JHDG vs SPY
John Hancock Hedged Equity ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, JHDG or SPY?
SPY costs less.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 47.9%.
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 | JHDG | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.49% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $107M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.10% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 117 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +8.84% | +12.22%Best |
| 1Y Return | - | +16.97% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +21.16% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +13.00% |
| Top 10 Weight | 47.9% | 37.8%Best |
| Fund Family | John Hancock Investment Management | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Apr 8, 2026 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Volatility (annualized), Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window.
JHDG 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 is available from the range buttons; it is not the opening view here because over the whole period one of these two funds moves so much further than the other that its line would sit flat on the axis.
JHDG vs SPY Performance
John Hancock Hedged Equity ETF (JHDG) is an ETF from John Hancock Investment Management and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Year to date, JHDG is up 8.84% versus a gain of 12.22% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Fees and Cost Over Time
JHDG charges 0.49% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $49 vs $9 annually, a gap of $40 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, JHDG currently yields 0.10% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
80.5% of JHDG's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 38.0% of SPY's money is in holdings JHDG also owns.
Most of JHDG is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
34 positions in common, counted across the 54 positions we hold weights for in JHDG and 504 in SPY, against full books of 117 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 463 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for JHDG (61.3% of the fund), and 10 for JHDG that do not appear in SPY (11.0%).
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
| Stock | Weight in JHDG | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 8.63% | 5.66% | 2.97% |
| NVDANvidia Corp | 5.19% | 8.01% | 2.82% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 6.38% | 3.79% | 2.59% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 7.13% | 2.99% | 4.14% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 3.98% | 2.66% | 1.32% |
| JPMJpmorgan Chase | 4.44% | 1.45% | 2.99% |
| BRK.BBerkshire Hathaway Inc Brk/B Us Equity | 2.91% | 1.40% | 1.51% |
| LLYEli Lilly & Co. | 2.91% | 1.40% | 1.51% |
| COSTCostco Wholesale Corp. | 3.48% | 0.63% | 2.85% |
| AMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc | 2.80% | 1.14% | 1.66% |
80.5% of JHDG 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, JHDG or SPY?
JHDG has an expense ratio of 0.49% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $40 a year on a $10,000 investment.
What is the holdings overlap between JHDG and SPY?
80.5% of JHDG's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 38.0% of SPY's is in holdings JHDG also owns. They hold 34 positions in common, counted across the 54 positions we hold weights for in JHDG and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, JHDG or SPY?
JHDG yields 0.10% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than JHDG?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 47.9%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.