SPSM vs. SCHA

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap ETF (SPSM) and Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF (SCHA).

SPSM and SCHA are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. SPSM is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the S&P SmallCap 600 Index. It was launched on Jul 8, 2013. SCHA is a passively managed fund by Charles Schwab that tracks the performance of the Dow Jones U.S. Small-Cap Total Stock Market Total Return Index. It was launched on Nov 3, 2009. Both SPSM and SCHA 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

SPSM vs. SCHA - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap ETF (SPSM) and Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF (SCHA). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

SPSM vs. SCHA - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SPSM SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap ETF	3.48%	6.11%	8.55%	16.11%	-16.12%	26.67%	11.69%	25.85%	-11.17%	15.44%
SCHA Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF	2.24%	11.60%	11.16%	18.46%	-19.81%	16.45%	19.34%	26.50%	-11.79%	14.94%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SPSM achieves a 3.48% return, which is significantly higher than SCHA's 2.24% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with SPSM having a 10.05% annualized return and SCHA not far behind at 9.84%.

SPSM

• 1D: 2.81%
• 1M: -4.07%
• YTD: 3.48%
• 6M: 5.20%
• 1Y: 20.56%
• 3Y*: 10.51%
• 5Y*: 4.16%
• 10Y*: 10.05%

SCHA

• 1D: 3.56%
• 1M: -4.59%
• YTD: 2.24%
• 6M: 4.84%
• 1Y: 25.65%
• 3Y*: 13.10%
• 5Y*: 4.29%
• 10Y*: 9.84%

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

SPSM vs. SCHA - Expense Ratio Comparison

SPSM has a 0.05% expense ratio, which is higher than SCHA's 0.04% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

SPSM

SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap ETF

SCHA

Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF

Return for Risk

SPSM vs. SCHA — Risk / Return Rank

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

SPSM

SPSM Risk / Return Rank: 58
SPSM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 55
SPSM Sortino Ratio Rank: 58
SPSM Omega Ratio Rank: 53
SPSM Calmar Ratio Rank: 61
SPSM Martin Ratio Rank: 62

SCHA

SCHA Risk / Return Rank: 70
SCHA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 67
SCHA Sortino Ratio Rank: 70
SCHA Omega Ratio Rank: 65
SCHA Calmar Ratio Rank: 73
SCHA 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.

SPSM vs. SCHA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap ETF (SPSM) and Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF (SCHA). 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.

	SPSM	SCHA	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.92	1.13	-0.21
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.41	1.69	-0.28
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.19	1.22	-0.04
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.42	1.77	-0.35
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	5.73	7.39	-1.66
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SPSM vs. SCHA - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SPSM Sharpe Ratio is 0.92, which is comparable to the SCHA Sharpe Ratio of 1.13. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SPSM and SCHA, 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

	SPSM	SCHA	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.92	1.13	-0.21
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.19	0.20	0.00
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.44	0.44	0.00
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.41	0.53	-0.12

Correlation

The correlation between SPSM and SCHA is 0.96, 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

SPSM vs. SCHA - Dividend Comparison

SPSM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.59%, more than SCHA's 1.17% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SPSM SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap ETF	1.59%	1.62%	1.85%	1.61%	1.38%	1.40%	1.34%	1.58%	1.82%	1.51%	1.49%	2.37%
SCHA Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF	1.17%	1.26%	1.51%	1.42%	1.37%	1.19%	1.05%	1.39%	1.58%	1.24%	1.50%	1.48%

Drawdowns

SPSM vs. SCHA - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SPSM drawdown since its inception was -42.89%, roughly equal to the maximum SCHA drawdown of -42.41%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SPSM and SCHA.

Drawdown Indicators

	SPSM	SCHA	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-42.89%	-42.41%	-0.48%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.82%	-14.35%	-0.47%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-27.94%	-30.79%	+2.85%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-42.89%	-42.41%	-0.48%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.81%	-6.28%	+0.47%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.02%	-7.65%	-0.37%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.67%	3.43%	+0.24%

Volatility

SPSM vs. SCHA - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap ETF (SPSM) is 6.26%, while Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF (SCHA) has a volatility of 7.40%. This indicates that SPSM experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SCHA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SPSM	SCHA	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.26%	7.40%	-1.14%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.94%	13.69%	-0.75%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	22.56%	22.89%	-0.33%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	21.54%	21.95%	-0.41%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	22.98%	22.67%	+0.31%