CSRE vs SPY
Cohen & Steers Real Estate Active ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, CSRE or SPY?
SPY has been ahead.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 54.8%.
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 | CSRE | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.70% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $572M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 2.20% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 51 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +9.29% | +13.81%Best |
| 1Y Return | +9.43% | +16.94%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +22.84% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +13.50% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 12.7%Best | 13.0% |
| Max Drawdown | -13.0%Best | -18.8% |
| $10,000 over 1.6 years | $11,289 | $12,963Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 54.8% | 37.8%Best |
| Fund Family | Cohen & Steers Funds | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Feb 3, 2025 | Jan 22, 1993 |
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 22, 2026 (1.6 years).
CSRE 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.
CSRE vs SPY Performance
Cohen & Steers Real Estate Active ETF (CSRE) 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 CSRE returned +9.43% while SPY returned +16.94%. Year to date, CSRE is up 9.29% versus a gain of 13.81% 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 13.0% compared with 12.7% for CSRE. 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 -13.0% for CSRE 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 0.45. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
CSRE charges 0.70% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $70 vs $9 annually, a gap of $61 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, CSRE currently yields 2.20% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
59.7% of CSRE's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 1.3% of SPY's money is in holdings CSRE also owns.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
15 positions in common, counted across the 44 positions we hold weights for in CSRE and 504 in SPY, against full books of 51 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 482 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for CSRE (98.1% of the fund), and 20 for CSRE that do not appear in SPY (34.0%).
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 CSRE | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| WELLWelltower, Inc. | 15.33% | 0.26% | 15.07% |
| DLRDigital Realty Trust Inc. | 7.74% | 0.10% | 7.64% |
| EQIXEquinix Inc. Real Estate Investment Trust | 6.09% | 0.15% | 5.94% |
| CCICrown Castle International Corp | 4.82% | 0.05% | 4.77% |
| PLDPrologis Inc | 4.52% | 0.20% | 4.32% |
| EXRExtra Space Storage Inc. | 3.75% | 0.05% | 3.70% |
| AMTAmerican Tower Corporation | 3.40% | 0.12% | 3.28% |
| INVHInvitation Homes Inc. Reit | 2.64% | 0.02% | 2.62% |
| SBACSba Communications Corp. Class A Real Estate Investment Tru | 2.55% | 0.03% | 2.52% |
| SPGSimon Property Group Inc | 2.44% | 0.10% | 2.34% |
59.7% of CSRE 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, CSRE or SPY?
CSRE has an expense ratio of 0.70% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $61 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, CSRE or SPY?
Over the past year CSRE returned +9.43% vs +16.94% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), CSRE annualized +7.87% vs +17.61% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, CSRE or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 13.0% annualized versus 12.7% for CSRE. Worst drawdown: CSRE -13.0% vs SPY -18.8%.
Should I hold both CSRE and SPY?
CSRE and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.45, 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 CSRE and SPY?
59.7% of CSRE's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 1.3% of SPY's is in holdings CSRE also owns. They hold 15 positions in common, counted across the 44 positions we hold weights for in CSRE and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, CSRE or SPY?
CSRE yields 2.20% while SPY yields 0.98%, so CSRE currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than CSRE?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 54.8%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.