ESN vs SPY
Essential 40 Stock ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, ESN or SPY?
Large Cap Value against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. ESN led over 1Y and the full window. ESN is less concentrated, with 32.6% 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 | ESN | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.70% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $339M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.76% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 44 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +19.43%Best | +12.09% |
| 1Y Return | +22.53%Best | +16.29% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +21.20% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +13.37% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 10.7%Best | 12.8% |
| Max Drawdown | -13.6%Best | -18.8% |
| $10,000 over 1.9 years | $13,632Best | $13,303 |
| Top 10 Weight | 32.6%Best | 37.8% |
| Fund Family | KKM Financial | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Value | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jun 11, 2024 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.9 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 21, 2024 to Sep 18, 2026 (1.9 years).
ESN 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 1.9 years both funds cover.
ESN vs SPY Performance
Essential 40 Stock ETF (ESN) is an ETF from KKM Financial and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year ESN returned +22.53% while SPY returned +16.29%. Year to date, ESN is up 19.43% 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 12.8% compared with 10.7% for ESN. 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 -13.6% for ESN 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 0.84. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
ESN 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, ESN currently yields 0.76% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
89.5% of ESN's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 34.6% of SPY's money is in holdings ESN also owns.
Most of ESN is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
37 positions in common, counted across the 41 positions we hold weights for in ESN and 504 in SPY, against full books of 44 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 460 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for ESN (64.8% of the fund), and 2 for ESN that do not appear in SPY (5.4%).
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 ESN | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAPLApple, Inc | 2.74% | 7.26% | 4.52% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 2.30% | 5.66% | 3.36% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 2.28% | 3.79% | 1.51% |
| INTCIntel Corporation | 4.88% | 0.67% | 4.21% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 2.22% | 2.99% | 0.77% |
| MPCMarathon Petroleum Corp | 4.63% | 0.17% | 4.46% |
| PANWPalo Alto Networks, Inc | 3.78% | 0.45% | 3.33% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 2.04% | 1.93% | 0.11% |
| JPMJpmorgan Chase | 2.41% | 1.45% | 0.96% |
| XOMExxon Mobil Corp. | 2.82% | 1.04% | 1.78% |
89.5% of ESN 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, ESN or SPY?
ESN 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, ESN or SPY?
Over the past year ESN returned +22.53% vs +16.29% for SPY, so ESN leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), ESN annualized +17.71% vs +16.21% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, ESN or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 12.8% annualized versus 10.7% for ESN. Worst drawdown: ESN -13.6% vs SPY -18.8%.
Should I hold both ESN and SPY?
ESN and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.84, 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 ESN and SPY?
89.5% of ESN's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 34.6% of SPY's is in holdings ESN also owns. They hold 37 positions in common, counted across the 41 positions we hold weights for in ESN and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, ESN or SPY?
ESN yields 0.76% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than ESN?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. ESN led over 1Y and the full window. ESN is less concentrated, with 32.6% 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.