GRW vs SPY
TCW Durable Growth ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, GRW or SPY?
Large Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
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 52.5%.
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 | GRW | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.75% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $63M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.26% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 33 | 505 |
| YTD Return | -0.91% | +12.89%Best |
| 1Y Return | -3.94% | +17.01%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +22.46% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +13.01% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 16.6% | 11.8%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -31.5% | -18.8%Best |
| $10,000 over 2.4 years | $9,566 | $15,283Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 52.5% | 37.8%Best |
| Fund Family | TCW ETFs | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | May 5, 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: May 7, 2024 to Sep 24, 2026 (2.4 years).
GRW 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.
GRW vs SPY Performance
TCW Durable Growth ETF (GRW) is an ETF from TCW ETFs and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year GRW returned -3.94% while SPY returned +17.01%. Year to date, GRW is down 0.91% versus a gain of 12.89% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
GRW has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 16.6% compared with 11.8% 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 -31.5% for GRW 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 0.71. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
GRW charges 0.75% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $75 vs $9 annually, a gap of $66 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, GRW currently yields 0.26% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
79.4% of GRW's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 28.1% of SPY's money is in holdings GRW also owns.
Most of GRW is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
23 positions in common, counted across the 30 positions we hold weights for in GRW and 504 in SPY, against full books of 33 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 474 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for GRW (71.3% of the fund), and 4 for GRW that do not appear in SPY (9.7%).
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 GRW | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 6.56% | 8.01% | 1.45% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 5.74% | 5.66% | 0.08% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 6.04% | 2.66% | 3.38% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 4.42% | 2.99% | 1.43% |
| TDGTransdigm Group Inc. | 7.22% | 0.10% | 7.12% |
| GEGeneral Electric Co. | 5.81% | 0.53% | 5.28% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 1.98% | 3.79% | 1.81% |
| VVisa Inc Class A | 3.40% | 0.94% | 2.46% |
| MCKMckesson Corp. | 3.86% | 0.17% | 3.69% |
| MAMastercard Inc | 3.25% | 0.71% | 2.54% |
79.4% of GRW 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, GRW or SPY?
GRW has an expense ratio of 0.75% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $66 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, GRW or SPY?
Over the past year GRW returned -3.94% vs +17.01% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), GRW annualized -1.83% vs +19.33% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, GRW or SPY?
GRW has been the more volatile fund at 16.6% annualized versus 11.8% for SPY. Worst drawdown: GRW -31.5% vs SPY -18.8%.
Should I hold both GRW and SPY?
GRW and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.71, 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 GRW and SPY?
79.4% of GRW's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 28.1% of SPY's is in holdings GRW also owns. They hold 23 positions in common, counted across the 30 positions we hold weights for in GRW and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, GRW or SPY?
GRW yields 0.26% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than GRW?
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 52.5%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.