SDY vs. DON
Compare and contrast key facts about SPDR S&P Dividend ETF (SDY) and WisdomTree US MidCap Dividend ETF (DON).
SDY and DON 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. DON is a passively managed fund by WisdomTree that tracks the performance of the WisdomTree MidCap Dividend Index. It was launched on Jun 16, 2006. Both SDY and DON are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
SDY vs. DON - Performance Comparison
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SDY vs. DON - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SDY SPDR S&P Dividend ETF | 5.44% | 8.18% | 8.45% | 2.61% | -0.54% | 25.32% | 1.71% | 23.29% | -2.74% | 15.82% |
DON WisdomTree US MidCap Dividend ETF | 2.25% | 3.86% | 14.20% | 14.04% | -4.72% | 30.29% | -5.40% | 23.31% | -8.26% | 14.86% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SDY achieves a 5.44% return, which is significantly higher than DON's 2.25% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with SDY having a 9.36% annualized return and DON not far behind at 8.98%.
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%
DON
- 1D
- 1.78%
- 1M
- -5.15%
- YTD
- 2.25%
- 6M
- 1.70%
- 1Y
- 8.75%
- 3Y*
- 11.36%
- 5Y*
- 7.79%
- 10Y*
- 8.98%
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SDY vs. DON - Expense Ratio Comparison
SDY has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is lower than DON's 0.38% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
SDY vs. DON — Risk / Return Rank
SDY
DON
SDY vs. DON - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR S&P Dividend ETF (SDY) and WisdomTree US MidCap Dividend ETF (DON). 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 | DON | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.76 | 0.48 | +0.28 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.17 | 0.81 | +0.36 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.15 | 1.11 | +0.05 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.97 | 0.69 | +0.28 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.80 | 2.61 | +1.20 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| SDY | DON | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.76 | 0.48 | +0.28 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.50 | 0.44 | +0.06 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.55 | 0.44 | +0.11 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.47 | 0.41 | +0.05 |
Correlation
The correlation between SDY and DON is 0.92, 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. DON - Dividend Comparison
SDY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.53%, more than DON's 2.41% 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% |
DON WisdomTree US MidCap Dividend ETF | 2.41% | 2.53% | 2.27% | 2.41% | 2.71% | 2.12% | 2.77% | 2.38% | 2.55% | 2.25% | 2.48% | 2.89% |
Drawdowns
SDY vs. DON - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SDY drawdown since its inception was -54.75%, smaller than the maximum DON drawdown of -61.94%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SDY and DON.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SDY | DON | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -54.75% | -61.94% | +7.19% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.66% | -13.82% | +3.16% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -15.21% | -21.46% | +6.25% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -36.70% | -46.80% | +10.10% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -5.90% | -6.50% | +0.60% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.22% | -7.95% | +1.73% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.73% | 3.66% | -0.93% |
Volatility
SDY vs. DON - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for SPDR S&P Dividend ETF (SDY) is 3.11%, while WisdomTree US MidCap Dividend ETF (DON) has a volatility of 4.16%. This indicates that SDY experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than DON based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SDY | DON | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.11% | 4.16% | -1.05% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 7.33% | 9.55% | -2.22% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 13.87% | 18.43% | -4.56% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.06% | 17.86% | -3.80% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.07% | 20.26% | -3.19% |