MFSB vs SPY
MFS Active Core Plus Bond ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, MFSB or SPY?
Investment Grade Bond 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 | MFSB | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.34% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $550M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 4.65% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 462 | 505 |
| YTD Return | -1.07% | +12.99%Best |
| 1Y Return | -0.17% | +16.73%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +22.52% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +13.07% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 3.5%Best | 12.6% |
| Max Drawdown | -3.2%Best | -18.8% |
| $10,000 over 1.8 years | $10,416 | $12,919Best |
| Fund Family | MFS Investment Management | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Fixed Income | Equity |
| Style | Investment Grade Bond | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Dec 5, 2024 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.8 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Dec 5, 2024 to Sep 23, 2026 (1.8 years).
MFSB 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 1.8 years both funds cover.
MFSB vs SPY Performance
MFS Active Core Plus Bond ETF (MFSB) is an ETF from MFS Investment Management and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year MFSB returned -0.17% while SPY returned +16.73%. Year to date, MFSB is down 1.07% versus a gain of 12.99% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 12.6% compared with 3.5% for MFSB. 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 -3.2% for MFSB 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 0.31. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
MFSB charges 0.34% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $34 vs $9 annually, a gap of $25 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, MFSB currently yields 4.65% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.3% of SPY's money is in holdings MFSB also owns.
Stated as a floor: for MFSB, our book for it covers 42.6% 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.
1 positions in common, counted across the 182 positions we hold weights for in MFSB and 504 in SPY, against full books of 462 and 505.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in MFSB | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| CCitigroup Inc 6.875 11/73 6.88 2173-11-15 | 0.02% | 0.34% | 0.32% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of MFSB 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, MFSB or SPY?
MFSB has an expense ratio of 0.34% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $25 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, MFSB or SPY?
Over the past year MFSB returned -0.17% vs +16.73% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), MFSB annualized +2.29% vs +15.29% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, MFSB or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 12.6% annualized versus 3.5% for MFSB. Worst drawdown: MFSB -3.2% vs SPY -18.8%.
Should I hold both MFSB and SPY?
MFSB and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.31, 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, MFSB or SPY?
MFSB yields 4.65% while SPY yields 0.98%, so MFSB currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than MFSB?
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.