DEUS vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

DEUS (Xtrackers Russell US Multifactor ETF) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - DEUS is a Mid Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Russell 1000 Comprehensive Factor Index, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, DEUS returned 11.31%/yr vs 15.57%/yr for SPY. Their correlation of 0.84 suggests significant overlap in exposure. DEUS charges 0.17%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

DEUS vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Xtrackers Russell US Multifactor ETF (DEUS) 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, DEUS achieves a 10.91% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 11.69% return. Over the past 10 years, DEUS has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 11.31%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 15.57% annualized return.

DEUS

• 1D: 0.73%
• 1M: 2.26%
• YTD: 10.91%
• 6M: 11.97%
• 1Y: 19.24%
• 3Y*: 16.46%
• 5Y*: 9.49%
• 10Y*: 11.31%

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)

DEUS vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
DEUS Xtrackers Russell US Multifactor ETF	10.91%	10.41%	14.33%	14.73%	-11.18%	26.31%	8.81%	28.80%	-9.16%	20.20%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	11.69%	17.72%	24.89%	26.18%	-18.18%	28.73%	18.33%	31.22%	-4.57%	21.71%

Correlation

The correlation between DEUS and SPY is 0.69, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.69
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.78
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.85
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.86
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 25, 2015	0.84

The correlation between DEUS and SPY shifts across timeframes, from 0.69 (1 year) to 0.86 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

DEUS vs. SPY - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	DEUS	SPY
Industrials	17.6%	7.8%
Technology	15.5%	35.9%
Financial Services	12.1%	11.8%
Healthcare	11.4%	8.4%
Consumer Cyclical	10.6%	10.3%
Consumer Defensive	7.5%	4.8%
Utilities	7.3%	2.4%
Energy	5.5%	3.6%
Basic Materials	4.5%	1.8%
Real Estate	4.3%	1.9%
Communication Services	3.8%	11.3%

Return for Risk

DEUS vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

DEUS

DEUS Risk / Return Rank: 53
DEUS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 50
DEUS Sortino Ratio Rank: 53
DEUS Omega Ratio Rank: 48
DEUS Calmar Ratio Rank: 55
DEUS Martin Ratio Rank: 59

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.

DEUS vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Xtrackers Russell US Multifactor ETF (DEUS) 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.

	DEUS	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.75	2.52	-0.77
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.59	3.42	-0.83
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.31	1.46	-0.15
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.79	3.42	-0.62
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	10.62	15.93	-5.31
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

DEUS vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current DEUS Sharpe Ratio is 1.75, which is lower than the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 2.52. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of DEUS 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

	DEUS	SPY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.75	2.52	-0.77
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.61	0.84	-0.22
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.63	0.87	-0.24
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.64	0.59	+0.05

Drawdowns

DEUS vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum DEUS drawdown since its inception was -40.47%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DEUS and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	DEUS	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-40.47%	-55.19%	+14.72%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.83%	-8.88%	+2.05%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-16.69%	-18.76%	+2.07%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-20.89%	-24.50%	+3.61%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-40.47%	-33.72%	-6.75%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.34%	-9.05%	+4.71%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.80%	1.91%	-0.11%

Volatility

DEUS vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

Xtrackers Russell US Multifactor ETF (DEUS) has a higher volatility of 2.97% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 2.75%. This indicates that DEUS'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

	DEUS	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.97%	2.75%	+0.22%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.17%	8.89%	-0.72%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.02%	11.81%	-0.79%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.55%	17.05%	-1.50%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.98%	17.94%	+0.04%

DEUS vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

DEUS has a 0.17% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

DEUS vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

DEUS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.45%, more than SPY's 0.97% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
DEUS Xtrackers Russell US Multifactor ETF	1.45%	1.59%	1.36%	1.49%	1.74%	1.14%	1.61%	1.65%	1.77%	1.31%	2.75%	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 DEUS and SPY in my portfolio?

DEUS and SPY have a correlation of 0.69, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, DEUS or SPY?

DEUS has higher volatility (2.97%) compared to SPY (2.75%). In terms of maximum drawdown, DEUS dropped -40.47% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which ETF is better, DEUS or SPY?

On 10-year performance, SPY leads with 15.57% vs 11.31% for DEUS. On fees, SPY is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, SPY has been the lower-risk option at 2.75%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, DEUS or SPY?

Over the 10-year period, SPY has performed better with a 15.57% return vs 11.31%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, DEUS or SPY?

SPY is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.17% for DEUS.

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

DEUS has the higher dividend yield at 1.45%, compared with 0.97% for SPY.

What is the main difference between DEUS and SPY?

DEUS is categorized as Mid Cap Blend Equities, while SPY is S&P 500. DEUS tracks Russell 1000 Comprehensive Factor Index, while SPY tracks S&P 500 Index. They also come from different issuers: Xtrackers and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.17% for DEUS and 0.09% for SPY.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.52 vs 1.75), 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.