FFA vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 23, 2026

FFA (First Trust Enhanced Equity Income Fund) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both funds - FFA is a Derivative Income fund actively managed by First Trust, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. FFA is actively managed, while SPY is passively managed. Over the past 10 years, FFA returned 13.56%/yr vs 15.70%/yr for SPY. A 0.74 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. FFA charges 1.22%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

FFA vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust Enhanced Equity Income Fund (FFA) 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, FFA achieves a 3.81% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 9.74% return. Over the past 10 years, FFA has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 13.56%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 15.70% annualized return.

FFA

• 1D: -0.78%
• 1M: -2.08%
• YTD: 3.81%
• 6M: 6.27%
• 1Y: 21.40%
• 3Y*: 16.61%
• 5Y*: 9.38%
• 10Y*: 13.56%

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)

FFA vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
FFA First Trust Enhanced Equity Income Fund	3.81%	14.23%	21.46%	24.73%	-20.26%	28.69%	10.82%	43.35%	-13.93%	28.97%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	9.74%	17.72%	24.89%	26.18%	-18.18%	28.73%	18.33%	31.22%	-4.57%	21.71%

Correlation

The correlation between FFA and SPY is 0.85, 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	0.85
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.80
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.81
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.76
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 27, 2004	0.74

The correlation between FFA and SPY shifts across timeframes, from 0.74 (all time) to 0.85 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

FFA vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

FFA

FFA Risk / Return Rank: 41
FFA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 41
FFA Sortino Ratio Rank: 40
FFA Omega Ratio Rank: 42
FFA Calmar Ratio Rank: 34
FFA Martin Ratio Rank: 49

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.

FFA vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Enhanced Equity Income Fund (FFA) 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.

	FFA	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.74	2.16	-0.41
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.45	2.91	-0.46
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.32	1.39	-0.07
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.12	3.01	-0.90
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.58	13.54	-3.95

FFA vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FFA Sharpe Ratio is 1.74, which is comparable to the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 2.16. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FFA 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

FFA vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FFA drawdown since its inception was -57.51%, roughly equal to the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FFA and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	FFA	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-57.51%	-55.19%	-2.32%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.15%	-8.88%	-1.27%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.94%	-18.76%	-1.18%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-29.96%	-24.50%	-5.46%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-44.35%	-33.72%	-10.63%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-3.01%	-1.75%	-1.26%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.41%	-9.04%	+0.63%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.24%	1.97%	+0.27%

Volatility

FFA vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for First Trust Enhanced Equity Income Fund (FFA) is 3.77%, while State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) has a volatility of 4.64%. This indicates that FFA 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

	FFA	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.77%	4.64%	-0.87%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.93%	9.75%	+0.18%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.36%	12.43%	-0.07%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.38%	17.14%	+0.24%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.74%	17.99%	+1.75%

FFA vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

FFA has a 1.22% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

FFA vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

FFA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.62%, more than SPY's 1.01% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
FFA First Trust Enhanced Equity Income Fund	8.62%	6.70%	6.59%	6.90%	7.99%	5.92%	6.47%	6.61%	8.82%	6.83%	7.07%	7.12%
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 FFA and SPY in my portfolio?

FFA and SPY have a correlation of 0.85, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, FFA or SPY?

SPY has higher volatility (4.64%) compared to FFA (3.77%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FFA dropped -57.51% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.16 vs 1.74), 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.