SAWS vs SPY
AAM Sawgrass US Small Cap Quality Growth ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, SAWS or SPY?
Small Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. SAWS is less concentrated, with 28.8% 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 | SAWS | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.55% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $8M | $814.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.02% | 1.01% |
| Holdings | 75 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +11.09% | +13.34%Best |
| 1Y Return | +11.21% | +19.97%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +21.20% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +12.81% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 18.4% | 12.1%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -22.0% | -18.8%Best |
| $10,000 over 2.1 years | $12,368 | $14,328Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 28.8%Best | 38.0% |
| Fund Family | Advisors Asset Management, Inc. | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Small Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jul 30, 2024 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 2.1 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jul 31, 2024 to Sep 4, 2026 (2.1 years).
SAWS 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 2.1 years both funds cover.
SAWS vs SPY Performance
AAM Sawgrass US Small Cap Quality Growth ETF (SAWS) is an ETF from Advisors Asset Management, Inc. and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year SAWS returned +11.21% while SPY returned +19.97%. Year to date, SAWS is up 11.09% versus a gain of 13.34% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SAWS has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 18.4% compared with 12.1% 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 -22.0% for SAWS and -18.8% 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 0.55. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SAWS charges 0.55% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $55 vs $9 annually, a gap of $46 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SAWS currently yields 0.02% against 1.01% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 73 holdings in SAWS and 504 in SPY, totalling 100.0% and 100.0% 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 73 positions we hold weights for in SAWS and 504 in SPY, against full books of 75 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 496 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for SAWS (99.5% of the fund), and 71 for SAWS that do not appear in SPY (98.0%).
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 SAWS 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, SAWS or SPY?
SAWS has an expense ratio of 0.55% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $46 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SAWS or SPY?
Over the past year SAWS returned +11.21% vs +19.97% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), SAWS annualized +10.65% vs +18.68% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SAWS or SPY?
SAWS has been the more volatile fund at 18.4% annualized versus 12.1% for SPY. Worst drawdown: SAWS -22.0% vs SPY -18.8%.
Should I hold both SAWS and SPY?
SAWS and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.55, 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, SAWS or SPY?
SAWS yields 0.02% while SPY yields 1.01%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than SAWS?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. SAWS is less concentrated, with 28.8% 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.