DMAY vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 23, 2026

DMAY (FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - May) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - DMAY is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Cboe S&P 500 30% (-5% to -35%) Buffer Protect May Series Index, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, DMAY returned 6.98%/yr vs 13.51%/yr for SPY. Their correlation of 0.90 suggests significant overlap in exposure. DMAY charges 0.85%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

DMAY vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - May (DMAY) 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, DMAY achieves a 3.95% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 9.74% return.

DMAY

• 1D: -0.19%
• 1M: 0.16%
• YTD: 3.95%
• 6M: 4.08%
• 1Y: 11.84%
• 3Y*: 11.48%
• 5Y*: 6.98%
• 10Y*: —

SPY

• 1D: -0.31%
• 1M: 0.09%
• YTD: 9.74%
• 6M: 9.27%
• 1Y: 26.65%
• 3Y*: 21.27%
• 5Y*: 13.51%
• 10Y*: 15.70%

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

DMAY vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
DMAY FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - May	3.95%	11.05%	12.82%	15.40%	-9.98%	6.14%	6.40%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	9.74%	17.72%	24.89%	26.18%	-18.18%	28.73%	32.26%

Correlation

The correlation between DMAY and SPY is 0.92, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.92
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.92
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.94
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 18, 2020	0.90

The correlation between DMAY and SPY has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.90 to 0.94 - a consistent structural relationship.

DMAY vs. SPY - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	DMAY	SPY
Technology	39.0%	39.0%
Financial Services	11.1%	11.1%
Communication Services	10.6%	10.6%
Consumer Cyclical	9.9%	9.9%
Healthcare	8.3%	8.3%
Industrials	7.8%	7.8%
Consumer Defensive	4.5%	4.5%
Energy	3.1%	3.1%
Utilities	2.1%	2.1%
Real Estate	1.8%	1.8%
Basic Materials	1.7%	1.7%

Return for Risk

DMAY vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

DMAY

DMAY Risk / Return Rank: 82
DMAY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 77
DMAY Sortino Ratio Rank: 82
DMAY Omega Ratio Rank: 88
DMAY Calmar Ratio Rank: 73
DMAY Martin Ratio Rank: 90

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 68
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 69
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 66
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 68
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 63
SPY Martin Ratio Rank: 74

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.

DMAY vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - May (DMAY) 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.

	DMAY	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.37	2.16	+0.22
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.49	2.91	+0.58
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.53	1.39	+0.13
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.57	3.01	+0.55
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	20.12	13.54	+6.58

DMAY vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current DMAY Sharpe Ratio is 2.37, which is comparable to the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 2.16. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of DMAY 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

DMAY vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum DMAY drawdown since its inception was -13.90%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DMAY and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	DMAY	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-13.90%	-55.19%	+41.29%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-3.36%	-8.88%	+5.52%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-12.38%	-18.76%	+6.38%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-13.90%	-24.50%	+10.60%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-33.72%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.75%	-1.75%	+1.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.23%	-9.04%	+6.81%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.59%	1.97%	-1.38%

Volatility

DMAY vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - May (DMAY) is 2.19%, while State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) has a volatility of 4.64%. This indicates that DMAY 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

	DMAY	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.19%	4.64%	-2.45%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	4.26%	9.75%	-5.49%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	5.06%	12.43%	-7.37%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	9.06%	17.14%	-8.08%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	8.43%	17.99%	-9.56%

DMAY vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

DMAY has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

DMAY vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

DMAY has not paid dividends to shareholders, while SPY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.01%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
DMAY FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - May	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	1.01%	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 DMAY and SPY in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.92, DMAY and SPY move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which is riskier, DMAY or SPY?

SPY has higher volatility (4.64%) compared to DMAY (2.19%). In terms of maximum drawdown, DMAY dropped -13.90% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which ETF is better, DMAY or SPY?

On 5-year performance, SPY leads with 13.51% vs 6.98% for DMAY. On fees, SPY is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, DMAY has been the lower-risk option at 2.19%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, DMAY or SPY?

Over the 5-year period, SPY has performed better with a 13.51% return vs 6.98%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, DMAY or SPY?

SPY is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.85% for DMAY.

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

SPY has the higher dividend yield at 1.01%, compared with 0.00% for DMAY.

What is the main difference between DMAY and SPY?

DMAY is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while SPY is S&P 500. DMAY tracks Cboe S&P 500 30% (-5% to -35%) Buffer Protect May Series Index, while SPY tracks S&P 500 Index. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.85% for DMAY and 0.09% for SPY.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

DMAY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.37 vs 2.16), 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.