PMTL vs SPY

PMTL vs SPY

Which is better, PMTL or SPY?

Precious Metals against Large Cap Blend.

SPY has a lower expense ratio. PMTL is less concentrated, with 35.5% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 38.0%.

Lower Fees: SPYLess Concentrated: PMTL

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

MetricPMTLSPY
Expense Ratio0.65%0.09%Best
AUM$3M$814.4B
Dividend Yield0.00%1.01%
Holdings75505
YTD Return+31.77%Best+12.71%
1Y Return-+19.36%
3Y Return (annualized)-+21.09%
5Y Return (annualized)-+12.69%
Top 10 Weight35.5%Best38.0%
Fund FamilyFirst Trust Portfolios (US)State Street Investment Management
CategoryCommodityEquity
StylePrecious MetalsLarge Cap Blend
InceptionJul 22, 2026Jan 22, 1993

Not shown on this pair: Volatility (annualized), Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window.

PMTL 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.

PMTL vs SPY Performance

First Trust Indxx Quality Precious Metals Miners ETF (PMTL) is an ETF from First Trust Portfolios (US) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Year to date, PMTL is up 31.77% versus a gain of 12.71% for SPY.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Fees and Cost Over Time

PMTL charges 0.65% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $65 vs $9 annually, a gap of $56 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, PMTL currently yields 0.00% against 1.01% for SPY.

Holdings Overlap

PMTL already in SPY6.3%
SPY already in PMTL0.2%

6.3% of PMTL's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 0.2% of SPY's money is in holdings PMTL also owns.

PMTL and SPY share little of their money.

1 positions in common, counted across the 74 positions we hold weights for in PMTL and 503 in SPY, against full books of 75 and 505.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 492 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for PMTL (99.3% of the fund), and 9 for PMTL that do not appear in SPY (11.3%).

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

StockWeight in PMTLWeight in SPYDifference
NEMNewmont Corp.6.26%0.16%6.10%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

Whichever of PMTL and SPY you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.

PMTLSPY

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, PMTL or SPY?

PMTL has an expense ratio of 0.65% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $56 a year on a $10,000 investment.

What is the holdings overlap between PMTL and SPY?

6.3% of PMTL's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 0.2% of SPY's is in holdings PMTL also owns. They hold 1 positions in common, counted across the 74 positions we hold weights for in PMTL and 503 in SPY.

Which pays a higher dividend, PMTL or SPY?

PMTL yields 0.00% while SPY yields 1.01%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is SPY better than PMTL?

SPY has a lower expense ratio. PMTL is less concentrated, with 35.5% 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.