SPY vs URNJ
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs Sprott Junior Uranium Miners ETF
Which is better, SPY or URNJ?
Large Cap Blend against Precious Metals.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 72.3%.
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 | SPY | URNJ |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09%Best | 0.80% |
| AUM | $804.7B | $385M |
| Dividend Yield | 0.98% | 6.41% |
| Holdings | 505 | 42 |
| YTD Return | +11.52%Best | -13.32% |
| 1Y Return | +17.48%Best | +3.47% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +20.62%Best | +12.23% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +12.73% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 12.4%Best | 46.7% |
| Max Drawdown | -18.8%Best | -57.7% |
| $10,000 over 3.6 years | $19,007Best | $14,395 |
| Top 10 Weight | 38.0%Best | 72.3% |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | Sprott ETFS |
| Category | Equity | Commodity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Precious Metals |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | Feb 1, 2023 |
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 10, 2026 (3.6 years).
SPY vs URNJ 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.
SPY vs URNJ Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and Sprott Junior Uranium Miners ETF (URNJ) is an ETF from Sprott ETFS. Over the past year SPY returned +17.48% while URNJ returned +3.47%. Year to date, SPY is up 11.52% versus a loss of 13.32% for URNJ.
Over three years, SPY compounded at +20.62% per year against +12.23% for URNJ. Across the full 4-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +19.53% annualized vs +10.65%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
URNJ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 46.7% compared with 12.4% 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 -18.8% for SPY and -57.7% for URNJ. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.24. They move largely independently of each other.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPY charges 0.09% per year while URNJ charges 0.80%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $80 annually, a gap of $71 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPY currently yields 0.98% against 6.41% for URNJ.
Holdings Overlap
We hold position weights for 504 holdings in SPY and 38 in URNJ, totalling 100.0% and 97.8% 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 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 38 in URNJ, against full books of 505 and 42.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 3 positions for URNJ that do not appear in our book for SPY (7.4% of the fund), and 494 for SPY that do not appear in URNJ (99.5%).
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 SPY and URNJ 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, SPY or URNJ?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while URNJ charges 0.80%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $71 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SPY or URNJ?
Over the past year SPY returned +17.48% vs +3.47% for URNJ, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (4 years), SPY annualized +19.53% vs +10.65% for URNJ. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SPY or URNJ?
URNJ has been the more volatile fund at 46.7% annualized versus 12.4% for SPY. Worst drawdown: SPY -18.8% vs URNJ -57.7%.
Should I hold both SPY and URNJ?
SPY and URNJ have a monthly-return correlation of 0.24, 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, SPY or URNJ?
SPY yields 0.98% while URNJ yields 6.41%, so URNJ currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is URNJ better than SPY?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 72.3%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.