GHY vs SPY
PGIM Global High Yield Fund, Inc vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, GHY or SPY?
High Yield Bond against Large Cap Blend.
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 | GHY | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | - | 0.09% |
| AUM | $543M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 9.88% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 889 | 505 |
| YTD Return | -2.98% | +11.97%Best |
| 1Y Return | -6.31% | +16.40%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +11.20% | +21.10%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +3.49% | +12.88%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 12.9%Best | 14.3% |
| Max Drawdown | -55.6% | -34.1%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $11,871 | $18,327Best |
| Fund Family | PGIM Investments | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Fixed Income | Equity |
| Style | High Yield Bond | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Dec 21, 2012 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Dec 21, 2012 to Sep 14, 2026 (13.7 years).
GHY 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.
GHY vs SPY Performance
PGIM Global High Yield Fund, Inc (GHY) is an ETF from PGIM Investments and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year GHY returned -6.31% while SPY returned +16.40%. Year to date, GHY is down 2.98% versus a gain of 11.97% for SPY.
Over three years, GHY compounded at +11.20% per year against +21.10% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +3.49% and +12.88% respectively. Across the full 14-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +13.57% annualized vs -0.09%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 14.3% compared with 12.9% for GHY. 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 -55.6% for GHY and -34.1% 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 0.69. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.1% of SPY's money is in holdings GHY also owns.
Stated as a floor: for GHY, our book for it covers 66.5% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
The two holdings books were reported 214 days apart, GHY as of Jan 30, 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.
2 positions in common, counted across the 545 positions we hold weights for in GHY and 504 in SPY, against full books of 889 and 505.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of GHY 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 performed better, GHY or SPY?
Over the past year GHY returned -6.31% vs +16.40% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (14 years), GHY annualized -0.09% vs +13.57% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, GHY or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 14.3% annualized versus 12.9% for GHY. Worst drawdown: GHY -55.6% vs SPY -34.1%.
Should I hold both GHY and SPY?
GHY and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.69, 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, GHY or SPY?
GHY yields 9.88% while SPY yields 0.98%, so GHY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than GHY?
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.