CSPF vs SPY
Cohen & Steers Preferred and Income Opportunities Active ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, CSPF or SPY?
SPY has been ahead.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y 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 | CSPF | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.59% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $314M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 5.79% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 320 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +1.79% | +12.99%Best |
| 1Y Return | +3.07% | +16.73%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +22.52% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +13.07% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 3.5%Best | 13.1% |
| Max Drawdown | -3.1%Best | -18.8% |
| $10,000 over 1.6 years | $11,015 | $12,866Best |
| Fund Family | Cohen & Steers Funds | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Fixed Income | Equity |
| Style | - | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Feb 3, 2025 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.6 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Feb 5, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026 (1.6 years).
CSPF 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 1.6 years both funds cover.
CSPF vs SPY Performance
Cohen & Steers Preferred and Income Opportunities Active ETF (CSPF) is an ETF from Cohen & Steers Funds and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year CSPF returned +3.07% while SPY returned +16.73%. Year to date, CSPF is up 1.79% versus a gain of 12.99% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 13.1% compared with 3.5% for CSPF. 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 -3.1% for CSPF and -18.8% 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 0.75. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
CSPF charges 0.59% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $59 vs $9 annually, a gap of $50 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, CSPF currently yields 5.79% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.9% of SPY's money is in holdings CSPF also owns.
Stated as a floor: for CSPF, our book for it covers 37.0% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
4 positions in common, counted across the 138 positions we hold weights for in CSPF and 504 in SPY, against full books of 320 and 505.
Top Shared Holdings
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of CSPF and SPY 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, CSPF or SPY?
CSPF has an expense ratio of 0.59% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $50 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, CSPF or SPY?
Over the past year CSPF returned +3.07% vs +16.73% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), CSPF annualized +6.23% vs +17.06% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, CSPF or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 13.1% annualized versus 3.5% for CSPF. Worst drawdown: CSPF -3.1% vs SPY -18.8%.
Should I hold both CSPF and SPY?
CSPF and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.75, 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, CSPF or SPY?
CSPF yields 5.79% while SPY yields 0.98%, so CSPF currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than CSPF?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.