TFTIX vs. SPY
Compare and contrast key facts about TIAA-CREF Lifecycle 2050 Fund (TFTIX) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY).
TFTIX is managed by TIAA Investments. It was launched on Nov 29, 2007. SPY is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index. It was launched on Jan 22, 1993.
Performance
TFTIX vs. SPY - Performance Comparison
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TFTIX vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TFTIX TIAA-CREF Lifecycle 2050 Fund | -5.28% | 18.80% | 14.28% | 20.02% | -17.71% | 16.37% | 17.42% | 26.21% | -9.90% | 20.54% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | -4.37% | 17.72% | 24.89% | 26.18% | -18.18% | 28.73% | 18.33% | 31.22% | -4.57% | 21.71% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, TFTIX achieves a -5.28% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's -4.37% return. Over the past 10 years, TFTIX has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 9.94%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 13.98% annualized return.
TFTIX
- 1D
- -0.33%
- 1M
- -8.74%
- YTD
- -5.28%
- 6M
- -2.54%
- 1Y
- 14.49%
- 3Y*
- 13.32%
- 5Y*
- 7.10%
- 10Y*
- 9.94%
SPY
- 1D
- 2.91%
- 1M
- -4.94%
- YTD
- -4.37%
- 6M
- -1.82%
- 1Y
- 17.59%
- 3Y*
- 18.19%
- 5Y*
- 11.69%
- 10Y*
- 13.98%
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TFTIX vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison
TFTIX has a 0.22% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% 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%.
Return for Risk
TFTIX vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank
TFTIX
SPY
TFTIX vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for TIAA-CREF Lifecycle 2050 Fund (TFTIX) 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.
| TFTIX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.96 | 0.93 | +0.03 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.41 | 1.45 | -0.04 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.21 | 1.22 | -0.02 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.13 | 1.53 | -0.40 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.03 | 7.30 | -2.26 |
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
| TFTIX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.96 | 0.93 | +0.03 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.49 | 0.69 | -0.20 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.63 | 0.78 | -0.16 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.38 | 0.56 | -0.18 |
Correlation
The correlation between TFTIX and SPY 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
TFTIX vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison
TFTIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.75%, more than SPY's 1.14% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TFTIX TIAA-CREF Lifecycle 2050 Fund | 7.75% | 7.34% | 3.79% | 2.01% | 8.81% | 11.71% | 6.91% | 5.63% | 5.37% | 0.84% | 3.85% | 3.53% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 1.14% | 1.07% | 1.21% | 1.40% | 1.65% | 1.20% | 1.52% | 1.75% | 2.04% | 1.80% | 2.03% | 2.06% |
Drawdowns
TFTIX vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum TFTIX drawdown since its inception was -51.99%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for TFTIX and SPY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| TFTIX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -51.99% | -55.19% | +3.20% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.66% | -12.05% | +1.39% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.68% | -24.50% | -1.18% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -32.44% | -33.72% | +1.28% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -9.33% | -6.24% | -3.09% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.77% | -9.09% | +1.32% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.50% | 2.52% | -0.02% |
Volatility
TFTIX vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for TIAA-CREF Lifecycle 2050 Fund (TFTIX) is 4.76%, while State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) has a volatility of 5.31%. This indicates that TFTIX 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.
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Volatility by Period
| TFTIX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.76% | 5.31% | -0.55% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 8.81% | 9.47% | -0.66% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.35% | 19.05% | -3.70% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.61% | 17.06% | -2.45% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 15.93% | 17.92% | -1.99% |