BFAM vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

BFAM (Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc.) is a stock, while SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) is S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 10 years, BFAM returned -0.92%/yr vs 15.49%/yr for SPY. At a 0.45 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

BFAM vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. (BFAM) 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, BFAM achieves a -41.18% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 10.91% return. Over the past 10 years, BFAM has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of -0.92%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 15.49% annualized return.

BFAM

• 1D: -2.28%
• 1M: -26.26%
• YTD: -41.18%
• 6M: -42.80%
• 1Y: -53.44%
• 3Y*: -12.07%
• 5Y*: -16.16%
• 10Y*: -0.92%

SPY

• 1D: -0.70%
• 1M: 5.05%
• YTD: 10.91%
• 6M: 10.91%
• 1Y: 27.98%
• 3Y*: 22.35%
• 5Y*: 13.83%
• 10Y*: 15.49%

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

BFAM vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
BFAM Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc.	-41.18%	-8.53%	17.63%	49.35%	-49.87%	-27.23%	15.10%	34.85%	18.56%	34.25%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	10.91%	17.72%	24.89%	26.18%	-18.18%	28.73%	18.33%	31.22%	-4.57%	21.71%

Correlation

The correlation between BFAM and SPY is 0.14, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.14
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.36
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.42
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.45
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 28, 2013	0.45

Over the past year, the correlation between BFAM and SPY has dropped to 0.14 - well below their long-term average of 0.45, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

BFAM vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

BFAM

BFAM Risk / Return Rank: 1
BFAM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 2
BFAM Sortino Ratio Rank: 3
BFAM Omega Ratio Rank: 2
BFAM Calmar Ratio Rank: 0
BFAM Martin Ratio Rank: 1

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 70
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 69
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 70
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 62
SPY Martin Ratio Rank: 75

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.

BFAM vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. (BFAM) 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.

	BFAM	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	-1.23	2.38	-3.61
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	-1.94	3.24	-5.18
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.71	1.43	-0.72
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	-1.00	3.16	-4.17
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	-1.96	14.72	-16.67
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

BFAM vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BFAM Sharpe Ratio is -1.23, which is lower than the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 2.38. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BFAM 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

	BFAM	SPY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-1.23	2.38	-3.61
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.43	0.82	-1.25
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	-0.03	0.87	-0.89
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.17	0.59	-0.41

Drawdowns

BFAM vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BFAM drawdown since its inception was -69.32%, which is greater than SPY's maximum drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BFAM and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	BFAM	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-69.32%	-55.19%	-14.13%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-53.42%	-8.88%	-44.54%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-57.62%	-18.76%	-38.86%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-67.15%	-24.50%	-42.65%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-69.32%	-33.72%	-35.60%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-67.17%	-0.70%	-66.47%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-19.61%	-9.05%	-10.56%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	27.34%	1.91%	+25.43%

Volatility

BFAM vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. (BFAM) has a higher volatility of 23.56% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 2.84%. This indicates that BFAM'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.

Volatility by Period

	BFAM	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	23.56%	2.84%	+20.72%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	35.68%	8.90%	+26.78%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	43.61%	11.83%	+31.78%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	37.59%	17.05%	+20.54%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	35.81%	17.94%	+17.87%

Dividends

BFAM vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

BFAM has not paid dividends to shareholders, while SPY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.98%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BFAM Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc.	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	0.98%	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 BFAM and SPY in my portfolio?

BFAM and SPY have a correlation of 0.14, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, BFAM or SPY?

BFAM has higher volatility (23.56%) compared to SPY (2.84%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BFAM dropped -69.32% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.38 vs -1.23), 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.