KNO vs SPY
AXS Knowledge Leaders ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, KNO or SPY?
KNO has been ahead.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. KNO led over 1Y and the full window. KNO is less concentrated, with 36.0% 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 | KNO | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.75% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $44M | $814.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.88% | 1.01% |
| Holdings | 77 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +23.62%Best | +13.78% |
| 1Y Return | +29.41%Best | +21.44% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +21.38% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +12.80% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 14.7% | 12.1%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -15.5%Best | -18.8% |
| $10,000 over 2.1 years | $14,742Best | $14,230 |
| Top 10 Weight | 36.0%Best | 38.0% |
| Fund Family | Knowledge Leaders Capital, LLC | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jul 7, 2015 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 2.1 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jul 22, 2024 to Sep 3, 2026 (2.1 years).
KNO 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 2.1 years both funds cover.
KNO vs SPY Performance
AXS Knowledge Leaders ETF (KNO) is an ETF from Knowledge Leaders Capital, LLC and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year KNO returned +29.41% while SPY returned +21.44%. Year to date, KNO is up 23.62% versus a gain of 13.78% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
KNO has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 14.7% compared with 12.1% 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 -15.5% for KNO 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 0.64. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
KNO charges 0.75% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $75 vs $9 annually, a gap of $66 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, KNO currently yields 0.88% against 1.01% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
51.6% of KNO's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 15.6% of SPY's money is in holdings KNO also owns.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
29 positions in common, counted across the 70 positions we hold weights for in KNO and 504 in SPY, against full books of 77 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 467 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for KNO (83.9% of the fund), and 7 for KNO that do not appear in SPY (6.6%).
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 KNO | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 11.59% | 1.51% | 10.08% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp 4.100 Feb 06 37 | 1.93% | 5.50% | 3.57% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc. C | 1.37% | 2.67% | 1.30% |
| GRMNGarminltd. | 2.98% | 0.08% | 2.90% |
| TTTt Trane Technologies Plc | 2.79% | 0.16% | 2.63% |
| COSTCostco Wholesale Corp. | 2.31% | 0.63% | 1.68% |
| LHLabcorp Holdings Inc | 2.55% | 0.04% | 2.51% |
| FIXComfort Systems USA Inc. | 2.40% | 0.09% | 2.31% |
| VVisa Inc Class A | 1.43% | 0.92% | 0.51% |
| TMOThermo Fisherscientific Inc. | 1.47% | 0.32% | 1.15% |
51.6% of KNO 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, KNO or SPY?
KNO has an expense ratio of 0.75% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $66 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, KNO or SPY?
Over the past year KNO returned +29.41% vs +21.44% for SPY, so KNO leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), KNO annualized +20.30% vs +18.29% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, KNO or SPY?
KNO has been the more volatile fund at 14.7% annualized versus 12.1% for SPY. Worst drawdown: KNO -15.5% vs SPY -18.8%.
Should I hold both KNO and SPY?
KNO and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.64, 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 KNO and SPY?
51.6% of KNO's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 15.6% of SPY's is in holdings KNO also owns. They hold 29 positions in common, counted across the 70 positions we hold weights for in KNO and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, KNO or SPY?
KNO yields 0.88% while SPY yields 1.01%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than KNO?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. KNO led over 1Y and the full window. KNO is less concentrated, with 36.0% 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.