ETB vs SPY
Eaton Vance Tax-Managed Buy-Write Income Fund vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, ETB or SPY?
Multi Alternative against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 39.4%.
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 | ETB | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 1.12% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $391M | $814.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 7.49% | 1.01% |
| Holdings | 156 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +7.96% | +12.71%Best |
| 1Y Return | +13.05% | +19.36%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +15.25% | +21.09%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +7.56% | +12.69%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 17.3% | 14.9%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -59.4% | -56.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $14,396 | $18,173Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 39.4% | 38.0%Best |
| Fund Family | Eaton Vance | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Alternative | Equity |
| Style | Multi Alternative | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Apr 27, 2005 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Apr 27, 2005 to Sep 8, 2026 (21.4 years).
ETB 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 is available from the range buttons; it is not the opening view here because over the whole period one of these two funds moves so much further than the other that its line would sit flat on the axis.
ETB vs SPY Performance
Eaton Vance Tax-Managed Buy-Write Income Fund (ETB) is an ETF from Eaton Vance and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year ETB returned +13.05% while SPY returned +19.36%. Year to date, ETB is up 7.96% versus a gain of 12.71% for SPY.
Over three years, ETB compounded at +15.25% per year against +21.09% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +7.56% and +12.69% respectively. Across the full 21-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +9.63% annualized vs +1.05%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
ETB has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 17.3% compared with 14.9% 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 -59.4% for ETB 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 0.71. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
ETB charges 1.12% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $112 vs $9 annually, a gap of $103 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, ETB currently yields 7.49% against 1.01% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
96.8% of ETB's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 67.0% of SPY's money is in holdings ETB also owns.
Most of ETB is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
The two holdings books were reported 126 days apart, ETB as of Mar 31, 2026 and SPY as of Aug 4, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
130 positions in common, counted across the 145 positions we hold weights for in ETB and 503 in SPY, against full books of 156 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 362 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for ETB (31.1% of the fund), and 9 for ETB that do not appear in SPY (1.3%).
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 ETB | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp. | 8.04% | 7.71% | 0.33% |
| AAPLApple Inc Ord | 7.14% | 6.83% | 0.31% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp 4.100 Feb 06 37 | 5.26% | 5.50% | 0.24% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 3.91% | 4.08% | 0.17% |
| GOOGL Alphabet Inc. Class A | 3.28% | 3.33% | 0.05% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 3.00% | 2.97% | 0.03% |
| GOOGAlphabet, Inc., Class C | 2.51% | 2.67% | 0.16% |
| METAMeta Platform Inc | 2.33% | 1.94% | 0.39% |
| BRK.BBerkshire Hathaway, Inc., Class B | 2.06% | 1.42% | 0.64% |
| JPMJpmorgan Chase & Co | 1.91% | 1.44% | 0.47% |
96.8% of ETB 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, ETB or SPY?
ETB has an expense ratio of 1.12% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $103 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, ETB or SPY?
Over the past year ETB returned +13.05% vs +19.36% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (21 years), ETB annualized +1.05% vs +9.63% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, ETB or SPY?
ETB has been the more volatile fund at 17.3% annualized versus 14.9% for SPY. Worst drawdown: ETB -59.4% vs SPY -56.5%.
Should I hold both ETB and SPY?
ETB and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.71, 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 ETB and SPY?
96.8% of ETB's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 67.0% of SPY's is in holdings ETB also owns. They hold 130 positions in common, counted across the 145 positions we hold weights for in ETB and 503 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, ETB or SPY?
ETB yields 7.49% while SPY yields 1.01%, so ETB currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than ETB?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 39.4%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.