JEMA vs SPY
JPMorgan ActiveBuilders Emerging Markets Equity ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, JEMA or SPY?
All Cap Blend against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. JEMA led over 1Y and 3Y, SPY over 5Y and the full window. JEMA is less concentrated, with 35.9% 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 | JEMA | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.34% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $1.7B | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 2.41% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 543 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +23.17%Best | +11.52% |
| 1Y Return | +37.99%Best | +17.48% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +23.44%Best | +20.62% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +7.40% | +12.73%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 17.7% | 15.3%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -39.5% | -24.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $14,290 | $18,205Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 35.9%Best | 38.0% |
| Fund Family | J.P. Morgan Asset Management | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | All Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Mar 10, 2021 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Mar 11, 2021 to Sep 10, 2026 (5.5 years).
JEMA 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 5.5 years both funds cover.
JEMA vs SPY Performance
JPMorgan ActiveBuilders Emerging Markets Equity ETF (JEMA) is an ETF from J.P. Morgan Asset Management and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year JEMA returned +37.99% while SPY returned +17.48%. Year to date, JEMA is up 23.17% versus a gain of 11.52% for SPY.
Over three years, JEMA compounded at +23.44% per year against +20.62% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +7.40% and +12.73% respectively. Across the full 6-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +14.18% annualized vs +6.51%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
JEMA has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 17.7% compared with 15.3% 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 -39.5% for JEMA and -24.5% 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 0.65. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
JEMA charges 0.34% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $34 vs $9 annually, a gap of $25 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, JEMA currently yields 2.41% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
0.1% of JEMA's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 0.1% of SPY's money is in holdings JEMA also owns.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
1 positions in common, counted across the 508 positions we hold weights for in JEMA and 504 in SPY, against full books of 543 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 493 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for JEMA (99.4% of the fund), and 18 for JEMA that do not appear in SPY (2.4%).
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 JEMA | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| MPWRMonolithic Power Systems Inc | 0.09% | 0.10% | 0.01% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of JEMA 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, JEMA or SPY?
JEMA has an expense ratio of 0.34% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $25 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, JEMA or SPY?
Over the past year JEMA returned +37.99% vs +17.48% for SPY, so JEMA leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (6 years), JEMA annualized +6.51% vs +14.18% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, JEMA or SPY?
JEMA has been the more volatile fund at 17.7% annualized versus 15.3% for SPY. Worst drawdown: JEMA -39.5% vs SPY -24.5%.
Should I hold both JEMA and SPY?
JEMA and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.65, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, JEMA or SPY?
JEMA yields 2.41% while SPY yields 0.98%, so JEMA currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than JEMA?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. JEMA led over 1Y and 3Y, SPY over 5Y and the full window. JEMA is less concentrated, with 35.9% 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.