IYG vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

IYG (iShares U.S. Financial Services ETF) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IYG is a Financials Equities fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Financial Services TR, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IYG returned 13.56%/yr vs 15.48%/yr for SPY. A 0.80 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. IYG charges 0.42%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

IYG vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares U.S. Financial Services ETF (IYG) 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, IYG achieves a -3.88% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 11.33% return. Over the past 10 years, IYG has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 13.56%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 15.48% annualized return.

IYG

• 1D: 2.82%
• 1M: 1.39%
• YTD: -3.88%
• 6M: -1.63%
• 1Y: 9.20%
• 3Y*: 21.76%
• 5Y*: 8.46%
• 10Y*: 13.56%

SPY

• 1D: 0.38%
• 1M: 4.60%
• YTD: 11.33%
• 6M: 11.25%
• 1Y: 28.50%
• 3Y*: 22.58%
• 5Y*: 13.91%
• 10Y*: 15.48%

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

IYG vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
IYG iShares U.S. Financial Services ETF	-3.88%	19.85%	31.94%	16.07%	-16.76%	30.36%	0.99%	37.62%	-12.56%	24.47%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	11.33%	17.72%	24.89%	26.18%	-18.18%	28.73%	18.33%	31.22%	-4.57%	21.71%

Correlation

The correlation between IYG and SPY is 0.67, 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	0.67
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.69
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.77
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.77
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 22, 2000	0.80

The correlation between IYG and SPY shifts across timeframes, from 0.67 (1 year) to 0.80 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

IYG vs. SPY - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	IYG	SPY
Financial Services	100.0%	11.8%
Basic Materials	-	1.8%
Communication Services	-	11.3%
Consumer Cyclical	-	10.3%
Consumer Defensive	-	4.8%
Energy	-	3.6%
Healthcare	-	8.4%
Industrials	-	7.8%
Real Estate	-	1.9%
Technology	-	35.9%
Utilities	-	2.4%

Return for Risk

IYG vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

IYG

IYG Risk / Return Rank: 18
IYG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 19
IYG Sortino Ratio Rank: 19
IYG Omega Ratio Rank: 19
IYG Calmar Ratio Rank: 17
IYG Martin Ratio Rank: 16

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 74
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 76
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 74
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 75
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 66
SPY Martin Ratio Rank: 78

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.

IYG vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Financial Services ETF (IYG) 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.

	IYG	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.59	2.42	-1.83
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.89	3.29	-2.40
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.11	1.44	-0.33
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.58	3.22	-2.64
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.51	14.99	-13.48
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IYG vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IYG Sharpe Ratio is 0.59, which is lower than the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 2.42. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IYG 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

	IYG	SPY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.59	2.42	-1.83
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.42	0.82	-0.40
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.58	0.87	-0.29
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.22	0.59	-0.36

Drawdowns

IYG vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IYG drawdown since its inception was -81.84%, which is greater than SPY's maximum drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IYG and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	IYG	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-81.84%	-55.19%	-26.65%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-15.90%	-8.88%	-7.02%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.54%	-18.76%	+0.22%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-29.62%	-24.50%	-5.12%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-44.32%	-33.72%	-10.60%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-7.23%	-0.33%	-6.90%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-20.74%	-9.05%	-11.69%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.11%	1.91%	+4.20%

Volatility

IYG vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

iShares U.S. Financial Services ETF (IYG) has a higher volatility of 4.41% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 2.79%. This indicates that IYG'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

	IYG	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.41%	2.79%	+1.62%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.10%	8.91%	+3.19%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.65%	11.82%	+3.83%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	20.47%	17.05%	+3.42%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	23.54%	17.93%	+5.61%

IYG vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

IYG has a 0.42% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

IYG vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

IYG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.11%, more than SPY's 0.98% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
IYG iShares U.S. Financial Services ETF	1.11%	1.00%	1.16%	1.77%	2.07%	1.25%	1.71%	1.59%	1.81%	1.24%	1.28%	1.33%
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 IYG and SPY in my portfolio?

IYG and SPY have a correlation of 0.67, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, IYG or SPY?

IYG has higher volatility (4.41%) compared to SPY (2.79%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IYG dropped -81.84% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which ETF is better, IYG or SPY?

On 10-year performance, SPY leads with 15.48% vs 13.56% for IYG. On fees, SPY is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, SPY has been the lower-risk option at 2.79%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, IYG or SPY?

Over the 10-year period, SPY has performed better with a 15.48% return vs 13.56%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, IYG or SPY?

SPY is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.42% for IYG.

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

IYG has the higher dividend yield at 1.11%, compared with 0.98% for SPY.

What is the main difference between IYG and SPY?

IYG is categorized as Financials Equities, while SPY is S&P 500. IYG tracks Dow Jones U.S. Financial Services TR, while SPY tracks S&P 500 Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.42% for IYG and 0.09% for SPY.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.42 vs 0.59), 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.