FXH vs SPY
First Trust Health Care AlphaDEX Fund vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, FXH or SPY?
Large Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. FXH led over 1Y and the full window, SPY over 3Y and 5Y. FXH is less concentrated, with 24.7% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 38.0%.
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 | FXH | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.61% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $1.2B | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.77% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 148 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +13.13%Best | +11.52% |
| 1Y Return | +20.61%Best | +17.48% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +8.84% | +20.62%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +0.89% | +12.73%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 16.3% | 15.6%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -43.7%Best | -56.5% |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $10,453 | $18,205Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 24.7%Best | 38.0% |
| Fund Family | First Trust Portfolios (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | May 8, 2007 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: May 10, 2007 to Sep 10, 2026 (19.3 years).
FXH 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 19.3 years both funds cover.
FXH vs SPY Performance
First Trust Health Care AlphaDEX Fund (FXH) is an ETF from First Trust Portfolios (US) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year FXH returned +20.61% while SPY returned +17.48%. Year to date, FXH is up 13.13% versus a gain of 11.52% for SPY.
Over three years, FXH compounded at +8.84% per year against +20.62% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +0.89% and +12.73% respectively. Across the full 19-year window we track, FXH has the edge at +10.25% annualized vs +9.17%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
FXH has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 16.3% compared with 15.6% 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 -43.7% for FXH 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 0.77. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
FXH charges 0.61% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $61 vs $9 annually, a gap of $52 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, FXH currently yields 0.77% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
58.1% of FXH's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 7.0% of SPY's money is in holdings FXH also owns.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
43 positions in common, counted across the 73 positions we hold weights for in FXH and 504 in SPY, against full books of 148 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 451 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for FXH (92.5% of the fund), and 28 for FXH that do not appear in SPY (38.9%).
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 FXH | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| LLYEli Lilly & Co. | 1.56% | 1.33% | 0.23% |
| REGNRegeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | 2.77% | 0.11% | 2.66% |
| PFEPfizer, Inc. | 2.56% | 0.22% | 2.34% |
| SOLVSolventum Corp | 2.55% | 0.02% | 2.53% |
| BSXBoston Scientific Corp. | 2.45% | 0.11% | 2.34% |
| ZBHZimmer Biomet Holdings Inc. | 2.51% | 0.03% | 2.48% |
| UHSUniversal Health Services Inc. | 2.48% | 0.01% | 2.47% |
| CICigna Corp. | 2.17% | 0.11% | 2.06% |
| CNCCentene Corp. | 2.17% | 0.05% | 2.12% |
| RMDResmed Inc. | 1.99% | 0.05% | 1.94% |
58.1% of FXH 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, FXH or SPY?
FXH has an expense ratio of 0.61% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $52 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, FXH or SPY?
Over the past year FXH returned +20.61% vs +17.48% for SPY, so FXH leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (19 years), FXH annualized +10.25% vs +9.17% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, FXH or SPY?
FXH has been the more volatile fund at 16.3% annualized versus 15.6% for SPY. Worst drawdown: FXH -43.7% vs SPY -56.5%.
Should I hold both FXH and SPY?
FXH and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.77, 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 FXH and SPY?
58.1% of FXH's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 7.0% of SPY's is in holdings FXH also owns. They hold 43 positions in common, counted across the 73 positions we hold weights for in FXH and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, FXH or SPY?
FXH yields 0.77% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than FXH?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. FXH led over 1Y and the full window, SPY over 3Y and 5Y. FXH is less concentrated, with 24.7% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 38.0%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.