POWR vs SPY
iShares US Power Infrastructure ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, POWR or SPY?
Large Cap Value against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. POWR led over 5Y, SPY over 1Y, 3Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 48.3%.
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 | POWR | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.39% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $446M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 5.98% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 81 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +7.61% | +12.47%Best |
| 1Y Return | +9.12% | +17.51%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +4.46% | +21.18%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +14.78%Best | +12.88% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 22.7% | 14.0%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -72.1% | -34.1%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $19,922Best | $18,327 |
| Top 10 Weight | 48.3% | 38.0%Best |
| Fund Family | iShares by BlackRock (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Value | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jan 31, 2012 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Feb 2, 2012 to Sep 11, 2026 (14.6 years).
POWR 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 14.6 years both funds cover.
POWR vs SPY Performance
iShares US Power Infrastructure ETF (POWR) is an ETF from iShares by BlackRock (US) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year POWR returned +9.12% while SPY returned +17.51%. Year to date, POWR is up 7.61% versus a gain of 12.47% for SPY.
Over three years, POWR compounded at +4.46% per year against +21.18% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +14.78% and +12.88% respectively. Across the full 15-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +13.31% annualized vs +1.82%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
POWR has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 22.7% compared with 14.0% 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 -72.1% for POWR 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 0.59. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
POWR charges 0.39% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $39 vs $9 annually, a gap of $30 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, POWR currently yields 5.98% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
82.2% of POWR's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 2.9% of SPY's money is in holdings POWR also owns.
Most of POWR is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
35 positions in common, counted across the 68 positions we hold weights for in POWR and 504 in SPY, against full books of 81 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 459 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for POWR (96.6% of the fund), and 30 for POWR that do not appear in SPY (14.4%).
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
| Stock | Weight in POWR | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEVGE Vernova, LLC | 6.96% | 0.41% | 6.55% |
| ETNEaton Corp. Plc | 7.06% | 0.26% | 6.80% |
| PWRQuanta Services, Inc. | 6.22% | 0.16% | 6.06% |
| NEENextera Energy Inc. | 5.98% | 0.27% | 5.71% |
| SOSouthern Co. | 4.05% | 0.16% | 3.89% |
| EQTEqt Corp | 4.13% | 0.05% | 4.08% |
| DUKDuke Energy Corp. | 3.71% | 0.15% | 3.56% |
| HUBBHubbell Inc. Class B | 3.49% | 0.04% | 3.45% |
| CEGConstellation Energy Corp | 3.27% | 0.13% | 3.14% |
| FSLRFirst Solar, Inc | 3.28% | 0.04% | 3.24% |
82.2% of POWR is already inside SPY.
You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, POWR or SPY?
POWR has an expense ratio of 0.39% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $30 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, POWR or SPY?
Over the past year POWR returned +9.12% vs +17.51% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (15 years), POWR annualized +1.82% vs +13.31% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, POWR or SPY?
POWR has been the more volatile fund at 22.7% annualized versus 14.0% for SPY. Worst drawdown: POWR -72.1% vs SPY -34.1%.
Should I hold both POWR and SPY?
POWR and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.59, 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 POWR and SPY?
82.2% of POWR's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 2.9% of SPY's is in holdings POWR also owns. They hold 35 positions in common, counted across the 68 positions we hold weights for in POWR and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, POWR or SPY?
POWR yields 5.98% while SPY yields 0.98%, so POWR currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than POWR?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. POWR led over 5Y, SPY over 1Y, 3Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 48.3%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.