CSTK vs SPY
Invesco Comstock Contrarian Equity ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, CSTK or SPY?
Large Cap Value against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. CSTK led over 1Y, SPY over the full window. CSTK is less concentrated, with 30.5% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.8%.
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 | CSTK | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.35% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $180M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 2.14% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 55 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +13.03%Best | +12.09% |
| 1Y Return | +18.42%Best | +16.29% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +21.20% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +13.37% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 10.8%Best | 12.0% |
| Max Drawdown | -9.3% | -8.9%Best |
| $10,000 over 1.4 years | $13,471 | $13,874Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 30.5%Best | 37.8% |
| Fund Family | Invesco (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Value | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | May 7, 2025 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.4 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: May 7, 2025 to Sep 18, 2026 (1.4 years).
CSTK 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 1.4 years both funds cover.
CSTK vs SPY Performance
Invesco Comstock Contrarian Equity ETF (CSTK) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year CSTK returned +18.42% while SPY returned +16.29%. Year to date, CSTK is up 13.03% versus a gain of 12.09% 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 12.0% compared with 10.8% for CSTK. 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 -9.3% for CSTK and -8.9% 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 0.79. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
CSTK charges 0.35% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $35 vs $9 annually, a gap of $26 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, CSTK currently yields 2.14% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
94.8% of CSTK's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 23.9% of SPY's money is in holdings CSTK also owns.
Most of CSTK is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
54 positions in common, counted across the 57 positions we hold weights for in CSTK and 504 in SPY, against full books of 55 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 443 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for CSTK (75.5% of the fund), and 2 for CSTK that do not appear in SPY (4.0%).
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 CSTK | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 3.30% | 5.66% | 2.36% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 3.81% | 2.99% | 0.82% |
| CSCOCisco Systems Inc. - Ordinary Shares | 3.36% | 0.66% | 2.70% |
| BACBank of America Corp.: Financials | 3.12% | 0.62% | 2.50% |
| MRKMerck & Company Inc | 3.03% | 0.56% | 2.47% |
| CVXChevron Corp | 2.83% | 0.60% | 2.23% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 1.50% | 1.93% | 0.43% |
| WFCWells Fargo & Co. | 3.02% | 0.40% | 2.62% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 1.55% | 1.60% | 0.05% |
| PMPhilip Morris International Inc. | 2.62% | 0.44% | 2.18% |
94.8% of CSTK 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, CSTK or SPY?
CSTK has an expense ratio of 0.35% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $26 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, CSTK or SPY?
Over the past year CSTK returned +18.42% vs +16.29% for SPY, so CSTK leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), CSTK annualized +23.72% vs +26.35% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, CSTK or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 12.0% annualized versus 10.8% for CSTK. Worst drawdown: CSTK -9.3% vs SPY -8.9%.
Should I hold both CSTK and SPY?
CSTK and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.79, 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 CSTK and SPY?
94.8% of CSTK's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 23.9% of SPY's is in holdings CSTK also owns. They hold 54 positions in common, counted across the 57 positions we hold weights for in CSTK and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, CSTK or SPY?
CSTK yields 2.14% while SPY yields 0.98%, so CSTK currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than CSTK?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. CSTK led over 1Y, SPY over the full window. CSTK is less concentrated, with 30.5% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.8%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.