FFLDX vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

FFLDX (Fidelity Freedom Index 2055 Fund) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both funds - FFLDX is a Target Retirement Date fund managed by Fidelity, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 10 years, FFLDX returned 12.03%/yr vs 15.57%/yr for SPY. With a 0.95 correlation, they move nearly in lockstep. FFLDX charges 0.08%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

FFLDX vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Fidelity Freedom Index 2055 Fund (FFLDX) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with FFLDX having a 12.15% return and SPY slightly lower at 11.69%. Over the past 10 years, FFLDX has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 12.03%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 15.57% annualized return.

FFLDX

• 1D: 0.35%
• 1M: 4.70%
• YTD: 12.15%
• 6M: 13.48%
• 1Y: 28.47%
• 3Y*: 19.43%
• 5Y*: 10.18%
• 10Y*: 12.03%

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)

FFLDX vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
FFLDX Fidelity Freedom Index 2055 Fund	12.15%	21.48%	14.18%	19.93%	-17.32%	15.93%	16.52%	26.02%	-7.16%	20.57%
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 FFLDX and SPY is 0.95 - these two move nearly in lockstep. At this level, holding both provides almost no diversification benefit. If you already own one, adding the other does little to reduce portfolio risk.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.95
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.94
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.95
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.95
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 30, 2015	0.95

The correlation between FFLDX and SPY has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.94 to 0.95 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

FFLDX vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

FFLDX

FFLDX Risk / Return Rank: 71
FFLDX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 74
FFLDX Sortino Ratio Rank: 68
FFLDX Omega Ratio Rank: 68
FFLDX Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
FFLDX Martin Ratio Rank: 75

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.

FFLDX vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Fidelity Freedom Index 2055 Fund (FFLDX) 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.

	FFLDX	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.50	2.52	-0.02
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.45	3.42	+0.04
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.46	1.46	0.00
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.20	3.42	-0.21
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	14.24	15.93	-1.69
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

FFLDX vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FFLDX Sharpe Ratio is 2.50, which is comparable to the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 2.52. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FFLDX 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

	FFLDX	SPY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.50	2.52	-0.02
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.71	0.84	-0.13
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.80	0.87	-0.07
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.72	0.59	+0.14

Drawdowns

FFLDX vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FFLDX drawdown since its inception was -30.72%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FFLDX and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	FFLDX	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-30.72%	-55.19%	+24.47%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.06%	-8.88%	-0.18%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-14.74%	-18.76%	+4.02%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-26.18%	-24.50%	-1.68%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-30.72%	-33.72%	+3.00%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.57%	-9.05%	+4.48%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.04%	1.91%	+0.13%

Volatility

FFLDX vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

Fidelity Freedom Index 2055 Fund (FFLDX) has a higher volatility of 3.56% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 2.75%. This indicates that FFLDX'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

	FFLDX	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.56%	2.75%	+0.81%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.46%	8.89%	+0.57%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.71%	11.81%	-0.10%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.43%	17.05%	-2.62%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.17%	17.94%	-2.77%

FFLDX vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

FFLDX has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is lower than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

FFLDX vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

FFLDX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.71%, more than SPY's 0.97% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
FFLDX Fidelity Freedom Index 2055 Fund	1.71%	2.00%	2.02%	1.96%	3.04%	1.99%	1.91%	10.83%	2.39%	1.97%	2.42%	2.32%
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 FFLDX and SPY in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.95, FFLDX 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, FFLDX or SPY?

FFLDX has higher volatility (3.56%) compared to SPY (2.75%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FFLDX dropped -30.72% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.52 vs 2.50), 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.