PILL vs SPY
Direxion Daily Pharmaceutical & Medical Bull 3X ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, PILL or SPY?
Multi Alternative against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. PILL led over 1Y and 3Y, SPY over 5Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 43.8%.
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 | PILL | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.98% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $22M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.33% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 71 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +43.58%Best | +12.99% |
| 1Y Return | +124.20%Best | +16.73% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +32.13%Best | +22.52% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | -1.25% | +13.07%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 60.3% | 16.3%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -88.9% | -34.1%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $9,390 | $18,481Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 43.8% | 37.8%Best |
| Fund Family | Direxion Shares ETF Trust | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Alternative | Equity |
| Style | Multi Alternative | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Nov 15, 2017 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Nov 15, 2017 to Sep 23, 2026 (8.9 years).
PILL 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 8.9 years both funds cover.
PILL vs SPY Performance
Direxion Daily Pharmaceutical & Medical Bull 3X ETF (PILL) is an ETF from Direxion Shares ETF Trust and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year PILL returned +124.20% while SPY returned +16.73%. Year to date, PILL is up 43.58% versus a gain of 12.99% for SPY.
Over three years, PILL compounded at +32.13% per year against +22.52% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are -1.25% and +13.07% respectively. Across the full 9-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +14.14% annualized vs -3.12%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
PILL has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 60.3% compared with 16.3% 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 -88.9% for PILL 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 0.62. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
PILL charges 0.98% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $98 vs $9 annually, a gap of $89 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, PILL currently yields 0.33% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
8.2% of PILL's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 3.5% of SPY's money is in holdings PILL also owns.
PILL and SPY share little of their money.
7 positions in common, counted across the 67 positions we hold weights for in PILL and 504 in SPY, against full books of 71 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 490 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for PILL (95.8% of the fund), and 56 for PILL that do not appear in SPY (87.2%).
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.
Top Shared Holdings
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of PILL 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, PILL or SPY?
PILL has an expense ratio of 0.98% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $89 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, PILL or SPY?
Over the past year PILL returned +124.20% vs +16.73% for SPY, so PILL leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (9 years), PILL annualized -3.12% vs +14.14% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, PILL or SPY?
PILL has been the more volatile fund at 60.3% annualized versus 16.3% for SPY. Worst drawdown: PILL -88.9% vs SPY -34.1%.
Should I hold both PILL and SPY?
PILL and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.62, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between PILL and SPY?
8.2% of PILL's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 3.5% of SPY's is in holdings PILL also owns. They hold 7 positions in common, counted across the 67 positions we hold weights for in PILL and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, PILL or SPY?
PILL yields 0.33% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than PILL?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. PILL led over 1Y and 3Y, SPY over 5Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 43.8%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.