KMID vs SPY
Virtus KAR Mid-Cap ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, KMID or SPY?
Mid Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y 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 | KMID | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.80% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $41M | $811.2B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.12% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 53 | 1,515 |
| YTD Return | -3.79% | +12.70%Best |
| 1Y Return | -3.97% | +15.53%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +22.86% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +13.47% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 12.8% | 12.6%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -18.9% | -18.8%Best |
| $10,000 over 2 years | $9,409 | $13,509Best |
| Fund Family | Virtus Investment Partners | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Mid Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Oct 15, 2024 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 2 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 16, 2024 to Oct 1, 2026 (2 years).
KMID 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 2 years both funds cover.
KMID vs SPY Performance
Virtus KAR Mid-Cap ETF (KMID) is an ETF from Virtus Investment Partners and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year KMID returned -3.97% while SPY returned +15.53%. Year to date, KMID is down 3.79% versus a gain of 12.70% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
KMID has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 12.8% 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 -18.9% for KMID 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 0.70. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
KMID charges 0.80% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $80 vs $9 annually, a gap of $71 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, KMID currently yields 0.12% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.8% of SPY's money is in holdings KMID also owns.
Stated as a floor: for KMID, our book for it covers 94.1% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
18 positions in common, counted across the 25 positions we hold weights for in KMID and 504 in SPY, against full books of 53 and 1,515.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in KMID | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMEAmetek Inc | 6.33% | 0.08% | 6.25% |
| TDYTeledyne Technologies Inc | 5.55% | 0.04% | 5.51% |
| WABWestinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corp. | 5.45% | 0.07% | 5.38% |
| WSTWest Pharmaceutical Services Inc | 5.39% | 0.04% | 5.35% |
| ROSTRoss Stores, Inc. | 4.94% | 0.11% | 4.83% |
| MPWRMonolithic Power Systems Inc | 4.73% | 0.09% | 4.64% |
| VRSKVerisk Analytics Inc. | 4.33% | 0.04% | 4.29% |
| ALLEAllegion Plc | 4.25% | 0.02% | 4.23% |
| JKHYJack Henry & Associates Inc | 3.90% | 0.02% | 3.88% |
| MSCIM S C I Inc. | 3.54% | 0.06% | 3.48% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of KMID 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, KMID or SPY?
KMID has an expense ratio of 0.80% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $71 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, KMID or SPY?
Over the past year KMID returned -3.97% vs +15.53% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), KMID annualized -3.00% vs +16.23% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, KMID or SPY?
KMID has been the more volatile fund at 12.8% annualized versus 12.6% for SPY. Worst drawdown: KMID -18.9% vs SPY -18.8%.
Should I hold both KMID and SPY?
KMID and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.70, 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, KMID or SPY?
KMID yields 0.12% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than KMID?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.