SETM vs SPY
Sprott Critical Materials ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, SETM or SPY?
Energy against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SETM led over 1Y and 3Y, SPY over the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 41.4%.
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 | SETM | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.65% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $636M | $814.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 1.58% | 1.01% |
| Holdings | 158 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +12.60% | +13.34%Best |
| 1Y Return | +59.67%Best | +19.97% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +26.76%Best | +21.20% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +12.81% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 31.9% | 12.3%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -41.8% | -18.8%Best |
| $10,000 over 3.6 years | $18,041 | $19,376Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 41.4% | 38.0%Best |
| Fund Family | Sprott ETFS | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Commodity | Equity |
| Style | Energy | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Feb 1, 2023 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 3.6 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Feb 2, 2023 to Sep 4, 2026 (3.6 years).
SETM 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 3.6 years both funds cover.
SETM vs SPY Performance
Sprott Critical Materials ETF (SETM) is an ETF from Sprott ETFS and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year SETM returned +59.67% while SPY returned +19.97%. Year to date, SETM is up 12.60% versus a gain of 13.34% for SPY.
Over three years, SETM compounded at +26.76% per year against +21.20% for SPY. Across the full 4-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +20.17% annualized vs +17.81%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SETM has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 31.9% compared with 12.3% 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 -41.8% for SETM 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 0.42. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SETM 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, SETM currently yields 1.58% against 1.01% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
8.9% of SETM's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 0.2% of SPY's money is in holdings SETM also owns.
SETM and SPY share little of their money.
2 positions in common, counted across the 155 positions we hold weights for in SETM and 504 in SPY, against full books of 158 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 495 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for SETM (99.4% of the fund), and 13 for SETM that do not appear in SPY (13.9%).
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 SETM 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, SETM or SPY?
SETM 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, SETM or SPY?
Over the past year SETM returned +59.67% vs +19.97% for SPY, so SETM leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (4 years), SETM annualized +17.81% vs +20.17% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SETM or SPY?
SETM has been the more volatile fund at 31.9% annualized versus 12.3% for SPY. Worst drawdown: SETM -41.8% vs SPY -18.8%.
Should I hold both SETM and SPY?
SETM and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.42, 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 SETM and SPY?
8.9% of SETM's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 0.2% of SPY's is in holdings SETM also owns. They hold 2 positions in common, counted across the 155 positions we hold weights for in SETM and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, SETM or SPY?
SETM yields 1.58% while SPY yields 1.01%, so SETM currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than SETM?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SETM led over 1Y and 3Y, SPY over the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 41.4%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.