BRW vs SPY
Saba Capital Income & Opportunities Fund vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, BRW or SPY?
Bank Loan against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y 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 | BRW | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 1.43% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $368M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 13.86% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 1,064 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +0.31% | +12.19%Best |
| 1Y Return | -10.68% | +18.53%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +7.56% | +20.88%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +6.51% | +12.69%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 13.9%Best | 15.3% |
| Max Drawdown | -75.3% | -56.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $13,707 | $18,173Best |
| Fund Family | Saba Capital | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Fixed Income | Equity |
| Style | Bank Loan | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | May 12, 1988 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Jan 2, 1996 to Sep 9, 2026 (30.7 years).
BRW 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.
BRW vs SPY Performance
Saba Capital Income & Opportunities Fund (BRW) is an ETF from Saba Capital and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year BRW returned -10.68% while SPY returned +18.53%. Year to date, BRW is up 0.31% versus a gain of 12.19% for SPY.
Over three years, BRW compounded at +7.56% per year against +20.88% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +6.51% and +12.69% respectively. Across the full 31-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +8.78% annualized vs -1.16%.
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 13.9% for BRW. 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 -75.3% for BRW 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 0.43. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
BRW charges 1.43% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $143 vs $9 annually, a gap of $134 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, BRW currently yields 13.86% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
At least 39.3% of SPY's money is in holdings BRW also owns.
Stated as a floor: for BRW, our book for it covers 61.3% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
The two holdings books were reported 369 days apart, BRW as of Jul 31, 2025 and SPY as of Aug 4, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
97 positions in common, counted across the 532 positions we hold weights for in BRW and 504 in SPY, against full books of 1,064 and 505.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in BRW | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp. | -0.06% | 7.71% | 7.77% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp 4.100 Feb 06 37 | -0.09% | 5.50% | 5.59% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | -0.51% | 4.08% | 4.59% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc | -0.46% | 2.67% | 3.13% |
| METAMeta Platforms, Inc. | -0.39% | 1.94% | 2.33% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | -0.01% | 1.51% | 1.52% |
| TSLATesla Inc | 0.00% | 1.38% | 1.38% |
| LLYEli Lilly & Co. | -0.04% | 1.33% | 1.37% |
| VVisa Inc | -0.12% | 0.92% | 1.04% |
| UNHUnitedhealth Group, Inc. | -0.03% | 0.56% | 0.59% |
39.3% of SPY is already inside BRW.
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, BRW or SPY?
BRW has an expense ratio of 1.43% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $134 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, BRW or SPY?
Over the past year BRW returned -10.68% vs +18.53% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (31 years), BRW annualized -1.16% vs +8.78% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, BRW or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 15.3% annualized versus 13.9% for BRW. Worst drawdown: BRW -75.3% vs SPY -56.5%.
Should I hold both BRW and SPY?
BRW and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.43, 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 BRW and SPY?
At least 39.3% of SPY's money is in holdings BRW also owns. Our book for BRW is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 97 positions in common, counted across the 532 positions we hold weights for in BRW and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, BRW or SPY?
BRW yields 13.86% while SPY yields 0.98%, so BRW currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than BRW?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.