ROUS vs SPY
Hartford Multifactor US Equity ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, ROUS or SPY?
Large Cap Value against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. ROUS led over 1Y, SPY over 3Y, 5Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.94. ROUS is less concentrated, with 11.9% 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 | ROUS | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.19% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $744M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 1.31% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 325 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +15.63%Best | +10.96% |
| 1Y Return | +19.99%Best | +15.52% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +19.02% | +20.73%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +11.91% | +12.53%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 14.6%Best | 15.0% |
| Max Drawdown | -35.5% | -34.1%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $17,553 | $18,044Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 11.9%Best | 37.8% |
| Fund Family | Hartford Funds | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Value | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Feb 25, 2015 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Feb 26, 2015 to Sep 16, 2026 (11.6 years).
ROUS 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 11.6 years both funds cover.
ROUS vs SPY Performance
Hartford Multifactor US Equity ETF (ROUS) is an ETF from Hartford Funds and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year ROUS returned +19.99% while SPY returned +15.52%. Year to date, ROUS is up 15.63% versus a gain of 10.96% for SPY.
Over three years, ROUS compounded at +19.02% per year against +20.73% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +11.91% and +12.53% respectively. Across the full 12-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +12.36% annualized vs +9.74%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 15.0% compared with 14.6% for ROUS. 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 ROUS 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 0.94. They move almost in lockstep, so holding both mostly duplicates the same exposure.
Fees and Cost Over Time
ROUS charges 0.19% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $19 vs $9 annually, a gap of $10 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, ROUS currently yields 1.31% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
79.4% of ROUS's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 71.4% of SPY's money is in holdings ROUS also owns.
Most of ROUS is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
233 positions in common, counted across the 321 positions we hold weights for in ROUS and 504 in SPY, against full books of 325 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 266 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for ROUS (28.1% of the fund), and 84 for ROUS that do not appear in SPY (19.7%).
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 ROUS | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 0.71% | 8.01% | 7.30% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 1.00% | 7.26% | 6.26% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 0.95% | 5.66% | 4.71% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 1.35% | 2.99% | 1.64% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 0.25% | 3.79% | 3.54% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 0.36% | 2.66% | 2.30% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 0.94% | 1.60% | 0.66% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 0.49% | 1.93% | 1.44% |
| JNJJohnson & Johnson - Common | 0.94% | 0.99% | 0.05% |
| CSCOCisco Systems Inc. - Ordinary Shares | 1.25% | 0.66% | 0.59% |
79.4% of ROUS 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, ROUS or SPY?
ROUS has an expense ratio of 0.19% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $10 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, ROUS or SPY?
Over the past year ROUS returned +19.99% vs +15.52% for SPY, so ROUS leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (12 years), ROUS annualized +9.74% vs +12.36% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, ROUS or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 15.0% annualized versus 14.6% for ROUS. Worst drawdown: ROUS -35.5% vs SPY -34.1%.
Should I hold both ROUS and SPY?
ROUS and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.94, so they move almost identically. What is left to separate them is the fee and the index each one tracks. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between ROUS and SPY?
79.4% of ROUS's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 71.4% of SPY's is in holdings ROUS also owns. They hold 233 positions in common, counted across the 321 positions we hold weights for in ROUS and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, ROUS or SPY?
ROUS yields 1.31% while SPY yields 0.98%, so ROUS currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than ROUS?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. ROUS led over 1Y, SPY over 3Y, 5Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.94. ROUS is less concentrated, with 11.9% 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.