CWI vs. SPYD

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

CWI (SPDR MSCI ACWI ex-US ETF) and SPYD (State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - CWI is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the MSCI All Country World ex-U.S. Index, while SPYD is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 High Dividend Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, CWI returned 9.91%/yr vs 8.59%/yr for SPYD. A 0.63 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. CWI charges 0.30%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for SPYD.

Performance

CWI vs. SPYD - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in SPDR MSCI ACWI ex-US ETF (CWI) and State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF (SPYD). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CWI achieves a 13.91% return, which is significantly higher than SPYD's 10.34% return. Over the past 10 years, CWI has outperformed SPYD with an annualized return of 9.91%, while SPYD has yielded a comparatively lower 8.59% annualized return.

CWI

• 1D: -1.22%
• 1M: 5.25%
• YTD: 13.91%
• 6M: 16.33%
• 1Y: 32.11%
• 3Y*: 19.76%
• 5Y*: 8.77%
• 10Y*: 9.91%

SPYD

• 1D: -0.44%
• 1M: 1.57%
• YTD: 10.34%
• 6M: 10.97%
• 1Y: 16.38%
• 3Y*: 14.37%
• 5Y*: 6.76%
• 10Y*: 8.59%

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

CWI vs. SPYD - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
CWI SPDR MSCI ACWI ex-US ETF	13.91%	32.75%	6.27%	15.74%	-15.39%	8.81%	9.83%	21.92%	-13.83%	26.89%
SPYD State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF	10.34%	4.65%	15.34%	3.91%	-1.17%	32.73%	-11.64%	21.20%	-4.89%	12.67%

Correlation

The correlation between CWI and SPYD is 0.44, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.44
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.53
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.62
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.62
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 23, 2015	0.63

The correlation between CWI and SPYD shifts across timeframes, from 0.44 (1 year) to 0.63 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

CWI vs. SPYD - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	CWI	SPYD
Financial Services	17.4%	12.1%
Technology	14.9%	2.7%
Industrials	7.8%	2.3%
Consumer Cyclical	5.8%	6.5%
Healthcare	5.3%	5.2%
Energy	5.0%	9.2%
Basic Materials	4.4%	3.4%
Communication Services	3.2%	5.1%
Consumer Defensive	2.8%	16.3%
Utilities	1.2%	11.4%
Real Estate	0.9%	25.8%

Return for Risk

CWI vs. SPYD — Risk / Return Rank

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

CWI

CWI Risk / Return Rank: 60
CWI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 61
CWI Sortino Ratio Rank: 61
CWI Omega Ratio Rank: 62
CWI Calmar Ratio Rank: 56
CWI Martin Ratio Rank: 60

SPYD

SPYD Risk / Return Rank: 41
SPYD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 39
SPYD Sortino Ratio Rank: 42
SPYD Omega Ratio Rank: 36
SPYD Calmar Ratio Rank: 46
SPYD Martin Ratio Rank: 41

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.

CWI vs. SPYD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR MSCI ACWI ex-US ETF (CWI) and State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF (SPYD). 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.

	CWI	SPYD	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.10	1.42	+0.69
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.90	2.15	+0.75
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.38	1.24	+0.14
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.81	2.33	+0.48
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.92	6.77	+4.14
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

CWI vs. SPYD - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CWI Sharpe Ratio is 2.10, which is higher than the SPYD Sharpe Ratio of 1.42. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CWI and SPYD, 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

	CWI	SPYD	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.10	1.42	+0.69
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.54	0.42	+0.12
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.58	0.44	+0.14
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.25	0.47	-0.22

Drawdowns

CWI vs. SPYD - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CWI drawdown since its inception was -60.77%, which is greater than SPYD's maximum drawdown of -46.42%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CWI and SPYD.

Drawdown Indicators

	CWI	SPYD	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-60.77%	-46.42%	-14.35%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.47%	-7.05%	-4.42%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.85%	-16.13%	+2.28%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-29.45%	-22.25%	-7.20%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-34.64%	-46.42%	+11.78%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.22%	-1.11%	-0.11%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-12.86%	-6.17%	-6.69%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.95%	2.43%	+0.52%

Volatility

CWI vs. SPYD - Volatility Comparison

SPDR MSCI ACWI ex-US ETF (CWI) has a higher volatility of 5.81% compared to State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF (SPYD) at 2.57%. This indicates that CWI's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPYD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CWI	SPYD	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.81%	2.57%	+3.24%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	13.10%	7.71%	+5.39%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.35%	11.62%	+3.73%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.25%	16.13%	+0.12%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.13%	19.78%	-2.65%

CWI vs. SPYD - Expense Ratio Comparison

CWI has a 0.30% expense ratio, which is higher than SPYD's 0.07% expense ratio.

Dividends

CWI vs. SPYD - Dividend Comparison

CWI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.70%, less than SPYD's 4.21% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CWI SPDR MSCI ACWI ex-US ETF	2.70%	2.97%	2.89%	2.80%	3.17%	2.65%	2.07%	3.05%	2.81%	2.29%	2.45%	2.62%
SPYD State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF	4.21%	4.52%	4.31%	4.66%	5.01%	3.68%	4.95%	4.42%	4.75%	4.63%	4.34%	1.13%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both CWI and SPYD in my portfolio?

CWI and SPYD have a correlation of 0.44, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, CWI or SPYD?

CWI has higher volatility (5.81%) compared to SPYD (2.57%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CWI dropped -60.77% vs SPYD's -46.42%.

Which ETF is better, CWI or SPYD?

On 10-year performance, CWI leads with 9.91% vs 8.59% for SPYD. On fees, SPYD is cheaper at 0.07% per year. On volatility, SPYD has been the lower-risk option at 2.57%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, CWI or SPYD?

Over the 10-year period, CWI has performed better with a 9.91% return vs 8.59%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, CWI or SPYD?

SPYD is cheaper with a 0.07% expense ratio, compared with 0.30% for CWI.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, CWI or SPYD?

SPYD has the higher dividend yield at 4.21%, compared with 2.70% for CWI.

What is the main difference between CWI and SPYD?

CWI is categorized as Foreign Large Cap Equities, while SPYD is S&P 500. CWI tracks MSCI All Country World ex-U.S. Index, while SPYD tracks S&P 500 High Dividend Index. Their fees differ too: 0.30% for CWI and 0.07% for SPYD.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

CWI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.10 vs 1.42), 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.