DFEN vs. SPMO
DFEN (Direxion Daily Aerospace & Defense Bull 3X Shares) and SPMO (Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - DFEN is a Leveraged Equities fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index (300%), while SPMO is a Momentum fund tracking the S&P 500 Momentum Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, DFEN returned 29.22%/yr vs 23.50%/yr for SPMO. A 0.56 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. DFEN charges 0.99%/yr vs 0.13%/yr for SPMO.
Performance
DFEN vs. SPMO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, DFEN achieves a 13.12% return, which is significantly lower than SPMO's 28.15% return.
DFEN
- 1D
- -2.71%
- 1M
- 7.74%
- YTD
- 13.12%
- 6M
- 20.44%
- 1Y
- 76.99%
- 3Y*
- 64.38%
- 5Y*
- 29.22%
- 10Y*
- —
SPMO
- 1D
- 1.26%
- 1M
- 4.23%
- YTD
- 28.15%
- 6M
- 28.70%
- 1Y
- 43.47%
- 3Y*
- 41.53%
- 5Y*
- 23.50%
- 10Y*
- 20.86%
DFEN vs. SPMO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFEN Direxion Daily Aerospace & Defense Bull 3X Shares | 13.12% | 156.62% | 27.07% | 24.70% | 6.99% | 12.72% | -70.23% | 95.09% | -32.86% | 83.64% |
SPMO Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF | 28.15% | 26.58% | 45.82% | 17.56% | -10.45% | 22.64% | 28.25% | 25.93% | -0.92% | 20.63% |
Correlation
The correlation between DFEN and SPMO is 0.51, 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 | 0.51 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.53 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.61 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 3, 2017 | 0.56 |
The correlation between DFEN and SPMO has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.51 to 0.61 - a consistent structural relationship.
DFEN vs. SPMO - Sectors Allocation Comparison
Sectors
DFEN
SPMO
Industrials
Technology
Basic Materials
-
Communication Services
-
Consumer Cyclical
-
Consumer Defensive
-
Energy
-
Financial Services
-
Healthcare
-
Real Estate
-
Utilities
-
Industrials
DFEN
SPMO
Technology
DFEN
SPMO
Basic Materials
DFEN
-
SPMO
Communication Services
DFEN
-
SPMO
Consumer Cyclical
DFEN
-
SPMO
Consumer Defensive
DFEN
-
SPMO
Energy
DFEN
-
SPMO
Financial Services
DFEN
-
SPMO
Healthcare
DFEN
-
SPMO
Real Estate
DFEN
-
SPMO
Utilities
DFEN
-
SPMO
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Return for Risk
DFEN vs. SPMO — Risk / Return Rank
DFEN
SPMO
DFEN vs. SPMO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Direxion Daily Aerospace & Defense Bull 3X Shares (DFEN) and Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF (SPMO). 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.
| DFEN | SPMO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.06 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.13 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.22 | 1.41 | -0.19 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.85 | 3.44 | -1.59 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.29 | 13.01 | -8.71 |
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Drawdowns
DFEN vs. SPMO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum DFEN drawdown since its inception was -91.36%, which is greater than SPMO's maximum drawdown of -30.95%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DFEN and SPMO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| DFEN | SPMO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -91.36% | -30.95% | -60.41% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -41.75% | -12.70% | -29.05% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -43.13% | -20.13% | -23.00% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -55.30% | -22.74% | -32.56% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -30.95% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -25.87% | -1.68% | -24.19% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -45.20% | -4.60% | -40.60% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 17.99% | 3.35% | +14.64% |
Volatility
DFEN vs. SPMO - Volatility Comparison
Direxion Daily Aerospace & Defense Bull 3X Shares (DFEN) has a higher volatility of 27.31% compared to Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF (SPMO) at 10.29%. This indicates that DFEN's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPMO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| DFEN | SPMO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 27.31% | 10.29% | +17.02% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 55.81% | 16.73% | +39.08% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 65.81% | 19.48% | +46.33% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 60.74% | 19.65% | +41.09% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 71.66% | 20.48% | +51.18% |
DFEN vs. SPMO - Expense Ratio Comparison
DFEN has a 0.99% expense ratio, which is higher than SPMO's 0.13% expense ratio.
Dividends
DFEN vs. SPMO - Dividend Comparison
DFEN's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.89%, more than SPMO's 0.67% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFEN Direxion Daily Aerospace & Defense Bull 3X Shares | 7.89% | 8.89% | 14.12% | 1.13% | 0.46% | 1.89% | 0.48% | 0.50% | 1.07% | 1.50% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
SPMO Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF | 0.67% | 0.73% | 0.48% | 1.63% | 1.66% | 0.52% | 1.27% | 1.39% | 1.05% | 0.77% | 1.94% | 0.36% |
Frequently Asked Questions
DFEN and SPMO have a correlation of 0.51, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
DFEN has higher volatility (27.31%) compared to SPMO (10.29%). In terms of maximum drawdown, DFEN dropped -91.36% vs SPMO's -30.95%.
On 5-year performance, DFEN leads with 29.22% vs 23.50% for SPMO. On fees, SPMO is cheaper at 0.13% per year. On volatility, SPMO has been the lower-risk option at 10.29%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, DFEN has performed better with a 29.22% return vs 23.50%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SPMO is cheaper with a 0.13% expense ratio, compared with 0.99% for DFEN.
DFEN has the higher dividend yield at 7.89%, compared with 0.67% for SPMO.
DFEN is categorized as Leveraged Equities, while SPMO is Momentum. DFEN tracks Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index (300%), while SPMO tracks S&P 500 Momentum Index. They also come from different issuers: Direxion and Invesco. Their fees differ too: 0.99% for DFEN and 0.13% for SPMO.
SPMO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.24 vs 1.18), 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.
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