FMCE vs SPY

FMCE vs SPY

Which is better, FMCE 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%.

Lower Fees: SPYHigher Returns: SPYLess Concentrated: SPY

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

MetricFMCESPY
Expense Ratio0.71%0.09%Best
AUM$69M$804.7B
Dividend Yield2.82%0.98%
Holdings31505
YTD Return+9.56%+13.82%Best
1Y Return+9.13%+16.96%Best
3Y Return (annualized)-+22.97%
5Y Return (annualized)-+13.73%
Volatility (annualized)11.4%Best12.6%
Max Drawdown-11.7%Best-18.8%
$10,000 over 1.9 years$11,898$13,264Best
Top 10 Weight54.8%37.8%Best
Fund FamilyFirst ManhattanState Street Investment Management
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap BlendLarge Cap Blend
InceptionNov 8, 2024Jan 22, 1993

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.9 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Nov 11, 2024 to Sep 21, 2026 (1.9 years).

FMCE 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.

FMCE vs SPY Performance

FM Compounders Equity ETF (FMCE) is an ETF from First Manhattan and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year FMCE returned +9.13% while SPY returned +16.96%. Year to date, FMCE is up 9.56% versus a gain of 13.82% 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 12.6% compared with 11.4% for FMCE. 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 -11.7% for FMCE 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

FMCE charges 0.71% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $71 vs $9 annually, a gap of $62 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, FMCE currently yields 2.82% against 0.98% for SPY.

Holdings Overlap

FMCE already in SPY79.7%
SPY already in FMCE28.1%

79.7% of FMCE's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 28.1% of SPY's money is in holdings FMCE also owns.

Most of FMCE is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.

The two holdings books were reported 93 days apart, FMCE as of May 31, 2026 and SPY as of Sep 1, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.

26 positions in common, counted across the 31 positions we hold weights for in FMCE and 504 in SPY, against full books of 31 and 505.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 471 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for FMCE (71.3% of the fund), and 2 for FMCE that do not appear in SPY (14.1%).

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

StockWeight in FMCEWeight in SPYDifference
MSFTMicrosoft Corp5.42%5.66%0.24%
NVDANvidia Corp1.11%8.01%6.90%
AMZNAmazon.Com Inc4.55%3.79%0.76%
INTCIntel Corporation5.45%0.67%4.78%
BRK.BBerkshire Hathaway Inc Brk/B Us Equity4.02%1.40%2.62%
KKRKkr & Co. Inc. Class a5.22%0.11%5.11%
VVisa Inc Class A4.28%0.94%3.34%
GEGeneral Electric Co.4.45%0.53%3.92%
HONHoneywell International Inc.4.44%0.10%4.34%
METAMeta Platforms Inc2.49%1.93%0.56%

79.7% of FMCE 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.

FMCESPY

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, FMCE or SPY?

FMCE has an expense ratio of 0.71% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $62 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, FMCE or SPY?

Over the past year FMCE returned +9.13% vs +16.96% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), FMCE annualized +9.58% vs +16.03% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, FMCE or SPY?

SPY has been the more volatile fund at 12.6% annualized versus 11.4% for FMCE. Worst drawdown: FMCE -11.7% vs SPY -18.8%.

Should I hold both FMCE and SPY?

FMCE 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 FMCE and SPY?

79.7% of FMCE's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 28.1% of SPY's is in holdings FMCE also owns. They hold 26 positions in common, counted across the 31 positions we hold weights for in FMCE and 504 in SPY.

Which pays a higher dividend, FMCE or SPY?

FMCE yields 2.82% while SPY yields 0.98%, so FMCE currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is SPY better than FMCE?

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.