FHEQ vs SPY
Fidelity Hedged Equity ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, FHEQ or SPY?
Nearly the same fund. SPY costs less.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.97. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 38.6%.
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 | FHEQ | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.48% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $929M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.53% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 181 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +8.73% | +11.45%Best |
| 1Y Return | +10.52% | +15.87%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +20.93% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +12.59% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 9.6%Best | 11.9% |
| Max Drawdown | -11.1%Best | -18.8% |
| $10,000 over 2.4 years | $13,563 | $14,944Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 38.6% | 37.8%Best |
| Fund Family | Fidelity Investments (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Apr 9, 2024 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 2.4 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Apr 11, 2024 to Sep 15, 2026 (2.4 years).
FHEQ 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 2.4 years both funds cover.
FHEQ vs SPY Performance
Fidelity Hedged Equity ETF (FHEQ) is an ETF from Fidelity Investments (US) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year FHEQ returned +10.52% while SPY returned +15.87%. Year to date, FHEQ is up 8.73% versus a gain of 11.45% 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 11.9% compared with 9.6% for FHEQ. 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 -11.1% for FHEQ 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 0.97. They move almost in lockstep, so holding both mostly duplicates the same exposure.
Fees and Cost Over Time
FHEQ charges 0.48% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $48 vs $9 annually, a gap of $39 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, FHEQ currently yields 0.53% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
88.5% of FHEQ's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 67.0% of SPY's money is in holdings FHEQ also owns.
Most of FHEQ is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
108 positions in common, counted across the 188 positions we hold weights for in FHEQ and 504 in SPY, against full books of 181 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 390 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for FHEQ (32.4% of the fund), and 60 for FHEQ that do not appear in SPY (8.2%).
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 FHEQ | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 8.26% | 8.01% | 0.25% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 7.32% | 7.26% | 0.06% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 5.11% | 5.66% | 0.55% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 3.92% | 3.79% | 0.13% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 3.04% | 2.99% | 0.05% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 2.68% | 2.66% | 0.02% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc | 2.20% | 2.39% | 0.19% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 2.06% | 1.93% | 0.13% |
| JPMJpmorgan Chase & Co | 1.91% | 1.45% | 0.46% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 1.68% | 1.60% | 0.08% |
88.5% of FHEQ 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, FHEQ or SPY?
FHEQ has an expense ratio of 0.48% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $39 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, FHEQ or SPY?
Over the past year FHEQ returned +10.52% vs +15.87% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), FHEQ annualized +13.54% vs +18.22% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, FHEQ or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 11.9% annualized versus 9.6% for FHEQ. Worst drawdown: FHEQ -11.1% vs SPY -18.8%.
Should I hold both FHEQ and SPY?
FHEQ and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.97, so they move almost identically. What is left to separate them is the fee and the index each one tracks. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between FHEQ and SPY?
88.5% of FHEQ's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 67.0% of SPY's is in holdings FHEQ also owns. They hold 108 positions in common, counted across the 188 positions we hold weights for in FHEQ and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, FHEQ or SPY?
FHEQ yields 0.53% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than FHEQ?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.97. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 38.6%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.