LDP vs SPY
Cohen & Steers Limited Duration Preferred and Income Fund Inc. vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, LDP or SPY?
Preferred Stock against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. 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 | LDP | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 1.55% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $2,693.25 | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 7.11% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 286 | 505 |
| YTD Return | -1.80% | +12.47%Best |
| 1Y Return | -1.61% | +17.51%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +12.89% | +21.18%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +1.98% | +12.88%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 13.7%Best | 14.1% |
| Max Drawdown | -50.2% | -34.1%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $11,030 | $18,327Best |
| Fund Family | Cohen & Steers Funds | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Allocation/Balanced | Equity |
| Style | Preferred Stock | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jul 27, 2012 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Jul 27, 2012 to Sep 11, 2026 (14.1 years).
LDP 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.
LDP vs SPY Performance
Cohen & Steers Limited Duration Preferred and Income Fund Inc. (LDP) is an ETF from Cohen & Steers Funds and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year LDP returned -1.61% while SPY returned +17.51%. Year to date, LDP is down 1.80% versus a gain of 12.47% for SPY.
Over three years, LDP compounded at +12.89% per year against +21.18% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +1.98% and +12.88% respectively. Across the full 14-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +13.44% annualized vs +1.50%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 14.1% compared with 13.7% for LDP. 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 -50.2% for LDP and -34.1% 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 0.67. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
LDP charges 1.55% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $155 vs $9 annually, a gap of $146 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, LDP currently yields 7.11% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.8% of SPY's money is in holdings LDP also owns.
Stated as a floor: for LDP, our book for it covers 86.8% 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.
The two holdings books were reported 126 days apart, LDP 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.
4 positions in common, counted across the 154 positions we hold weights for in LDP and 504 in SPY, against full books of 286 and 505.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of LDP 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, LDP or SPY?
LDP has an expense ratio of 1.55% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $146 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, LDP or SPY?
Over the past year LDP returned -1.61% vs +17.51% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (14 years), LDP annualized +1.50% vs +13.44% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, LDP or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 14.1% annualized versus 13.7% for LDP. Worst drawdown: LDP -50.2% vs SPY -34.1%.
Should I hold both LDP and SPY?
LDP and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.67, 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, LDP or SPY?
LDP yields 7.11% while SPY yields 0.98%, so LDP currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than LDP?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. 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.