0.20% | 3.44% |
| IQVI Q V I A Holdings Inc. | 3.72% | 0.07% | 3.65% |
69.2% of BMED 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, BMED or SPY?
BMED has an expense ratio of 0.55% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $46 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, BMED or SPY?
Over the past year BMED returned +30.05% vs +16.73% for SPY, so BMED leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (6 years), BMED annualized +5.10% vs +16.20% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, BMED or SPY?
BMED has been the more volatile fund at 17.1% annualized versus 15.4% for SPY. Worst drawdown: BMED -36.4% vs SPY -24.5%.
Should I hold both BMED and SPY?
BMED and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.68, 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 BMED and SPY?
69.2% of BMED's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 4.7% of SPY's is in holdings BMED also owns. They hold 20 positions in common, counted across the 53 positions we hold weights for in BMED and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, BMED or SPY?
BMED yields 0.24% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than BMED?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. BMED led over 1Y, SPY over 3Y, 5Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 42.4%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.