BKT vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 24, 2026

BKT (BlackRock Income Trust) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both funds - BKT is a fund fund managed by BlackRock, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 10 years, BKT returned 1.11%/yr vs 15.53%/yr for SPY. At a 0.08 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. BKT charges 2.06%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

BKT vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in BlackRock Income Trust (BKT) 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, BKT achieves a -0.49% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 8.15% return. Over the past 10 years, BKT has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 1.11%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 15.53% annualized return.

BKT

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 1.04%
• YTD: -0.49%
• 6M: -0.22%
• 1Y: -0.18%
• 3Y*: 4.34%
• 5Y*: -2.91%
• 10Y*: 1.11%

SPY

• 1D: -1.45%
• 1M: -1.36%
• YTD: 8.15%
• 6M: 7.20%
• 1Y: 23.59%
• 3Y*: 20.68%
• 5Y*: 13.05%
• 10Y*: 15.53%

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

BKT vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
BKT BlackRock Income Trust	-0.49%	5.92%	3.33%	7.69%	-21.51%	-0.44%	7.36%	14.91%	-2.59%	2.58%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	8.15%	17.72%	24.89%	26.18%	-18.18%	28.73%	18.33%	31.22%	-4.57%	21.71%

Correlation

The correlation between BKT and SPY is 0.33, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.33
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.24
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.21
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.13
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 29, 1993	0.08

Over the past year, BKT and SPY have become more correlated (0.33) than their long-term average of 0.08, meaning their price movements have been converging.

Return for Risk

BKT vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

BKT

BKT Risk / Return Rank: 3
BKT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 3
BKT Sortino Ratio Rank: 2
BKT Omega Ratio Rank: 2
BKT Calmar Ratio Rank: 3
BKT Martin Ratio Rank: 3

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 59
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 58
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 56
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 57
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 56
SPY Martin Ratio Rank: 67

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.

BKT vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BlackRock Income Trust (BKT) 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	BKT	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.03	1.90	-1.93
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.01	2.58	-2.57
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.00	1.34	-0.34
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.03	2.67	-2.70
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.06	11.92	-11.98

BKT vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BKT Sharpe Ratio is -0.03, which is lower than the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 1.90. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BKT 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.

Drawdowns

BKT vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BKT drawdown since its inception was -48.86%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BKT and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	BKT	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-48.86%	-55.19%	+6.33%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.24%	-8.88%	+2.64%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-12.31%	-18.76%	+6.45%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-35.70%	-24.50%	-11.20%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-35.70%	-33.72%	-1.98%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-17.97%	-3.17%	-14.80%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-14.76%	-9.04%	-5.72%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.92%	1.98%	+0.94%

Volatility

BKT vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for BlackRock Income Trust (BKT) is 1.89%, while State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) has a volatility of 4.87%. This indicates that BKT 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

	BKT	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.89%	4.87%	-2.98%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	4.99%	9.85%	-4.86%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	6.81%	12.50%	-5.69%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	11.21%	17.15%	-5.94%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	9.73%	17.95%	-8.22%

BKT vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

BKT has a 2.06% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

BKT vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

BKT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.10%, more than SPY's 1.03% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BKT BlackRock Income Trust	10.10%	9.53%	9.19%	8.69%	8.35%	7.31%	6.80%	6.82%	6.48%	5.15%	5.09%	5.89%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	1.03%	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 BKT and SPY in my portfolio?

BKT and SPY have a correlation of 0.33, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, BKT or SPY?

SPY has higher volatility (4.87%) compared to BKT (1.89%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BKT dropped -48.86% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.90 vs -0.03), 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.