SPY vs UTF
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund Inc
Which is better, SPY or UTF?
SPY has been ahead.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window.
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 | UTF |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09%Best | 3.42% |
| AUM | $804.7B | $3,053.86 |
| Dividend Yield | 0.98% | 6.97% |
| Holdings | 505 | 311 |
| YTD Return | +12.09%Best | +6.72% |
| 1Y Return | +16.29%Best | +6.53% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +21.20%Best | +14.50% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +13.37%Best | +5.65% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 14.7%Best | 20.2% |
| Max Drawdown | -56.5%Best | -76.7% |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $18,728Best | $13,163 |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | Cohen & Steers Funds |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | Mar 30, 2004 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Mar 26, 2004 to Sep 18, 2026 (22.5 years).
SPY vs UTF 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 22.5 years both funds cover.
SPY vs UTF Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund Inc (UTF) is an ETF from Cohen & Steers Funds. Over the past year SPY returned +16.29% while UTF returned +6.53%. Year to date, SPY is up 12.09% versus a gain of 6.72% for UTF.
Over three years, SPY compounded at +21.20% per year against +14.50% for UTF; over five years the annualized figures are +13.37% and +5.65% respectively. Across the full 23-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +9.30% annualized vs +2.86%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
UTF has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 20.2% compared with 14.7% 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 -56.5% for SPY and -76.7% for UTF. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.69. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPY charges 0.09% per year while UTF charges 3.42%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $342 annually, a gap of $333 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPY currently yields 0.98% against 6.97% for UTF.
Holdings Overlap
At least 2.8% of SPY's money is in holdings UTF also owns.
Only one direction is shown: for UTF, our book for it lists positions totalling 129.0% of the fund, which is what a leveraged book looks like and is not a denominator we can divide by.
SPY and UTF share little of their money.
The two holdings books were reported 154 days apart, SPY as of Sep 1, 2026 and UTF as of Mar 31, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
22 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 241 in UTF, against full books of 505 and 311.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in SPY | Weight in UTF | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEENextera Energy Inc | 0.26% | 7.03% | 6.77% |
| NINisource Inc. | 0.03% | 4.23% | 4.20% |
| CSXCsx Corp. | 0.14% | 3.29% | 3.15% |
| DUKDuke Energy Corp | 0.14% | 3.07% | 2.93% |
| AMTAmerican Tower Corporation | 0.12% | 3.04% | 2.92% |
| PPLPpl Corp (Utilities) | 0.04% | 2.93% | 2.89% |
| LNTAlliant Energy Corp. | 0.03% | 2.72% | 2.69% |
| CCICrown Castle International Corp | 0.05% | 2.42% | 2.37% |
| UNPUnion Pacific Corp | 0.26% | 2.19% | 1.93% |
| SOSouthern Co. | 0.15% | 2.12% | 1.97% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of SPY and UTF 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 UTF?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while UTF charges 3.42%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $333 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SPY or UTF?
Over the past year SPY returned +16.29% vs +6.53% for UTF, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (23 years), SPY annualized +9.30% vs +2.86% for UTF. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SPY or UTF?
UTF has been the more volatile fund at 20.2% annualized versus 14.7% for SPY. Worst drawdown: SPY -56.5% vs UTF -76.7%.
Should I hold both SPY and UTF?
SPY and UTF have a monthly-return correlation of 0.69, 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 SPY and UTF?
At least 2.8% of SPY's money is in holdings UTF also owns. Our book for UTF is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 22 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 241 in UTF.
Which pays a higher dividend, SPY or UTF?
SPY yields 0.98% while UTF yields 6.97%, so UTF currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is UTF better than SPY?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.