RTH vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 24, 2026

RTH (VanEck Vectors Retail ETF) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - RTH is a Consumer Discretionary Equities fund tracking the MVIS US Listed Retail 25 Index, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, RTH returned 14.17%/yr vs 15.53%/yr for SPY. A 0.77 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. RTH charges 0.35%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

RTH vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in VanEck Vectors Retail ETF (RTH) 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, RTH achieves a 2.29% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 8.15% return. Over the past 10 years, RTH has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 14.17%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 15.53% annualized return.

RTH

• 1D: 0.73%
• 1M: -3.21%
• YTD: 2.29%
• 6M: 1.90%
• 1Y: 9.66%
• 3Y*: 15.15%
• 5Y*: 9.06%
• 10Y*: 14.17%

SPY

• 1D: -1.45%
• 1M: -1.36%
• YTD: 8.15%
• 6M: 7.20%
• 1Y: 23.59%
• 3Y*: 20.68%
• 5Y*: 13.05%
• 10Y*: 15.53%

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

RTH vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
RTH VanEck Vectors Retail ETF	2.29%	12.36%	20.02%	20.07%	-17.67%	24.94%	31.62%	29.06%	3.87%	22.45%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	8.15%	17.72%	24.89%	26.18%	-18.18%	28.73%	18.33%	31.22%	-4.57%	21.71%

Correlation

The correlation between RTH and SPY is 0.52, 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	0.52
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.69
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.78
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.78
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 17, 2001	0.77

Over the past year, the correlation between RTH and SPY has dropped to 0.52 - well below their long-term average of 0.77, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

RTH vs. SPY - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	RTH	SPY
Consumer Cyclical	57.2%	9.9%
Consumer Defensive	26.8%	4.5%
Healthcare	13.4%	8.3%
Industrials	2.6%	7.8%
Basic Materials	-	1.7%
Communication Services	-	10.6%
Energy	-	3.1%
Financial Services	-	11.1%
Real Estate	-	1.8%
Technology	-	39.0%
Utilities	-	2.1%

Return for Risk

RTH vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

RTH

RTH Risk / Return Rank: 25
RTH Sharpe Ratio Rank: 23
RTH Sortino Ratio Rank: 23
RTH Omega Ratio Rank: 22
RTH Calmar Ratio Rank: 26
RTH Martin Ratio Rank: 29

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 59
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 58
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 56
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 57
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 56
SPY Martin Ratio Rank: 67

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.

RTH vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Vectors Retail ETF (RTH) 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.

	RTH	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.78	1.90	-1.11
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.22	2.58	-1.36
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.14	1.34	-0.20
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.24	2.67	-1.43
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.93	11.92	-7.99

RTH vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current RTH Sharpe Ratio is 0.78, which is lower than the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 1.90. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of RTH 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

RTH vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum RTH drawdown since its inception was -42.32%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RTH and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	RTH	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-42.32%	-55.19%	+12.87%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.83%	-8.88%	+1.05%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.80%	-18.76%	+4.96%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-25.00%	-24.50%	-0.50%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-25.00%	-33.72%	+8.72%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.46%	-3.17%	-2.29%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.33%	-9.04%	+1.71%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.46%	1.98%	+0.48%

Volatility

RTH vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for VanEck Vectors Retail ETF (RTH) is 4.59%, while State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) has a volatility of 4.87%. This indicates that RTH experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SPY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	RTH	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.59%	4.87%	-0.28%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.71%	9.85%	-0.14%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.40%	12.50%	-0.10%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.85%	17.15%	-0.30%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.57%	17.95%	-0.38%

RTH vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

RTH has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

RTH vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

RTH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.95%, less than SPY's 1.03% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
RTH VanEck Vectors Retail ETF	0.95%	0.97%	0.77%	1.07%	1.16%	0.78%	0.64%	0.91%	1.05%	1.56%	1.84%	2.25%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	1.03%	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 RTH and SPY in my portfolio?

RTH and SPY have a correlation of 0.52, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, RTH or SPY?

SPY has higher volatility (4.87%) compared to RTH (4.59%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RTH dropped -42.32% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which ETF is better, RTH or SPY?

On 10-year performance, SPY leads with 15.53% vs 14.17% for RTH. On fees, SPY is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, RTH has been the lower-risk option at 4.59%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, RTH or SPY?

Over the 10-year period, SPY has performed better with a 15.53% return vs 14.17%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, RTH or SPY?

SPY is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.35% for RTH.

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

SPY has the higher dividend yield at 1.03%, compared with 0.95% for RTH.

What is the main difference between RTH and SPY?

RTH is categorized as Consumer Discretionary Equities, while SPY is S&P 500. RTH tracks MVIS US Listed Retail 25 Index, while SPY tracks S&P 500 Index. They also come from different issuers: VanEck and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.35% for RTH and 0.09% for SPY.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.90 vs 0.78), 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.