HTD vs SPY
John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, HTD or SPY?
Equity-oriented 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 | HTD | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 1.96% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $917M | $814.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 7.17% | 1.01% |
| Holdings | 124 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +11.11% | +13.34%Best |
| 1Y Return | +10.93% | +19.97%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +18.98% | +21.20%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +8.31% | +12.81%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 19.2% | 14.7%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -75.5% | -56.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $14,905 | $18,270Best |
| Fund Family | John Hancock Investment Management | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Allocation/Balanced | Equity |
| Style | Equity-oriented Balanced | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Feb 27, 2004 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Mar 31, 2004 to Sep 4, 2026 (22.4 years).
HTD 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 22.4 years both funds cover.
HTD vs SPY Performance
John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (HTD) is an ETF from John Hancock Investment Management and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year HTD returned +10.93% while SPY returned +19.97%. Year to date, HTD is up 11.11% versus a gain of 13.34% for SPY.
Over three years, HTD compounded at +18.98% per year against +21.20% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +8.31% and +12.81% respectively. Across the full 22-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +9.29% annualized vs +2.94%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
HTD has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 19.2% compared with 14.7% 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 -75.5% for HTD 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 0.64. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
HTD charges 1.96% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $196 vs $9 annually, a gap of $187 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, HTD currently yields 7.17% against 1.01% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
At least 4.3% of SPY's money is in holdings HTD also owns.
Only one direction is shown: for HTD, our book for it lists positions totalling 109.3% of the fund, which is what a leveraged book looks like and is not a denominator we can divide by.
SPY and HTD share little of their money.
The two holdings books were reported 216 days apart, HTD as of Dec 31, 2025 and SPY as of Aug 4, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
39 positions in common, counted across the 73 positions we hold weights for in HTD and 503 in SPY, against full books of 124 and 505.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in HTD | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| VZVerizon Communications Inc Com Usd1 | 3.27% | 0.29% | 2.98% |
| AEPAmerican Electric Power Co Inc | 3.32% | 0.10% | 3.22% |
| DUKDuke Energy Corp. | 3.12% | 0.15% | 2.97% |
| KMIKinder Morgan Inc./de | 2.94% | 0.09% | 2.85% |
| AEEAmeren Corp. | 2.93% | 0.05% | 2.88% |
| ETREntergy Corp. | 2.89% | 0.07% | 2.82% |
| SOSouthern Co. | 2.80% | 0.16% | 2.64% |
| TAt&t, Inc. | 2.55% | 0.24% | 2.31% |
| PPLPpl Corp. | 2.72% | 0.04% | 2.68% |
| AESAes Corporation | 2.51% | 0.02% | 2.49% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of HTD 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, HTD or SPY?
HTD has an expense ratio of 1.96% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $187 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, HTD or SPY?
Over the past year HTD returned +10.93% vs +19.97% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (22 years), HTD annualized +2.94% vs +9.29% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, HTD or SPY?
HTD has been the more volatile fund at 19.2% annualized versus 14.7% for SPY. Worst drawdown: HTD -75.5% vs SPY -56.5%.
Should I hold both HTD and SPY?
HTD and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.64, 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 HTD and SPY?
At least 4.3% of SPY's money is in holdings HTD also owns. Our book for HTD is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 39 positions in common, counted across the 73 positions we hold weights for in HTD and 503 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, HTD or SPY?
HTD yields 7.17% while SPY yields 1.01%, so HTD currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than HTD?
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.