MCOW vs SPY
Pacer S&P MidCap 400 Quality FCF Aristocrats ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, MCOW or SPY?
Mid Cap Blend against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. MCOW is less concentrated, with 33.5% 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 | MCOW | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.49% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $1M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.21% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 79 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +8.21% | +12.47%Best |
| 1Y Return | +3.47% | +17.51%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +21.18% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +12.88% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 13.7% | 12.8%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -15.1% | -8.9%Best |
| $10,000 over 1 years | $10,460 | $11,833Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 33.5%Best | 38.0% |
| Fund Family | Pacer ETFs | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Mid Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Aug 27, 2025 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Aug 28, 2025 to Sep 11, 2026 (1 years).
MCOW 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 1 years both funds cover.
MCOW vs SPY Performance
Pacer S&P MidCap 400 Quality FCF Aristocrats ETF (MCOW) is an ETF from Pacer ETFs and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year MCOW returned +3.47% while SPY returned +17.51%. Year to date, MCOW is up 8.21% versus a gain of 12.47% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
MCOW has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 13.7% compared with 12.8% 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 -15.1% for MCOW and -8.9% 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 0.86. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
MCOW charges 0.49% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $49 vs $9 annually, a gap of $40 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, MCOW currently yields 0.21% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 78 holdings in MCOW and 504 in SPY, totalling 100.0% and 100.0% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.
0 positions in common, counted across the 78 positions we hold weights for in MCOW and 504 in SPY, against full books of 79 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 494 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for MCOW (99.5% of the fund), and 74 for MCOW that do not appear in SPY (94.8%).
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.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of MCOW 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, MCOW or SPY?
MCOW has an expense ratio of 0.49% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $40 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, MCOW or SPY?
Over the past year MCOW returned +3.47% vs +17.51% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), MCOW annualized +4.60% vs +18.33% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, MCOW or SPY?
MCOW has been the more volatile fund at 13.7% annualized versus 12.8% for SPY. Worst drawdown: MCOW -15.1% vs SPY -8.9%.
Should I hold both MCOW and SPY?
MCOW and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.86, 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, MCOW or SPY?
MCOW yields 0.21% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than MCOW?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. MCOW is less concentrated, with 33.5% 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.