SDY vs. CVAR

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about SPDR S&P Dividend ETF (SDY) and Cultivar ETF (CVAR).

SDY and CVAR are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. SDY is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the S&P High Yield Dividend Aristocrats Index. It was launched on Nov 15, 2005. CVAR is an actively managed fund by Cultivar. It was launched on Dec 22, 2021.

Performance

SDY vs. CVAR - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in SPDR S&P Dividend ETF (SDY) and Cultivar ETF (CVAR). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

SDY vs. CVAR - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
SDY SPDR S&P Dividend ETF	5.44%	8.18%	8.45%	2.61%	-0.54%	2.14%
CVAR Cultivar ETF	-0.72%	14.95%	3.12%	11.74%	-5.03%	0.71%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SDY achieves a 5.44% return, which is significantly higher than CVAR's -0.72% return.

SDY

• 1D: -0.07%
• 1M: -5.88%
• YTD: 5.44%
• 6M: 5.59%
• 1Y: 10.47%
• 3Y*: 8.47%
• 5Y*: 6.99%
• 10Y*: 9.36%

CVAR

• 1D: -0.32%
• 1M: -7.16%
• YTD: -0.72%
• 6M: 1.06%
• 1Y: 10.61%
• 3Y*: 7.27%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

SDY vs. CVAR - Expense Ratio Comparison

SDY has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is lower than CVAR's 0.87% expense ratio.

CVAR

Cultivar ETF

SDY

SPDR S&P Dividend ETF

Return for Risk

SDY vs. CVAR — Risk / Return Rank

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

SDY

SDY Risk / Return Rank: 38
SDY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 39
SDY Sortino Ratio Rank: 39
SDY Omega Ratio Rank: 36
SDY Calmar Ratio Rank: 37
SDY Martin Ratio Rank: 40

CVAR

CVAR Risk / Return Rank: 33
CVAR Sharpe Ratio Rank: 35
CVAR Sortino Ratio Rank: 35
CVAR Omega Ratio Rank: 32
CVAR Calmar Ratio Rank: 31
CVAR Martin Ratio Rank: 33

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.

SDY vs. CVAR - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR S&P Dividend ETF (SDY) and Cultivar ETF (CVAR). 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.

	SDY	CVAR	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.76	0.72	+0.04
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.17	1.11	+0.06
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.15	1.14	+0.01
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.97	0.96	+0.02
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	3.80	3.38	+0.42
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SDY vs. CVAR - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SDY Sharpe Ratio is 0.76, which is comparable to the CVAR Sharpe Ratio of 0.72. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SDY and CVAR, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	SDY	CVAR	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.76	0.72	+0.04
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.50	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.55	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.47	0.35	+0.11

Correlation

The correlation between SDY and CVAR is 0.84, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

SDY vs. CVAR - Dividend Comparison

SDY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.53%, more than CVAR's 1.54% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SDY SPDR S&P Dividend ETF	2.53%	2.61%	2.56%	2.64%	2.55%	2.63%	2.85%	2.45%	2.73%	4.69%	3.30%	6.20%
CVAR Cultivar ETF	1.54%	1.53%	3.57%	1.41%	5.52%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Drawdowns

SDY vs. CVAR - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SDY drawdown since its inception was -54.75%, which is greater than CVAR's maximum drawdown of -19.39%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SDY and CVAR.

Drawdown Indicators

	SDY	CVAR	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-54.75%	-19.39%	-35.36%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.66%	-10.62%	-0.04%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-15.21%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-36.70%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.90%	-7.48%	+1.58%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.22%	-5.50%	-0.72%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.73%	3.00%	-0.27%

Volatility

SDY vs. CVAR - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for SPDR S&P Dividend ETF (SDY) is 3.11%, while Cultivar ETF (CVAR) has a volatility of 3.56%. This indicates that SDY experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than CVAR based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SDY	CVAR	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.11%	3.56%	-0.45%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.33%	8.82%	-1.49%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	13.87%	14.80%	-0.93%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.06%	15.69%	-1.63%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.07%	15.69%	+1.38%