ALSCX vs. SPY
Compare and contrast key facts about Alger Small Cap Growth Fund (ALSCX) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY).
ALSCX is managed by Alger. It was launched on Nov 11, 1986. SPY is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index. It was launched on Jan 22, 1993.
Performance
ALSCX vs. SPY - Performance Comparison
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ALSCX vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ALSCX Alger Small Cap Growth Fund | -12.11% | 7.80% | 9.47% | 16.25% | -37.61% | -3.35% | 63.82% | 28.12% | 1.20% | 25.24% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | -4.37% | 17.72% | 24.89% | 26.18% | -18.18% | 28.73% | 18.33% | 31.22% | -4.57% | 21.71% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ALSCX achieves a -12.11% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's -4.37% return. Over the past 10 years, ALSCX has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 8.31%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 13.98% annualized return.
ALSCX
- 1D
- -1.76%
- 1M
- -11.99%
- YTD
- -12.11%
- 6M
- -9.73%
- 1Y
- 16.17%
- 3Y*
- 4.34%
- 5Y*
- -6.52%
- 10Y*
- 8.31%
SPY
- 1D
- 2.91%
- 1M
- -4.94%
- YTD
- -4.37%
- 6M
- -1.82%
- 1Y
- 17.59%
- 3Y*
- 18.19%
- 5Y*
- 11.69%
- 10Y*
- 13.98%
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ALSCX vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison
ALSCX has a 1.96% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
ALSCX vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank
ALSCX
SPY
ALSCX vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Alger Small Cap Growth Fund (ALSCX) 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.
| ALSCX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.52 | 0.93 | -0.41 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 0.92 | 1.45 | -0.54 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.11 | 1.22 | -0.11 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.59 | 1.53 | -0.94 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.11 | 7.30 | -5.19 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| ALSCX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.52 | 0.93 | -0.41 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.24 | 0.69 | -0.92 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.33 | 0.78 | -0.46 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.09 | 0.56 | -0.47 |
Correlation
The correlation between ALSCX and SPY is 0.80, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
ALSCX vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison
ALSCX has not paid dividends to shareholders, while SPY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.14%.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ALSCX Alger Small Cap Growth Fund | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 15.11% | 0.67% | 8.26% | 17.08% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 1.14% | 1.07% | 1.21% | 1.40% | 1.65% | 1.20% | 1.52% | 1.75% | 2.04% | 1.80% | 2.03% | 2.06% |
Drawdowns
ALSCX vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ALSCX drawdown since its inception was -76.39%, which is greater than SPY's maximum drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ALSCX and SPY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ALSCX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -76.39% | -55.19% | -21.20% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -19.23% | -12.05% | -7.18% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -50.13% | -24.50% | -25.63% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -53.16% | -33.72% | -19.44% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -38.16% | -6.24% | -31.92% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -35.33% | -9.09% | -26.24% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.38% | 2.52% | +2.86% |
Volatility
ALSCX vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison
Alger Small Cap Growth Fund (ALSCX) has a higher volatility of 8.34% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 5.31%. This indicates that ALSCX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ALSCX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.34% | 5.31% | +3.03% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.59% | 9.47% | +8.12% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.47% | 19.05% | +8.42% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 27.81% | 17.06% | +10.75% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 25.51% | 17.92% | +7.59% |