BTO vs IVV
John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund vs iShares Core S&P 500 ETF
Which is better, BTO or IVV?
Mid Cap Value against Large Cap Blend.
IVV has a lower expense ratio. BTO led over 3Y, IVV over 1Y, 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 | BTO | IVV |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 2.96% | 0.03%Best |
| AUM | $709M | $876.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 6.18% | 1.06% |
| Holdings | 184 | 508 |
| YTD Return | +13.93%Best | +12.51% |
| 1Y Return | +10.06% | +17.57%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +22.73%Best | +21.27% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +6.93% | +12.95%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 31.1% | 14.6%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -95.5% | -56.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $13,980 | $18,384Best |
| Fund Family | John Hancock Investment Management | iShares by BlackRock (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Mid Cap Value | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Aug 18, 1994 | May 15, 2000 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Dec 16, 2003 to Sep 11, 2026 (22.7 years).
BTO vs IVV 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 22.7 years both funds cover.
BTO vs IVV Performance
John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund (BTO) is an ETF from John Hancock Investment Management and iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) is an ETF from iShares by BlackRock (US). Over the past year BTO returned +10.06% while IVV returned +17.57%. Year to date, BTO is up 13.93% versus a gain of 12.51% for IVV.
Over three years, BTO compounded at +22.73% per year against +21.27% for IVV; over five years the annualized figures are +6.93% and +12.95% respectively. Across the full 23-year window we track, IVV has the edge at +9.39% annualized vs -4.25%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
BTO has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 31.1% compared with 14.6% for IVV. 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 -95.5% for BTO and -56.5% for IVV. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.59. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
BTO charges 2.96% per year while IVV charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $296 vs $3 annually, a gap of $293 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, BTO currently yields 6.18% against 1.06% for IVV.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.6% of IVV's money is in holdings BTO also owns.
Only one direction is shown: for BTO, our book for it lists positions totalling 110.9% of the fund, which is what a leveraged book looks like and is not a denominator we can divide by.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
The two holdings books were reported 217 days apart, BTO as of Dec 31, 2025 and IVV as of Aug 5, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
9 positions in common, counted across the 134 positions we hold weights for in BTO and 505 in IVV, against full books of 184 and 508.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in BTO | Weight in IVV | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| RFRegions Financial Corp. | 2.53% | 0.04% | 2.49% |
| CFGCitizens Financial Group Inc. | 1.87% | 0.05% | 1.82% |
| USBUS Bancorp | 1.68% | 0.15% | 1.53% |
| MTBM&t Bank Corp. | 1.64% | 0.06% | 1.58% |
| HBANHuntington Bancshares Inc./Oh | 1.59% | 0.05% | 1.54% |
| FITBFifth Third Bancorp | 1.55% | 0.08% | 1.47% |
| KEYKeycorp | 1.26% | 0.03% | 1.23% |
| KKRKkr & Co. Inc. Class a | 1.18% | 0.11% | 1.07% |
| ARESAres Management Corp Common Stock | 1.11% | 0.04% | 1.07% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of BTO and IVV 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, BTO or IVV?
BTO has an expense ratio of 2.96% while IVV charges 0.03%. IVV is the cheaper option, by $293 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, BTO or IVV?
Over the past year BTO returned +10.06% vs +17.57% for IVV, so IVV leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (23 years), BTO annualized -4.25% vs +9.39% for IVV. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, BTO or IVV?
BTO has been the more volatile fund at 31.1% annualized versus 14.6% for IVV. Worst drawdown: BTO -95.5% vs IVV -56.5%.
Should I hold both BTO and IVV?
BTO and IVV have a monthly-return correlation of 0.59, 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, BTO or IVV?
BTO yields 6.18% while IVV yields 1.06%, so BTO currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is IVV better than BTO?
IVV has a lower expense ratio. BTO led over 3Y, IVV over 1Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.