KOOL vs SPY
North Shore Equity Rotation ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, KOOL or SPY?
Large Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. KOOL led over 1Y, SPY over the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.91. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 43.1%.
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 | KOOL | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.93% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $60M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.42% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 42 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +15.16%Best | +12.09% |
| 1Y Return | +17.43%Best | +16.29% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +21.20% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +13.37% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 12.1% | 11.8%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -20.6% | -18.8%Best |
| $10,000 over 2.5 years | $14,947 | $15,173Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 43.1% | 37.8%Best |
| Fund Family | North Shore Indices | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Apr 1, 2024 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 2.5 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Apr 2, 2024 to Sep 18, 2026 (2.5 years).
KOOL 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 2.5 years both funds cover.
KOOL vs SPY Performance
North Shore Equity Rotation ETF (KOOL) is an ETF from North Shore Indices and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year KOOL returned +17.43% while SPY returned +16.29%. Year to date, KOOL is up 15.16% versus a gain of 12.09% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
KOOL has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 12.1% compared with 11.8% 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 -20.6% for KOOL 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 0.91. They move almost in lockstep, so holding both mostly duplicates the same exposure.
Fees and Cost Over Time
KOOL charges 0.93% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $93 vs $9 annually, a gap of $84 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, KOOL currently yields 0.42% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
63.2% of KOOL's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 36.7% of SPY's money is in holdings KOOL also owns.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
27 positions in common, counted across the 44 positions we hold weights for in KOOL and 504 in SPY, against full books of 42 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 470 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for KOOL (62.7% of the fund), and 13 for KOOL that do not appear in SPY (29.6%).
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 KOOL | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 5.84% | 8.01% | 2.17% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 4.03% | 7.26% | 3.23% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 3.03% | 5.66% | 2.63% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 4.40% | 3.79% | 0.61% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 3.72% | 2.99% | 0.73% |
| PWRQuanta Services Inc | 5.10% | 0.14% | 4.96% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 2.08% | 2.66% | 0.58% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 2.69% | 1.93% | 0.76% |
| JNJJohnson & Johnson - Common | 2.64% | 0.99% | 1.65% |
| GEVGe Vernova, Inc. | 3.18% | 0.37% | 2.81% |
63.2% of KOOL 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, KOOL or SPY?
KOOL has an expense ratio of 0.93% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $84 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, KOOL or SPY?
Over the past year KOOL returned +17.43% vs +16.29% for SPY, so KOOL leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, KOOL or SPY?
KOOL has been the more volatile fund at 12.1% annualized versus 11.8% for SPY. Worst drawdown: KOOL -20.6% vs SPY -18.8%.
Should I hold both KOOL and SPY?
KOOL and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.91, so they move almost identically. What is left to separate them is the fee and the index each one tracks. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between KOOL and SPY?
63.2% of KOOL's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 36.7% of SPY's is in holdings KOOL also owns. They hold 27 positions in common, counted across the 44 positions we hold weights for in KOOL and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, KOOL or SPY?
KOOL yields 0.42% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than KOOL?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. KOOL led over 1Y, SPY over the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.91. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 43.1%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.