HELX vs SPY
Franklin Genomic Advancements ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, HELX or SPY?
Mid Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. HELX led over 1Y, SPY over 3Y, 5Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 47.9%.
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 | HELX | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.50% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $32M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.00% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 69 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +12.49%Best | +11.52% |
| 1Y Return | +36.27%Best | +17.48% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +11.23% | +20.62%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | -6.48% | +12.73%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 25.0% | 16.8%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -58.8% | -28.7%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $7,154 | $18,205Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 47.9% | 38.0%Best |
| Fund Family | Franklin Templeton Investments (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Mid Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Feb 25, 2020 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Feb 27, 2020 to Sep 10, 2026 (6.5 years).
HELX 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 6.5 years both funds cover.
HELX vs SPY Performance
Franklin Genomic Advancements ETF (HELX) is an ETF from Franklin Templeton Investments (US) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year HELX returned +36.27% while SPY returned +17.48%. Year to date, HELX is up 12.49% versus a gain of 11.52% for SPY.
Over three years, HELX compounded at +11.23% per year against +20.62% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are -6.48% and +12.73% respectively. Across the full 7-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +16.70% annualized vs +8.64%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
HELX has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 25.0% compared with 16.8% 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 -58.8% for HELX and -28.7% 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 0.67. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
HELX charges 0.50% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $50 vs $9 annually, a gap of $41 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, HELX currently yields 0.00% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
16.1% of HELX's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 2.7% of SPY's money is in holdings HELX also owns.
HELX and SPY share little of their money.
11 positions in common, counted across the 66 positions we hold weights for in HELX and 504 in SPY, against full books of 69 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 483 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for HELX (96.8% of the fund), and 42 for HELX that do not appear in SPY (71.8%).
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 HELX | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| LLYEli Lilly & Co. | 2.88% | 1.33% | 1.55% |
| VRTXVertex Pharmaceuticals Inc | 2.68% | 0.18% | 2.50% |
| CTVACorteva Inc. | 2.60% | 0.08% | 2.52% |
| REGNRegeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | 2.22% | 0.11% | 2.11% |
| CRLCharles River Laboratories International Inc | 1.32% | 0.02% | 1.30% |
| TMOThermo Fisher Scientific Inc | 0.86% | 0.32% | 0.54% |
| IQVIqvia Holdings Inc. | 1.00% | 0.06% | 0.94% |
| CDNSCadence Design Systems Inc. | 0.90% | 0.14% | 0.76% |
| DHRDanaher Corp. | 0.60% | 0.18% | 0.42% |
| AAgilent Tech In 3.2 10/22 | 0.62% | 0.06% | 0.56% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of HELX 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, HELX or SPY?
HELX has an expense ratio of 0.50% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $41 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, HELX or SPY?
Over the past year HELX returned +36.27% vs +17.48% for SPY, so HELX leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (7 years), HELX annualized +8.64% vs +16.70% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, HELX or SPY?
HELX has been the more volatile fund at 25.0% annualized versus 16.8% for SPY. Worst drawdown: HELX -58.8% vs SPY -28.7%.
Should I hold both HELX and SPY?
HELX and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.67, 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 HELX and SPY?
16.1% of HELX's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 2.7% of SPY's is in holdings HELX also owns. They hold 11 positions in common, counted across the 66 positions we hold weights for in HELX and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, HELX or SPY?
HELX yields 0.00% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than HELX?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. HELX led over 1Y, SPY over 3Y, 5Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 47.9%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.