GM vs. SPY

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

GM (General Motors Company) is a stock, while SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) is S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 10 years, GM returned 13.71%/yr vs 15.07%/yr for SPY. Their 0.56 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently.

Performance

GM vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in General Motors Company (GM) 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 investments are quite close, with GM having a 9.77% return and SPY slightly higher at 10.13%. Over the past 10 years, GM has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 13.71%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 15.07% annualized return.

GM

• 1D: 0.52%
• 1M: 16.92%
• 6M: 6.27%
• YTD: 9.77%
• 1Y: 70.71%
• 3Y*: 33.96%
• 5Y*: 10.23%
• 10Y*: 13.71%
• ALL TIME*: 8.15%

SPY

• 1D: 0.72%
• 1M: 0.30%
• 6M: 8.53%
• YTD: 10.13%
• 1Y: 21.49%
• 3Y*: 19.32%
• 5Y*: 12.76%
• 10Y*: 15.07%
• ALL TIME*: 10.79%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
GM General Motors Company	$784.42M	$603.70M	$635.72M
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	$37.27B	$35.99B	$39.23B

GM vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
GM General Motors Company	9.77%	54.24%	49.84%	7.92%	-42.36%	40.80%	15.16%	14.02%	-15.06%	22.51%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	10.13%	17.72%	24.89%	26.18%	-18.18%	28.73%	18.33%	31.22%	-4.57%	21.71%

Correlation

The correlation between GM and SPY is 0.47, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.47
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.47
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.56
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.53
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 18, 2010	0.56

The correlation between GM and SPY has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.47 to 0.56 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

GM vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

GM

GM Risk / Return Rank: 92
GM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 92
GM Sortino Ratio Rank: 93
GM Omega Ratio Rank: 91
GM Calmar Ratio Rank: 93
GM Martin Ratio Rank: 90

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 67
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 67
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 64
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 65
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 64
SPY Martin Ratio Rank: 76

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

GM vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for General Motors Company (GM) 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.

	GM	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.03	1.52	+0.51
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.11	2.11	+1.00
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.38	1.27	+0.10
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.28	2.20	+2.08
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.59	9.40	+0.19

GM vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GM Sharpe Ratio is 2.03, which is higher than the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 1.52. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GM 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

GM vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GM drawdown since its inception was -59.96%, which is greater than SPY's maximum drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GM and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	GM	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-59.96%	-55.19%	-4.77%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-16.00%	-8.88%	-7.12%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-29.10%	-18.76%	-10.34%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-58.96%	-24.50%	-34.46%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-59.96%	-33.72%	-26.24%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.59%	-1.40%	-0.19%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-21.39%	-9.01%	-12.38%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	7.13%	2.08%	+5.05%

Volatility

GM vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

General Motors Company (GM) has a higher volatility of 10.00% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 3.58%. This indicates that GM'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

	GM	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	10.00%	3.58%	+6.42%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	23.57%	10.14%	+13.43%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	33.78%	12.89%	+20.89%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	36.74%	17.18%	+19.56%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	37.03%	17.95%	+19.08%

Dividends

GM vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

GM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.74%, less than SPY's 1.01% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
GM General Motors Company	0.74%	0.70%	0.90%	1.00%	0.54%	0.00%	0.91%	4.15%	4.54%	3.71%	4.36%	4.06%
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 GM and SPY in my portfolio?

GM and SPY have a correlation of 0.47, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, GM or SPY?

GM has higher volatility (10.00%) compared to SPY (3.58%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GM dropped -59.96% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

GM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.03 vs 1.52), 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.