TAVFX vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

TAVFX (Third Avenue Value Fund) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both funds - TAVFX is a Global Equities fund managed by Third Avenue, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 10 years, TAVFX returned 10.81%/yr vs 15.57%/yr for SPY. A 0.70 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. TAVFX charges 1.15%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

TAVFX vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Third Avenue Value Fund (TAVFX) 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, TAVFX achieves a 15.37% return, which is significantly higher than SPY's 11.69% return. Over the past 10 years, TAVFX has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 10.81%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 15.57% annualized return.

TAVFX

• 1D: 0.79%
• 1M: 2.77%
• YTD: 15.37%
• 6M: 19.22%
• 1Y: 43.93%
• 3Y*: 19.36%
• 5Y*: 14.51%
• 10Y*: 10.81%

SPY

• 1D: 0.14%
• 1M: 5.40%
• YTD: 11.69%
• 6M: 12.09%
• 1Y: 29.62%
• 3Y*: 22.64%
• 5Y*: 14.20%
• 10Y*: 15.57%

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

TAVFX vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
TAVFX Third Avenue Value Fund	15.37%	35.93%	-2.43%	20.26%	17.46%	22.39%	7.76%	12.95%	-25.95%	8.81%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	11.69%	17.72%	24.89%	26.18%	-18.18%	28.73%	18.33%	31.22%	-4.57%	21.71%

Correlation

The correlation between TAVFX and SPY is 0.62, 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	0.62
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.55
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.60
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.66
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 1, 1993	0.70

The correlation between TAVFX and SPY shifts across timeframes, from 0.55 (3 years) to 0.70 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

TAVFX vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

TAVFX

TAVFX Risk / Return Rank: 83
TAVFX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 89
TAVFX Sortino Ratio Rank: 83
TAVFX Omega Ratio Rank: 78
TAVFX Calmar Ratio Rank: 82
TAVFX Martin Ratio Rank: 82

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 75
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 77
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 75
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 76
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
SPY Martin Ratio Rank: 80

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.

TAVFX vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Third Avenue Value Fund (TAVFX) 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.

	TAVFX	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.93	2.52	+0.41
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.91	3.42	+0.49
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.51	1.46	+0.05
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.78	3.42	+0.36
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	15.47	15.93	-0.46
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

TAVFX vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current TAVFX Sharpe Ratio is 2.93, which is comparable to the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 2.52. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of TAVFX 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.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	TAVFX	SPY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.93	2.52	+0.41
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.18	0.84	-0.66
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.18	0.87	-0.69
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.30	0.59	-0.29

Drawdowns

TAVFX vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum TAVFX drawdown since its inception was -66.11%, which is greater than SPY's maximum drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for TAVFX and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	TAVFX	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-66.11%	-55.19%	-10.92%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.48%	-8.88%	-2.60%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-66.11%	-18.76%	-47.35%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-66.11%	-24.50%	-41.61%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-66.11%	-33.72%	-32.39%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.58%	-9.05%	-0.53%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.80%	1.91%	+0.89%

Volatility

TAVFX vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

Third Avenue Value Fund (TAVFX) has a higher volatility of 3.76% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 2.75%. This indicates that TAVFX'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.

Volatility by Period

	TAVFX	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.76%	2.75%	+1.01%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.81%	8.89%	+1.92%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.31%	11.81%	+3.50%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	81.99%	17.05%	+64.94%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	60.31%	17.94%	+42.37%

TAVFX vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

TAVFX has a 1.15% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

TAVFX vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

TAVFX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.01%, more than SPY's 0.97% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	0.97%	1.07%	1.21%	1.40%	1.65%	1.20%	1.52%	1.75%	2.04%	1.80%	2.03%	2.06%
TAVFX Third Avenue Value Fund	6.01%	6.93%	9.86%	4.48%	5.67%	3.74%	0.70%	5.95%	4.45%	3.03%	8.24%	8.43%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both TAVFX and SPY in my portfolio?

TAVFX and SPY have a correlation of 0.62, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, TAVFX or SPY?

TAVFX has higher volatility (3.76%) compared to SPY (2.75%). In terms of maximum drawdown, TAVFX dropped -66.11% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

TAVFX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.93 vs 2.52), 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.