JRS vs SPY
Nuveen Real Estate Income Fund vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, JRS or SPY?
Mid Cap Blend against Large Cap Blend.
SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window.
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 | JRS | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | - | 0.09% |
| AUM | - | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 7.40% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 87 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +10.69% | +12.19%Best |
| 1Y Return | +7.60% | +18.53%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +13.69% | +20.88%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +1.19% | +12.69%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 28.2% | 14.8%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -90.7% | -56.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $10,609 | $18,173Best |
| Fund Family | Nuveen | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Mid Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Nov 15, 2001 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Nov 16, 2001 to Sep 9, 2026 (24.8 years).
JRS 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.
JRS vs SPY Performance
Nuveen Real Estate Income Fund (JRS) is an ETF from Nuveen and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year JRS returned +7.60% while SPY returned +18.53%. Year to date, JRS is up 10.69% versus a gain of 12.19% for SPY.
Over three years, JRS compounded at +13.69% per year against +20.88% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +1.19% and +12.69% respectively. Across the full 25-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +8.27% annualized vs -0.71%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
JRS has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 28.2% 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 -90.7% for JRS 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 0.63. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Holdings Overlap
At least 1.5% of SPY's money is in holdings JRS also owns.
Stated as a floor: for JRS, our book for it covers 82.2% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
SPY and JRS share little of their money.
The two holdings books were reported 126 days apart, JRS as of Mar 31, 2026 and SPY as of Aug 4, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
25 positions in common, counted across the 53 positions we hold weights for in JRS and 504 in SPY, against full books of 87 and 505.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in JRS | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLDPrologis Inc | 7.12% | 0.19% | 6.93% |
| EQIXEquinix Inc. Real Estate Investment Trust | 4.90% | 0.16% | 4.74% |
| DLRDigital Realty Trust Inc. | 4.47% | 0.10% | 4.37% |
| VTRVentas Inc . | 4.31% | 0.07% | 4.24% |
| WELLWelltower, Inc. | 3.06% | 0.25% | 2.81% |
| DOCHealthpeak Properties Inc | 2.36% | 0.02% | 2.34% |
| FRTFederal Realty Investment Trust | 2.25% | 0.01% | 2.24% |
| SPGSimon Property Group Inc | 2.13% | 0.11% | 2.02% |
| VICIVici Properties Inc | 2.02% | 0.04% | 1.98% |
| CPTCamden Property Trust Common Stock | 2.01% | 0.02% | 1.99% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of JRS 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 performed better, JRS or SPY?
Over the past year JRS returned +7.60% vs +18.53% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (25 years), JRS annualized -0.71% vs +8.27% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, JRS or SPY?
JRS has been the more volatile fund at 28.2% annualized versus 14.8% for SPY. Worst drawdown: JRS -90.7% vs SPY -56.5%.
Should I hold both JRS and SPY?
JRS and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.63, 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 JRS and SPY?
At least 1.5% of SPY's money is in holdings JRS also owns. Our book for JRS is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 25 positions in common, counted across the 53 positions we hold weights for in JRS and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, JRS or SPY?
JRS yields 7.40% while SPY yields 0.98%, so JRS currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than JRS?
SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.