PTNQ vs. SPY
PTNQ (Pacer Trendpilot 100 ETF) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - PTNQ is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Pacer NASDAQ-100 Trendpilot Index, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, PTNQ returned 16.79%/yr vs 15.70%/yr for SPY. Their correlation of 0.82 suggests significant overlap in exposure. PTNQ charges 0.65%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.
Performance
PTNQ vs. SPY - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PTNQ achieves a 13.27% return, which is significantly higher than SPY's 9.74% return. Over the past 10 years, PTNQ has outperformed SPY with an annualized return of 16.79%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively lower 15.70% annualized return.
PTNQ
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 3.08%
- YTD
- 13.27%
- 6M
- 12.30%
- 1Y
- 32.16%
- 3Y*
- 14.77%
- 5Y*
- 11.27%
- 10Y*
- 16.79%
SPY
- 1D
- -0.31%
- 1M
- 0.09%
- YTD
- 9.74%
- 6M
- 9.27%
- 1Y
- 26.65%
- 3Y*
- 21.27%
- 5Y*
- 13.51%
- 10Y*
- 15.70%
PTNQ vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PTNQ Pacer Trendpilot 100 ETF | 13.27% | 7.18% | 15.47% | 34.65% | -16.00% | 13.16% | 29.38% | 24.00% | 8.51% | 32.70% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 9.74% | 17.72% | 24.89% | 26.18% | -18.18% | 28.73% | 18.33% | 31.22% | -4.57% | 21.71% |
Correlation
The correlation between PTNQ and SPY is 0.93, 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 | 0.93 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.87 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.86 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.84 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 12, 2015 | 0.82 |
The correlation between PTNQ and SPY shifts across timeframes, from 0.82 (all time) to 0.93 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
PTNQ vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank
PTNQ
SPY
PTNQ vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Pacer Trendpilot 100 ETF (PTNQ) 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.
| PTNQ | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.26 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.42 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.33 | 1.39 | -0.06 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.75 | 3.01 | -0.27 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.10 | 13.54 | -4.43 |
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Drawdowns
PTNQ vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PTNQ drawdown since its inception was -28.07%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PTNQ and SPY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PTNQ | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -28.07% | -55.19% | +27.12% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.76% | -8.88% | -2.88% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.19% | -18.76% | +4.57% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.47% | -24.50% | +6.03% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -28.07% | -33.72% | +5.65% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.92% | -1.75% | +0.83% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.68% | -9.04% | +3.36% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.54% | 1.97% | +1.57% |
Volatility
PTNQ vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison
Pacer Trendpilot 100 ETF (PTNQ) has a higher volatility of 8.03% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 4.64%. This indicates that PTNQ'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.
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Volatility by Period
| PTNQ | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.03% | 4.64% | +3.39% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.34% | 9.75% | +3.59% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 17.08% | 12.43% | +4.65% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 13.31% | 17.14% | -3.83% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.53% | 17.99% | -1.46% |
PTNQ vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison
PTNQ has a 0.65% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.
Dividends
PTNQ vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison
PTNQ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.78%, less than SPY's 1.01% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PTNQ Pacer Trendpilot 100 ETF | 0.78% | 0.88% | 1.96% | 1.47% | 0.62% | 0.00% | 0.16% | 0.44% | 0.45% | 0.32% | 0.30% | 0.22% |
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
With a correlation of 0.93, PTNQ 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.
PTNQ has higher volatility (8.03%) compared to SPY (4.64%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PTNQ dropped -28.07% vs SPY's -55.19%.
On 10-year performance, PTNQ leads with 16.79% vs 15.70% for SPY. On fees, SPY is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, SPY has been the lower-risk option at 4.64%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, PTNQ has performed better with a 16.79% return vs 15.70%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SPY is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.65% for PTNQ.
SPY has the higher dividend yield at 1.01%, compared with 0.78% for PTNQ.
PTNQ is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while SPY is S&P 500. PTNQ tracks Pacer NASDAQ-100 Trendpilot Index, while SPY tracks S&P 500 Index. They also come from different issuers: Pacer and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.65% for PTNQ and 0.09% for SPY.
SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.16 vs 1.90), 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.
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