PTEU vs SPY
Pacer Trendpilot European Index ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, PTEU or SPY?
Mid Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. PTEU is less concentrated, with 28.6% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 38.0%.
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 | PTEU | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.65% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $37M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 1.71% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 290 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +8.97% | +12.47%Best |
| 1Y Return | +15.68% | +17.51%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +12.03% | +21.18%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +7.63% | +12.88%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 13.1%Best | 15.1% |
| Max Drawdown | -35.5% | -34.1%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $14,443 | $18,327Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 28.6%Best | 38.0% |
| Fund Family | Pacer ETFs | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Mid Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Dec 14, 2015 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Dec 15, 2015 to Sep 11, 2026 (10.7 years).
PTEU 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 10.7 years both funds cover.
PTEU vs SPY Performance
Pacer Trendpilot European Index ETF (PTEU) is an ETF from Pacer ETFs and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year PTEU returned +15.68% while SPY returned +17.51%. Year to date, PTEU is up 8.97% versus a gain of 12.47% for SPY.
Over three years, PTEU compounded at +12.03% per year against +21.18% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +7.63% and +12.88% respectively. Across the full 11-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +13.82% annualized vs +4.24%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 15.1% compared with 13.1% for PTEU. 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 -35.5% for PTEU 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 0.49. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
PTEU 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, PTEU currently yields 1.71% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
0.5% of PTEU's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 0.5% of SPY's money is in holdings PTEU also owns.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
2 positions in common, counted across the 284 positions we hold weights for in PTEU and 504 in SPY, against full books of 290 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 493 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for PTEU (99.0% of the fund), and 8 for PTEU that do not appear in SPY (1.0%).
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 PTEU 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, PTEU or SPY?
PTEU 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.
Which performed better, PTEU or SPY?
Over the past year PTEU returned +15.68% vs +17.51% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (11 years), PTEU annualized +4.24% vs +13.82% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, PTEU or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 15.1% annualized versus 13.1% for PTEU. Worst drawdown: PTEU -35.5% vs SPY -34.1%.
Should I hold both PTEU and SPY?
PTEU and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.49, 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, PTEU or SPY?
PTEU yields 1.71% while SPY yields 0.98%, so PTEU currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than PTEU?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. PTEU is less concentrated, with 28.6% 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.