FOF vs SPY
Cohen & Steers Closed-End Opportunity Fund Inc. vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, FOF or SPY?
Allocation/Balanced against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window.
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 | FOF | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.95% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $357M | $811.2B |
| Dividend Yield | 7.70% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 106 | 1,515 |
| YTD Return | +0.31% | +14.85%Best |
| 1Y Return | +2.34% | +17.26%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +16.37% | +22.95%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +6.68% | +13.89%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 17.9% | 15.4%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -66.8% | -56.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $13,817 | $19,161Best |
| Fund Family | Cohen & Steers Funds | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Allocation/Balanced | Equity |
| Style | Allocation/Balanced | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Nov 20, 2006 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Nov 21, 2006 to Oct 9, 2026 (19.9 years).
FOF 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 19.9 years both funds cover.
FOF vs SPY Performance
Cohen & Steers Closed-End Opportunity Fund Inc. (FOF) is an ETF from Cohen & Steers Funds and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year FOF returned +2.34% while SPY returned +17.26%. Year to date, FOF is up 0.31% versus a gain of 14.85% for SPY.
Over three years, FOF compounded at +16.37% per year against +22.95% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +6.68% and +13.89% respectively. Across the full 20-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +9.41% annualized vs +0.02%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
FOF has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 17.9% compared with 15.4% 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 -66.8% for FOF 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 0.80. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
FOF charges 0.95% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $95 vs $9 annually, a gap of $86 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, FOF currently yields 7.70% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 91 holdings in FOF and 504 in SPY, totalling 88.3% and 99.8% of the two funds. That is not enough of FOF to divide by, so no overlap percentage is shown here. Within what we can see, 1 positions appear in both.
The two holdings books were reported 257 days apart, FOF as of Dec 31, 2025 and SPY as of Sep 14, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
1 positions in common, counted across the 91 positions we hold weights for in FOF and 504 in SPY, against full books of 106 and 1,515.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in FOF | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| RDDTReddit Inc-Cl A | 0.06% | 0.03% | 0.03% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of FOF and SPY you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, FOF or SPY?
FOF has an expense ratio of 0.95% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $86 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, FOF or SPY?
Over the past year FOF returned +2.34% vs +17.26% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (20 years), FOF annualized +0.02% vs +9.41% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, FOF or SPY?
FOF has been the more volatile fund at 17.9% annualized versus 15.4% for SPY. Worst drawdown: FOF -66.8% vs SPY -56.5%.
Should I hold both FOF and SPY?
FOF and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.80, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, FOF or SPY?
FOF yields 7.70% while SPY yields 0.98%, so FOF currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than FOF?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.