NIKL vs SPY
Sprott Nickel Miners ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, NIKL or SPY?
Commodities against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 75.9%.
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 | NIKL | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.75% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $59M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 2.66% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 27 | 505 |
| YTD Return | -13.69% | +12.09%Best |
| 1Y Return | +10.86% | +16.29%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | -1.25% | +21.20%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +13.37% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 32.7% | 12.5%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -59.0% | -18.8%Best |
| $10,000 over 3.5 years | $9,100 | $20,265Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 75.9% | 37.8%Best |
| Fund Family | Sprott ETFS | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Commodity | Equity |
| Style | Commodities | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Mar 21, 2023 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 3.5 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Mar 22, 2023 to Sep 18, 2026 (3.5 years).
NIKL 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 3.5 years both funds cover.
NIKL vs SPY Performance
Sprott Nickel Miners ETF (NIKL) is an ETF from Sprott ETFS and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year NIKL returned +10.86% while SPY returned +16.29%. Year to date, NIKL is down 13.69% versus a gain of 12.09% for SPY.
Over three years, NIKL compounded at -1.25% per year against +21.20% for SPY. Across the full 4-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +22.36% annualized vs -2.66%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
NIKL has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 32.7% compared with 12.5% 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 -59.0% for NIKL 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 0.33. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
NIKL 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, NIKL currently yields 2.66% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 27 holdings in NIKL and 504 in SPY, totalling 100.0% and 99.9% 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 27 positions we hold weights for in NIKL and 504 in SPY, against full books of 27 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 497 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for NIKL (99.3% of the fund), and 1 for NIKL that do not appear in SPY (0.2%).
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 NIKL 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, NIKL or SPY?
NIKL 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, NIKL or SPY?
Over the past year NIKL returned +10.86% vs +16.29% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (4 years), NIKL annualized -2.66% vs +22.36% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, NIKL or SPY?
NIKL has been the more volatile fund at 32.7% annualized versus 12.5% for SPY. Worst drawdown: NIKL -59.0% vs SPY -18.8%.
Should I hold both NIKL and SPY?
NIKL and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.33, 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, NIKL or SPY?
NIKL yields 2.66% while SPY yields 0.98%, so NIKL currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than NIKL?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 75.9%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.