JNRFX vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

JNRFX (Janus Henderson Research Fund) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both funds - JNRFX is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund managed by Janus Henderson, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 10 years, JNRFX returned 16.77%/yr vs 15.57%/yr for SPY. Their correlation of 0.87 suggests significant overlap in exposure. JNRFX charges 0.66%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

JNRFX vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Janus Henderson Research Fund (JNRFX) 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, JNRFX achieves a 9.50% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 11.69% return. Over the past 10 years, JNRFX has outperformed SPY with an annualized return of 16.77%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively lower 15.57% annualized return.

JNRFX

• 1D: 1.31%
• 1M: 7.78%
• YTD: 9.50%
• 6M: 8.68%
• 1Y: 26.66%
• 3Y*: 26.45%
• 5Y*: 14.74%
• 10Y*: 16.77%

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)

JNRFX vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
JNRFX Janus Henderson Research Fund	9.50%	18.45%	35.13%	43.14%	-29.96%	20.19%	32.82%	35.40%	-2.73%	25.90%
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 JNRFX and SPY is 0.91, 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	0.91
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.92
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.93
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.93
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 5, 1993	0.87

The correlation between JNRFX and SPY has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.87 to 0.93 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

JNRFX vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

JNRFX

JNRFX Risk / Return Rank: 28
JNRFX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 36
JNRFX Sortino Ratio Rank: 32
JNRFX Omega Ratio Rank: 33
JNRFX Calmar Ratio Rank: 18
JNRFX Martin Ratio Rank: 20

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.

JNRFX vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Janus Henderson Research Fund (JNRFX) 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.

	JNRFX	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.75	2.52	-0.77
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.39	3.42	-1.02
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.31	1.46	-0.15
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.61	3.42	-1.80
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	5.58	15.93	-10.35
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

JNRFX vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current JNRFX Sharpe Ratio is 1.75, which is lower than the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 2.52. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of JNRFX 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

	JNRFX	SPY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.75	2.52	-0.77
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.67	0.84	-0.16
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.79	0.87	-0.08
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.47	0.59	-0.12

Drawdowns

JNRFX vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum JNRFX drawdown since its inception was -74.74%, which is greater than SPY's maximum drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for JNRFX and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	JNRFX	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-74.74%	-55.19%	-19.55%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-17.05%	-8.88%	-8.17%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-22.66%	-18.76%	-3.90%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-36.48%	-24.50%	-11.98%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-36.48%	-33.72%	-2.76%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-24.96%	-9.05%	-15.91%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.94%	1.91%	+3.03%

Volatility

JNRFX vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

Janus Henderson Research Fund (JNRFX) has a higher volatility of 3.72% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 2.75%. This indicates that JNRFX'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

	JNRFX	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.72%	2.75%	+0.97%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.32%	8.89%	+3.43%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.89%	11.81%	+4.08%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	22.03%	17.05%	+4.98%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.33%	17.94%	+3.39%

JNRFX vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

JNRFX has a 0.66% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

JNRFX vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

JNRFX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.90%, more than SPY's 0.97% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
JNRFX Janus Henderson Research Fund	10.90%	11.94%	5.11%	2.93%	0.43%	13.01%	2.98%	10.37%	11.06%	8.22%	5.41%	9.21%
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 JNRFX and SPY in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.91, JNRFX 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, JNRFX or SPY?

JNRFX has higher volatility (3.72%) compared to SPY (2.75%). In terms of maximum drawdown, JNRFX dropped -74.74% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.52 vs 1.75), 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.