HCOW vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

HCOW (Amplify Cash Flow High Income ETF) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - HCOW is a Large Cap Value Equities fund actively managed by Amplify, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. HCOW is actively managed, while SPY is passively managed. Over the past year, HCOW returned 21.68% vs 27.98% for SPY. A 0.64 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. HCOW charges 0.65%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

HCOW vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Amplify Cash Flow High Income ETF (HCOW) 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, HCOW achieves a 4.48% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 10.91% return.

HCOW

• 1D: -0.36%
• 1M: 3.03%
• YTD: 4.48%
• 6M: 4.26%
• 1Y: 21.68%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

SPY

• 1D: -0.70%
• 1M: 5.05%
• YTD: 10.91%
• 6M: 10.91%
• 1Y: 27.98%
• 3Y*: 22.35%
• 5Y*: 13.83%
• 10Y*: 15.49%

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

HCOW vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
HCOW Amplify Cash Flow High Income ETF	4.48%	5.76%	7.63%	6.44%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	10.91%	17.72%	24.89%	8.80%

Correlation

The correlation between HCOW and SPY is 0.63, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.63
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 21, 2023	0.64

The correlation between HCOW and SPY has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.63 to 0.64 - a consistent structural relationship.

HCOW vs. SPY - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	HCOW	SPY
Technology	21.0%	35.9%
Industrials	18.7%	7.8%
Financial Services	17.2%	11.8%
Consumer Cyclical	10.9%	10.3%
Energy	8.2%	3.6%
Healthcare	8.0%	8.4%
Basic Materials	6.0%	1.8%
Communication Services	4.7%	11.3%
Utilities	2.8%	2.4%
Consumer Defensive	2.4%	4.8%
Real Estate	-	1.9%

Return for Risk

HCOW vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

HCOW

HCOW Risk / Return Rank: 53
HCOW Sharpe Ratio Rank: 44
HCOW Sortino Ratio Rank: 47
HCOW Omega Ratio Rank: 44
HCOW Calmar Ratio Rank: 69
HCOW Martin Ratio Rank: 62

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 70
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 69
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 70
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 62
SPY Martin Ratio Rank: 75

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.

HCOW vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Amplify Cash Flow High Income ETF (HCOW) 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.

	HCOW	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.57	2.38	-0.80
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.35	3.24	-0.89
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.28	1.43	-0.15
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.46	3.16	+0.30
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	11.15	14.72	-3.57
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

HCOW vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current HCOW Sharpe Ratio is 1.57, which is lower than the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 2.38. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of HCOW 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

	HCOW	SPY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.57	2.38	-0.80
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.82	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.87	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.52	0.59	-0.06

Drawdowns

HCOW vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum HCOW drawdown since its inception was -24.15%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for HCOW and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	HCOW	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-24.15%	-55.19%	+31.04%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.29%	-8.88%	+2.59%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-18.76%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-24.50%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-33.72%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.36%	-0.70%	+0.34%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.88%	-9.05%	+4.17%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.95%	1.91%	+0.04%

Volatility

HCOW vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

Amplify Cash Flow High Income ETF (HCOW) has a higher volatility of 3.63% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 2.84%. This indicates that HCOW'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

	HCOW	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.63%	2.84%	+0.79%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.74%	8.90%	-0.16%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	13.89%	11.83%	+2.06%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.60%	17.05%	+0.55%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.60%	17.94%	-0.34%

HCOW vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

HCOW has a 0.65% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

HCOW vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

HCOW's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 11.73%, more than SPY's 0.98% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
HCOW Amplify Cash Flow High Income ETF	11.73%	10.88%	8.13%	1.99%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	0.98%	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 HCOW and SPY in my portfolio?

HCOW and SPY have a correlation of 0.63, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, HCOW or SPY?

HCOW has higher volatility (3.63%) compared to SPY (2.84%). In terms of maximum drawdown, HCOW dropped -24.15% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which ETF is better, HCOW or SPY?

On 1-year performance, SPY leads with 27.98% vs 21.68% for HCOW. On fees, SPY is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, SPY has been the lower-risk option at 2.84%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, HCOW or SPY?

Over the 1-year period, SPY has performed better with a 27.98% return vs 21.68%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, HCOW or SPY?

SPY is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.65% for HCOW.

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

HCOW has the higher dividend yield at 11.73%, compared with 0.98% for SPY.

What is the main difference between HCOW and SPY?

HCOW is categorized as Large Cap Value Equities, while SPY is S&P 500. They also come from different issuers: Amplify and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.65% for HCOW and 0.09% for SPY.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.38 vs 1.57), 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.