ILIT vs SPY

ILIT vs SPY

Which is better, ILIT or SPY?

Each has led over a different period.

SPY has a lower expense ratio. ILIT led over 1Y, SPY over 3Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 61.7%.

Lower Fees: SPYHigher Returns: splitLess Concentrated: SPY

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

MetricILITSPY
Expense Ratio0.47%0.09%Best
AUM$15M$804.7B
Dividend Yield2.06%0.98%
Holdings44505
YTD Return-15.10%+12.99%Best
1Y Return+29.47%Best+16.73%
3Y Return (annualized)-4.53%+22.52%Best
5Y Return (annualized)-+13.07%
Volatility (annualized)44.1%12.6%Best
Max Drawdown-72.1%-18.8%Best
$10,000 over 3.3 years$6,566$18,559Best
Top 10 Weight61.7%37.8%Best
Fund FamilyiShares by BlackRock (US)State Street Investment Management
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap BlendLarge Cap Blend
InceptionJun 21, 2023Jan 22, 1993

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 3.3 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jun 23, 2023 to Sep 23, 2026 (3.3 years).

ILIT 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 3.3 years both funds cover.

ILIT vs SPY Performance

iShares Lithium Miners and Producers ETF (ILIT) 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 ILIT returned +29.47% while SPY returned +16.73%. Year to date, ILIT is down 15.10% versus a gain of 12.99% for SPY.

Over three years, ILIT compounded at -4.53% per year against +22.52% for SPY.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

ILIT has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 44.1% compared with 12.6% 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 -72.1% for ILIT and -18.8% 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 0.43. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.

Fees and Cost Over Time

ILIT charges 0.47% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $47 vs $9 annually, a gap of $38 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, ILIT currently yields 2.06% against 0.98% for SPY.

Holdings Overlap

ILIT already in SPY8.0%

8.0% of ILIT's money is in holdings SPY also owns.

ILIT and SPY share little of their money.

1 positions in common, counted across the 35 positions we hold weights for in ILIT and 504 in SPY, against full books of 44 and 505.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 496 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for ILIT (99.3% of the fund), and 2 for ILIT that do not appear in SPY (2.0%).

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

StockWeight in ILITWeight in SPYDifference
ALBAlbemarle Corp.8.00%0.02%7.98%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

Whichever of ILIT and SPY you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.

ILITSPY

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, ILIT or SPY?

ILIT has an expense ratio of 0.47% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $38 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, ILIT or SPY?

Over the past year ILIT returned +29.47% vs +16.73% for SPY, so ILIT leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, ILIT or SPY?

ILIT has been the more volatile fund at 44.1% annualized versus 12.6% for SPY. Worst drawdown: ILIT -72.1% vs SPY -18.8%.

Should I hold both ILIT and SPY?

ILIT and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.43, 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 ILIT and SPY?

8.0% of ILIT's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 0.0% of SPY's is in holdings ILIT also owns. They hold 1 positions in common, counted across the 35 positions we hold weights for in ILIT and 504 in SPY.

Which pays a higher dividend, ILIT or SPY?

ILIT yields 2.06% while SPY yields 0.98%, so ILIT currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is SPY better than ILIT?

SPY has a lower expense ratio. ILIT led over 1Y, SPY over 3Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 61.7%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.