FIFOX vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 24, 2026

FIFOX (Fidelity Advisor Founders Fund Class A) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both funds - FIFOX is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund managed by Fidelity, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 5 years, FIFOX returned 12.20%/yr vs 13.05%/yr for SPY. Their correlation of 0.90 suggests significant overlap in exposure. FIFOX charges 1.15%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

FIFOX vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Fidelity Advisor Founders Fund Class A (FIFOX) 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 FIFOX having a 8.40% return and SPY slightly lower at 8.15%.

FIFOX

• 1D: -0.61%
• 1M: 2.82%
• YTD: 8.40%
• 6M: 6.85%
• 1Y: 20.53%
• 3Y*: 24.10%
• 5Y*: 12.20%
• 10Y*: —

SPY

• 1D: -1.45%
• 1M: -1.36%
• YTD: 8.15%
• 6M: 7.20%
• 1Y: 23.59%
• 3Y*: 20.68%
• 5Y*: 13.05%
• 10Y*: 15.53%

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

FIFOX vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
FIFOX Fidelity Advisor Founders Fund Class A	8.40%	15.98%	36.15%	33.53%	-26.85%	18.67%	46.72%	13.79%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	8.15%	17.72%	24.89%	26.18%	-18.18%	28.73%	18.33%	18.22%

Correlation

The correlation between FIFOX 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	0.93
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 22, 2019	0.90

The correlation between FIFOX and SPY has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.90 to 0.93 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

FIFOX vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

FIFOX

FIFOX Risk / Return Rank: 28
FIFOX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 27
FIFOX Sortino Ratio Rank: 26
FIFOX Omega Ratio Rank: 26
FIFOX Calmar Ratio Rank: 26
FIFOX Martin Ratio Rank: 33

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 59
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 58
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 56
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 57
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 56
SPY Martin Ratio Rank: 67

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.

FIFOX vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Fidelity Advisor Founders Fund Class A (FIFOX) 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.

	FIFOX	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.39	1.90	-0.51
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.97	2.58	-0.61
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.25	1.34	-0.09
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.75	2.67	-0.91
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	6.97	11.92	-4.95

FIFOX vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FIFOX Sharpe Ratio is 1.39, which is comparable to the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 1.90. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FIFOX 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

FIFOX vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FIFOX drawdown since its inception was -32.69%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FIFOX and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	FIFOX	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-32.69%	-55.19%	+22.50%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.36%	-8.88%	-3.48%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-23.30%	-18.76%	-4.54%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-32.69%	-24.50%	-8.19%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-33.72%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.34%	-3.17%	+1.83%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.04%	-9.04%	+1.00%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.10%	1.98%	+1.12%

Volatility

FIFOX vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

Fidelity Advisor Founders Fund Class A (FIFOX) has a higher volatility of 6.01% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 4.87%. This indicates that FIFOX'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

	FIFOX	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.01%	4.87%	+1.14%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.53%	9.85%	+2.68%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.65%	12.50%	+3.15%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	21.30%	17.15%	+4.15%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	22.57%	17.95%	+4.62%

FIFOX vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

FIFOX has a 1.15% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

FIFOX vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

FIFOX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.42%, more than SPY's 1.03% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
FIFOX Fidelity Advisor Founders Fund Class A	2.42%	2.44%	6.38%	0.00%	2.42%	5.91%	0.00%	0.03%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	1.03%	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 FIFOX and SPY in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.92, FIFOX 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, FIFOX or SPY?

FIFOX has higher volatility (6.01%) compared to SPY (4.87%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FIFOX dropped -32.69% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.90 vs 1.39), 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.