IEO vs SPY
iShares US Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, IEO or SPY?
All Cap Blend against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. IEO led over 1Y and 5Y, SPY over 3Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.9% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 71.5%.
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 | IEO | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.37% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $820M | $777.9B |
| Dividend Yield | 1.48% | 1.00% |
| Holdings | 102 | 1,011 |
| YTD Return | +49.29%Best | +12.09% |
| 1Y Return | +45.22%Best | +12.45% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +15.57% | +21.45%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +19.23%Best | +11.87% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 32.3% | 15.2%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -80.7% | -56.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $24,095Best | $17,521 |
| Top 10 Weight | 71.5% | 38.9%Best |
| Fund Family | iShares by BlackRock (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | All Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | May 1, 2006 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: May 5, 2006 to Nov 11, 2026 (20.5 years).
IEO 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 20.5 years both funds cover.
IEO vs SPY Performance
iShares US Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF (IEO) is an ETF from iShares by BlackRock (US) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year IEO returned +45.22% while SPY returned +12.45%. Year to date, IEO is up 49.29% versus a gain of 12.09% for SPY.
Over three years, IEO compounded at +15.57% per year against +21.45% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +19.23% and +11.87% respectively. Across the full 21-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +9.29% annualized vs +5.64%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
IEO has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 32.3% compared with 15.2% 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 -80.7% for IEO 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 0.58. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
IEO charges 0.37% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $37 vs $9 annually, a gap of $28 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, IEO currently yields 1.48% against 1.00% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
73.9% of IEO's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 1.2% of SPY's money is in holdings IEO also owns.
Most of IEO is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
11 positions in common, counted across the 48 positions we hold weights for in IEO and 504 in SPY, against full books of 102 and 1,011.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 488 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for IEO (98.5% of the fund), and 37 for IEO that do not appear in SPY (26.1%).
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 IEO | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| COPConocophillips Common Stock USD 0.01 | 17.06% | 0.26% | 16.80% |
| MPCMarathon Petroleum Corp. | 13.59% | 0.20% | 13.39% |
| VLOValero Energy | 13.21% | 0.20% | 13.01% |
| PSXPhillips 66 | 4.83% | 0.18% | 4.65% |
| EOGEog Resources Inc | 4.45% | 0.12% | 4.33% |
| DVNDevon Energy Corp. | 4.32% | 0.08% | 4.24% |
| FANGDiamondback Energy Inc. | 4.13% | 0.06% | 4.07% |
| EQTEqt Corp | 4.09% | 0.05% | 4.04% |
| CHKChesapeake Energy Corp | 2.95% | 0.03% | 2.92% |
| TPLTexas Pacific Land Trust | 2.91% | 0.03% | 2.88% |
73.9% of IEO 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, IEO or SPY?
IEO has an expense ratio of 0.37% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $28 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, IEO or SPY?
Over the past year IEO returned +45.22% vs +12.45% for SPY, so IEO leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (21 years), IEO annualized +5.64% vs +9.29% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, IEO or SPY?
IEO has been the more volatile fund at 32.3% annualized versus 15.2% for SPY. Worst drawdown: IEO -80.7% vs SPY -56.5%.
Should I hold both IEO and SPY?
IEO and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.58, 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 IEO and SPY?
73.9% of IEO's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 1.2% of SPY's is in holdings IEO also owns. They hold 11 positions in common, counted across the 48 positions we hold weights for in IEO and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, IEO or SPY?
IEO yields 1.48% while SPY yields 1.00%, so IEO currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than IEO?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. IEO led over 1Y and 5Y, SPY over 3Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.9% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 71.5%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.