HWSM vs SPY
Hotchkis & Wiley SMID Cap Diversified Value Fund ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, HWSM or SPY?
Mid Cap Value against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. HWSM is less concentrated, with 17.1% 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 | HWSM | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.55% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $3M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 1.14% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 166 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +14.06%Best | +12.47% |
| 1Y Return | +15.90% | +17.51%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +21.18% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +12.88% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 11.9%Best | 12.0% |
| Max Drawdown | -15.7% | -12.1%Best |
| $10,000 over 1.4 years | $12,744 | $13,705Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 17.1%Best | 38.0% |
| Fund Family | Hotchkis & Wiley Funds | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Mid Cap Value | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Mar 31, 2025 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.4 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Mar 31, 2025 to Sep 11, 2026 (1.4 years).
HWSM 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 1.4 years both funds cover.
HWSM vs SPY Performance
Hotchkis & Wiley SMID Cap Diversified Value Fund ETF (HWSM) is an ETF from Hotchkis & Wiley Funds and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year HWSM returned +15.90% while SPY returned +17.51%. Year to date, HWSM is up 14.06% versus a gain of 12.47% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 12.0% compared with 11.9% for HWSM. 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 -15.7% for HWSM and -12.1% 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 0.59. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
HWSM charges 0.55% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $55 vs $9 annually, a gap of $46 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, HWSM currently yields 1.14% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
35.1% of HWSM's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 1.6% of SPY's money is in holdings HWSM also owns.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
41 positions in common, counted across the 165 positions we hold weights for in HWSM and 504 in SPY, against full books of 166 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 455 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for HWSM (98.0% of the fund), and 119 for HWSM that do not appear in SPY (61.7%).
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 HWSM | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| FFIVF5 Networks Inc. | 2.34% | 0.03% | 2.31% |
| WDAYWorkday, Inc., Class A | 2.28% | 0.05% | 2.23% |
| DDominion Energy Inc. | 1.86% | 0.09% | 1.77% |
| PPGPpg Industries Inc. | 1.89% | 0.04% | 1.85% |
| GEHCGe Healthcare Technologies Inc | 1.69% | 0.05% | 1.64% |
| APAApa Corp | 1.67% | 0.02% | 1.65% |
| STTState Street Corp. | 1.34% | 0.08% | 1.26% |
| AIGAmerican International Gr | 1.26% | 0.06% | 1.20% |
| HUMHumana Inc. | 1.13% | 0.07% | 1.06% |
| TRVTravelers Cos., Inc. | 1.05% | 0.12% | 0.93% |
35.1% of HWSM 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, HWSM or SPY?
HWSM has an expense ratio of 0.55% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $46 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, HWSM or SPY?
Over the past year HWSM returned +15.90% vs +17.51% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), HWSM annualized +18.91% vs +25.25% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, HWSM or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 12.0% annualized versus 11.9% for HWSM. Worst drawdown: HWSM -15.7% vs SPY -12.1%.
Should I hold both HWSM and SPY?
HWSM and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.59, 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 HWSM and SPY?
35.1% of HWSM's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 1.6% of SPY's is in holdings HWSM also owns. They hold 41 positions in common, counted across the 165 positions we hold weights for in HWSM and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, HWSM or SPY?
HWSM yields 1.14% while SPY yields 0.98%, so HWSM currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than HWSM?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. HWSM is less concentrated, with 17.1% 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.