IGE vs SPY
iShares North American Natural Resources ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, IGE or SPY?
Large Cap Value against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. IGE led over 1Y, 5Y and the full window, SPY over 3Y. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 41.7%.
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 | IGE | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.37% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $754M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 1.80% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 156 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +29.44%Best | +12.47% |
| 1Y Return | +38.49%Best | +17.51% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +18.03% | +21.18%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +21.12%Best | +12.88% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 44.8% | 14.8%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -72.3% | -56.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $26,066Best | $18,327 |
| Top 10 Weight | 41.7% | 38.0%Best |
| Fund Family | iShares by BlackRock (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Value | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Oct 22, 2001 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Nov 29, 2001 to Sep 11, 2026 (24.8 years).
IGE 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 24.8 years both funds cover.
IGE vs SPY Performance
iShares North American Natural Resources ETF (IGE) 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 IGE returned +38.49% while SPY returned +17.51%. Year to date, IGE is up 29.44% versus a gain of 12.47% for SPY.
Over three years, IGE compounded at +18.03% per year against +21.18% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +21.12% and +12.88% respectively. Across the full 25-year window we track, IGE has the edge at +14.73% annualized vs +8.27%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
IGE has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 44.8% compared with 14.8% 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 -72.3% for IGE 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 0.33. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
IGE 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, IGE currently yields 1.80% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
56.9% of IGE's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 3.6% of SPY's money is in holdings IGE also owns.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
30 positions in common, counted across the 149 positions we hold weights for in IGE and 504 in SPY, against full books of 156 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 465 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for IGE (95.9% of the fund), and 71 for IGE that do not appear in SPY (14.4%).
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 IGE | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| XOMExxon Mobil Corp. | 9.54% | 0.96% | 8.58% |
| CVXChevron Corp. | 9.36% | 0.54% | 8.82% |
| COPConocophillips Co | 3.92% | 0.22% | 3.70% |
| NEMNewmont Corp. | 3.26% | 0.16% | 3.10% |
| MPCMarathon Petroleum Corp. | 2.64% | 0.14% | 2.50% |
| VLOValero Energy Corp. | 2.59% | 0.14% | 2.45% |
| PSXPhillips 66 | 2.40% | 0.12% | 2.28% |
| WMBWilliams Cos. Inc. | 2.23% | 0.13% | 2.10% |
| SLBSchlumberger Nv. | 2.18% | 0.11% | 2.07% |
| EOGEog Resources Inc | 1.87% | 0.11% | 1.76% |
56.9% of IGE 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, IGE or SPY?
IGE 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, IGE or SPY?
Over the past year IGE returned +38.49% vs +17.51% for SPY, so IGE leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (25 years), IGE annualized +14.73% vs +8.27% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, IGE or SPY?
IGE has been the more volatile fund at 44.8% annualized versus 14.8% for SPY. Worst drawdown: IGE -72.3% vs SPY -56.5%.
Should I hold both IGE and SPY?
IGE and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.33, 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 IGE and SPY?
56.9% of IGE's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 3.6% of SPY's is in holdings IGE also owns. They hold 30 positions in common, counted across the 149 positions we hold weights for in IGE and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, IGE or SPY?
IGE yields 1.80% while SPY yields 0.98%, so IGE currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than IGE?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. IGE led over 1Y, 5Y and the full window, SPY over 3Y. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 41.7%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.