AHLT vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

AHLT (American Beacon AHL Trend ETF) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - AHLT is a Systematic Trend fund actively managed by American Beacon, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. AHLT is actively managed, while SPY is passively managed. Over the past year, AHLT returned 37.17% vs 29.62% for SPY. At a 0.35 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. AHLT charges 0.95%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

AHLT vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in American Beacon AHL Trend ETF (AHLT) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, AHLT achieves a 12.65% return, which is significantly higher than SPY's 11.69% return.

AHLT

• 1D: 0.37%
• 1M: 3.10%
• YTD: 12.65%
• 6M: 16.87%
• 1Y: 37.17%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

SPY

• 1D: 0.14%
• 1M: 5.40%
• YTD: 11.69%
• 6M: 12.09%
• 1Y: 29.62%
• 3Y*: 22.64%
• 5Y*: 14.20%
• 10Y*: 15.57%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

AHLT vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
AHLT American Beacon AHL Trend ETF	12.65%	13.73%	6.08%	-8.33%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	11.69%	17.72%	24.89%	6.34%

Correlation

The correlation between AHLT and SPY is 0.48, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.48
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 1, 2023	0.35

The correlation between AHLT and SPY shifts across timeframes, from 0.35 (all time) to 0.48 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

AHLT vs. SPY - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	AHLT	SPY
Technology	19.6%	35.9%
Financial Services	19.0%	11.8%
Industrials	13.1%	7.8%
Healthcare	10.4%	8.4%
Consumer Cyclical	9.3%	10.3%
Consumer Defensive	8.5%	4.8%
Communication Services	6.3%	11.3%
Energy	5.5%	3.6%
Utilities	3.6%	2.4%
Basic Materials	3.6%	1.8%
Real Estate	1.1%	1.9%

Return for Risk

AHLT vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

AHLT

AHLT Risk / Return Rank: 68
AHLT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 65
AHLT Sortino Ratio Rank: 58
AHLT Omega Ratio Rank: 65
AHLT Calmar Ratio Rank: 85
AHLT Martin Ratio Rank: 68

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 75
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 77
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 75
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 76
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
SPY Martin Ratio Rank: 80

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

AHLT vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Beacon AHL Trend ETF (AHLT) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	AHLT	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.18	2.52	-0.34
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.78	3.42	-0.64
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.40	1.46	-0.06
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.77	3.42	+1.35
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	12.90	15.93	-3.02
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

AHLT vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current AHLT Sharpe Ratio is 2.18, which is comparable to the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 2.52. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of AHLT and SPY, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	AHLT	SPY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.18	2.52	-0.34
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.84	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.87	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.48	0.59	-0.11

Drawdowns

AHLT vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum AHLT drawdown since its inception was -20.18%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AHLT and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	AHLT	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-20.18%	-55.19%	+35.01%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.26%	-8.88%	+0.62%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-18.76%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-24.50%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-33.72%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.60%	0.00%	-0.60%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.41%	-9.05%	-0.36%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.05%	1.91%	+1.14%

Volatility

AHLT vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for American Beacon AHL Trend ETF (AHLT) is 2.60%, while State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) has a volatility of 2.75%. This indicates that AHLT experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SPY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	AHLT	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.60%	2.75%	-0.15%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.12%	8.89%	+3.23%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.16%	11.81%	+5.35%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.38%	17.05%	+0.33%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.38%	17.94%	-0.56%

AHLT vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

AHLT has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

AHLT vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

AHLT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.51%, more than SPY's 0.97% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
AHLT American Beacon AHL Trend ETF	1.51%	1.70%	0.00%	3.72%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	0.97%	1.07%	1.21%	1.40%	1.65%	1.20%	1.52%	1.75%	2.04%	1.80%	2.03%	2.06%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both AHLT and SPY in my portfolio?

AHLT and SPY have a correlation of 0.48, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, AHLT or SPY?

SPY has higher volatility (2.75%) compared to AHLT (2.60%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AHLT dropped -20.18% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which ETF is better, AHLT or SPY?

On 1-year performance, AHLT leads with 37.17% vs 29.62% for SPY. On fees, SPY is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, AHLT has been the lower-risk option at 2.60%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, AHLT or SPY?

Over the 1-year period, AHLT has performed better with a 37.17% return vs 29.62%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, AHLT or SPY?

SPY is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.95% for AHLT.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, AHLT or SPY?

AHLT has the higher dividend yield at 1.51%, compared with 0.97% for SPY.

What is the main difference between AHLT and SPY?

AHLT is categorized as Systematic Trend, while SPY is S&P 500. They also come from different issuers: American Beacon and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.95% for AHLT and 0.09% for SPY.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.52 vs 2.18), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.