QABA vs SPY
First Trust NASDAQ ABA Community Bank Index Fund vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, QABA or SPY?
Small Cap Blend against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. QABA led over 1Y, SPY over 3Y, 5Y and the full window. QABA is less concentrated, with 25.6% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.8%.
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 | QABA | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.60% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $99M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 2.22% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 322 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +18.01%Best | +13.81% |
| 1Y Return | +17.57%Best | +16.94% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +21.29% | +22.84%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +7.23% | +13.50%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 22.5% | 14.3%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -51.0% | -34.1%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $14,177 | $18,836Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 25.6%Best | 37.8% |
| Fund Family | First Trust Portfolios (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Small Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jun 29, 2009 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Jul 1, 2009 to Sep 22, 2026 (17.2 years).
QABA 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 17.2 years both funds cover.
QABA vs SPY Performance
First Trust NASDAQ ABA Community Bank Index Fund (QABA) 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. Over the past year QABA returned +17.57% while SPY returned +16.94%. Year to date, QABA is up 18.01% versus a gain of 13.81% for SPY.
Over three years, QABA compounded at +21.29% per year against +22.84% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +7.23% and +13.50% respectively. Across the full 17-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +13.62% annualized vs +7.98%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
QABA has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 22.5% compared with 14.3% 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 -51.0% for QABA 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 0.63. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
QABA charges 0.60% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $60 vs $9 annually, a gap of $51 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, QABA currently yields 2.22% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 160 holdings in QABA and 504 in SPY, totalling 99.8% 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 160 positions we hold weights for in QABA and 504 in SPY, against full books of 322 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 497 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for QABA (99.3% of the fund), and 158 for QABA that do not appear in SPY (99.3%).
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.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of QABA 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, QABA or SPY?
QABA has an expense ratio of 0.60% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $51 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, QABA or SPY?
Over the past year QABA returned +17.57% vs +16.94% for SPY, so QABA leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (17 years), QABA annualized +7.98% vs +13.62% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, QABA or SPY?
QABA has been the more volatile fund at 22.5% annualized versus 14.3% for SPY. Worst drawdown: QABA -51.0% vs SPY -34.1%.
Should I hold both QABA and SPY?
QABA and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.63, 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, QABA or SPY?
QABA yields 2.22% while SPY yields 0.98%, so QABA currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than QABA?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. QABA led over 1Y, SPY over 3Y, 5Y and the full window. QABA is less concentrated, with 25.6% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.8%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.