CHW vs SPY
Calamos Global Dynamic Income Fund vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, CHW or SPY?
Allocation/Balanced against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. CHW led over 1Y and 3Y, SPY over 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 | CHW | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 2.27% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $868M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 2.68% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 775 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +13.46%Best | +10.96% |
| 1Y Return | +16.38%Best | +15.52% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +21.87%Best | +20.73% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +4.37% | +12.53%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 23.1% | 15.6%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -73.0% | -56.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $12,384 | $18,044Best |
| Fund Family | Calamos Investments | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Allocation/Balanced | Equity |
| Style | Allocation/Balanced | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jun 27, 2007 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Jun 27, 2007 to Sep 16, 2026 (19.2 years).
CHW 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 19.2 years both funds cover.
CHW vs SPY Performance
Calamos Global Dynamic Income Fund (CHW) is an ETF from Calamos Investments and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year CHW returned +16.38% while SPY returned +15.52%. Year to date, CHW is up 13.46% versus a gain of 10.96% for SPY.
Over three years, CHW compounded at +21.87% per year against +20.73% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +4.37% and +12.53% respectively. Across the full 19-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +9.17% annualized vs -0.56%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
CHW has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 23.1% compared with 15.6% 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 -73.0% for CHW 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 0.86. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
CHW charges 2.27% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $227 vs $9 annually, a gap of $218 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, CHW currently yields 2.68% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
At least 39.1% of SPY's money is in holdings CHW also owns.
Stated as a floor: for CHW, our book for it covers 88.7% 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 213 days apart, CHW as of Jan 31, 2026 and SPY as of Sep 1, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
64 positions in common, counted across the 499 positions we hold weights for in CHW and 504 in SPY, against full books of 775 and 505.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in CHW | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 3.26% | 8.01% | 4.75% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 0.95% | 5.66% | 4.71% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 2.64% | 2.99% | 0.35% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 1.17% | 3.79% | 2.62% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 0.73% | 2.66% | 1.93% |
| BABoeing Co | 2.24% | 0.25% | 1.99% |
| TSLATesla Inc | 0.97% | 1.52% | 0.55% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 0.50% | 1.93% | 1.43% |
| LLYEli Lilly & Co. | 0.79% | 1.40% | 0.61% |
| JPMJpmorgan Chase | 0.57% | 1.45% | 0.88% |
39.1% of SPY is already inside CHW.
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, CHW or SPY?
CHW has an expense ratio of 2.27% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $218 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, CHW or SPY?
Over the past year CHW returned +16.38% vs +15.52% for SPY, so CHW leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (19 years), CHW annualized -0.56% vs +9.17% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, CHW or SPY?
CHW has been the more volatile fund at 23.1% annualized versus 15.6% for SPY. Worst drawdown: CHW -73.0% vs SPY -56.5%.
Should I hold both CHW and SPY?
CHW and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.86, 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 CHW and SPY?
At least 39.1% of SPY's money is in holdings CHW also owns. Our book for CHW is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 64 positions in common, counted across the 499 positions we hold weights for in CHW and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, CHW or SPY?
CHW yields 2.68% while SPY yields 0.98%, so CHW currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than CHW?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. CHW led over 1Y and 3Y, SPY over 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.