PENN vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

PENN (Penn National Gaming, Inc.) 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, PENN returned 2.43%/yr vs 15.49%/yr for SPY. At a 0.37 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

PENN vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Penn National Gaming, Inc. (PENN) 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, PENN achieves a 33.22% return, which is significantly higher than SPY's 10.91% return. Over the past 10 years, PENN has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 2.43%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 15.49% annualized return.

PENN

• 1D: -2.29%
• 1M: 17.03%
• YTD: 33.22%
• 6M: 34.87%
• 1Y: 27.68%
• 3Y*: -9.39%
• 5Y*: -24.58%
• 10Y*: 2.43%

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)

PENN vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PENN Penn National Gaming, Inc.	33.22%	-25.58%	-23.83%	-12.39%	-42.72%	-39.97%	237.91%	35.74%	-39.90%	127.19%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	10.91%	17.72%	24.89%	26.18%	-18.18%	28.73%	18.33%	31.22%	-4.57%	21.71%

Correlation

The correlation between PENN and SPY is 0.28, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.28
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.38
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.48
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.44
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 27, 1994	0.37

The correlation between PENN and SPY shifts across timeframes, from 0.28 (1 year) to 0.48 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

PENN vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

PENN

PENN Risk / Return Rank: 56
PENN Sharpe Ratio Rank: 59
PENN Sortino Ratio Rank: 58
PENN Omega Ratio Rank: 55
PENN Calmar Ratio Rank: 55
PENN Martin Ratio Rank: 54

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.

PENN vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Penn National Gaming, Inc. (PENN) 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.

	PENN	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.53	2.38	-1.85
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.20	3.24	-2.04
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.14	1.43	-0.29
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.65	3.16	-2.51
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	1.25	14.72	-13.46
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PENN vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PENN Sharpe Ratio is 0.53, which is lower than the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 2.38. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PENN 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

	PENN	SPY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.53	2.38	-1.85
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.46	0.82	-1.27
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.04	0.87	-0.83
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.29	0.59	-0.30

Drawdowns

PENN vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PENN drawdown since its inception was -91.38%, which is greater than SPY's maximum drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PENN and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	PENN	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-91.38%	-55.19%	-36.19%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-42.55%	-8.88%	-33.67%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-57.42%	-18.76%	-38.66%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-86.14%	-24.50%	-61.64%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-91.38%	-33.72%	-57.66%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-85.60%	-0.70%	-84.90%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-33.87%	-9.05%	-24.82%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	22.11%	1.91%	+20.20%

Volatility

PENN vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

Penn National Gaming, Inc. (PENN) has a higher volatility of 16.08% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 2.84%. This indicates that PENN'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

	PENN	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	16.08%	2.84%	+13.24%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	41.67%	8.90%	+32.77%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	52.55%	11.83%	+40.72%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	54.15%	17.05%	+37.10%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	61.46%	17.94%	+43.52%

Dividends

PENN vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

PENN has not paid dividends to shareholders, while SPY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.98%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PENN Penn National Gaming, Inc.	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	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 PENN and SPY in my portfolio?

PENN and SPY have a correlation of 0.28, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PENN or SPY?

PENN has higher volatility (16.08%) compared to SPY (2.84%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PENN dropped -91.38% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.38 vs 0.53), 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.