RETL vs SPY
Direxion Daily Retail Bull 3X ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, RETL or SPY?
Trading-Leveraged Equity against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 39.4%.
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 | RETL | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.96% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $25M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.56% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 82 | 505 |
| YTD Return | -13.93% | +11.97%Best |
| 1Y Return | -23.08% | +16.40%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +9.94% | +21.10%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | -26.44% | +12.88%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 70.3% | 14.2%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -92.0% | -34.1%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $2,154 | $18,327Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 39.4% | 37.8%Best |
| Fund Family | Direxion Shares ETF Trust | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Alternative | Equity |
| Style | Trading-Leveraged Equity | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jul 14, 2010 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Jul 14, 2010 to Sep 14, 2026 (16.2 years).
RETL 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 16.2 years both funds cover.
RETL vs SPY Performance
Direxion Daily Retail Bull 3X ETF (RETL) 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 RETL returned -23.08% while SPY returned +16.40%. Year to date, RETL is down 13.93% versus a gain of 11.97% for SPY.
Over three years, RETL compounded at +9.94% per year against +21.10% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are -26.44% and +12.88% respectively. Across the full 16-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +13.25% annualized vs +12.24%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
RETL has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 70.3% compared with 14.2% 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 -92.0% for RETL 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 0.67. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
RETL charges 0.96% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $96 vs $9 annually, a gap of $87 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, RETL currently yields 0.56% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
17.3% of RETL's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 6.2% of SPY's money is in holdings RETL also owns.
RETL and SPY share little of their money.
17 positions in common, counted across the 77 positions we hold weights for in RETL and 504 in SPY, against full books of 82 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 480 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for RETL (93.2% of the fund), and 59 for RETL that do not appear in SPY (82.2%).
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
| Stock | Weight in RETL | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 1.06% | 3.79% | 2.73% |
| COSTCostco Wholesale Corp. | 0.95% | 0.63% | 0.32% |
| WMTWalmart, Inc. | 0.87% | 0.71% | 0.16% |
| TGTTarget Corp Common Stock Usd.0833 | 1.27% | 0.11% | 1.16% |
| DGDollar General Corp. | 1.18% | 0.04% | 1.14% |
| DLTRDollar Tree Inc. | 1.18% | 0.04% | 1.14% |
| ULTAUlta Beauty Inc. | 1.15% | 0.04% | 1.11% |
| TSCOTractor Supply Co. | 1.12% | 0.03% | 1.09% |
| CVNACarvana Co | 1.07% | 0.08% | 0.99% |
| BBYBest Buy Co. Inc. | 1.08% | 0.02% | 1.06% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of RETL 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, RETL or SPY?
RETL has an expense ratio of 0.96% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $87 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, RETL or SPY?
Over the past year RETL returned -23.08% vs +16.40% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (16 years), RETL annualized +12.24% vs +13.25% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, RETL or SPY?
RETL has been the more volatile fund at 70.3% annualized versus 14.2% for SPY. Worst drawdown: RETL -92.0% vs SPY -34.1%.
Should I hold both RETL and SPY?
RETL and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.67, 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 RETL and SPY?
17.3% of RETL's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 6.2% of SPY's is in holdings RETL also owns. They hold 17 positions in common, counted across the 77 positions we hold weights for in RETL and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, RETL or SPY?
RETL yields 0.56% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than RETL?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 37.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 39.4%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.