MOAT vs. SPY

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

MOAT (VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - MOAT is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Morningstar Wide Moat Focus Index, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, MOAT returned 13.65%/yr vs 15.07%/yr for SPY. Their correlation of 0.86 means they have usually moved in the same direction. MOAT charges 0.47%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

MOAT vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (MOAT) 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, MOAT achieves a 4.36% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 10.13% return. Over the past 10 years, MOAT has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 13.65%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 15.07% annualized return.

MOAT

• 1D: 0.23%
• 1M: 1.68%
• 6M: 3.18%
• YTD: 4.36%
• 1Y: 14.29%
• 3Y*: 10.60%
• 5Y*: 8.70%
• 10Y*: 13.65%
• ALL TIME*: 13.81%

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)
MOAT VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF	$65.74M	$67.48M	$82.03M
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	$37.27B	$35.99B	$39.23B

MOAT vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
MOAT VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF	4.36%	13.20%	10.73%	31.89%	-13.66%	24.12%	14.84%	34.79%	-1.28%	23.18%
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 MOAT and SPY is 0.64, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.64
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.73
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.84
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.86
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 25, 2012	0.86

Over the past year, the correlation between MOAT and SPY has dropped to 0.64 - well below their long-term average of 0.86, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

MOAT vs. SPY - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	MOAT	SPY
Technology	30.8%	36.9%
Consumer Defensive	18.2%	4.8%
Healthcare	18.1%	9.4%
Consumer Cyclical	11.1%	8.9%
Industrials	9.5%	7.6%
Financial Services	9.2%	12.5%
Communication Services	2.4%	9.7%
Real Estate	0.7%	2.0%
Basic Materials	-	1.9%
Energy	-	3.4%
Utilities	-	2.6%

Return for Risk

MOAT vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

MOAT

MOAT Risk / Return Rank: 35
MOAT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 38
MOAT Sortino Ratio Rank: 38
MOAT Omega Ratio Rank: 35
MOAT Calmar Ratio Rank: 32
MOAT Martin Ratio Rank: 33

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.

MOAT vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (MOAT) 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.

	MOAT	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.95	1.52	-0.57
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.44	2.11	-0.68
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.16	1.27	-0.11
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.06	2.20	-1.14
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.17	9.40	-6.23

MOAT vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current MOAT Sharpe Ratio is 0.95, which is lower than the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 1.52. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of MOAT 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

MOAT vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum MOAT drawdown since its inception was -33.31%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MOAT and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	MOAT	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-33.31%	-55.19%	+21.88%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.43%	-8.88%	-3.55%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-21.44%	-18.76%	-2.68%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-23.96%	-24.50%	+0.54%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-33.31%	-33.72%	+0.41%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.06%	-1.40%	+1.34%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.82%	-9.01%	+5.19%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.16%	2.08%	+2.08%

Volatility

MOAT vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (MOAT) has a higher volatility of 4.00% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 3.58%. This indicates that MOAT'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

	MOAT	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.00%	3.58%	+0.42%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.47%	10.14%	+0.33%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.04%	12.89%	+1.15%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.29%	17.18%	+1.11%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.62%	17.95%	+0.67%

MOAT vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

MOAT has a 0.47% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

MOAT vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

MOAT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.30%, more than SPY's 1.01% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
MOAT VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF	1.30%	1.36%	1.37%	0.86%	1.25%	1.08%	1.46%	1.31%	1.79%	1.07%	1.17%	2.13%
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 MOAT and SPY in my portfolio?

MOAT and SPY have a correlation of 0.64, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, MOAT or SPY?

MOAT has higher volatility (4.00%) compared to SPY (3.58%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MOAT dropped -33.31% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which ETF is better, MOAT or SPY?

On 10-year performance, SPY leads with 15.07% vs 13.65% for MOAT. On fees, SPY is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, SPY has been the lower-risk option at 3.58%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, MOAT or SPY?

Over the 10-year period, SPY has performed better with a 15.07% return vs 13.65%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, MOAT or SPY?

SPY is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.47% for MOAT.

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

MOAT has the higher dividend yield at 1.30%, compared with 1.01% for SPY.

What is the main difference between MOAT and SPY?

MOAT is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while SPY is S&P 500. MOAT tracks Morningstar Wide Moat Focus Index, while SPY tracks S&P 500 Index. They also come from different issuers: VanEck and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.47% for MOAT and 0.09% for SPY.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.52 vs 0.95), 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.