TY vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

TY (Tri-Continental Corporation) is a stock, while SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) is S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 10 years, TY returned 14.34%/yr vs 15.49%/yr for SPY. Their correlation of 0.80 suggests significant overlap in exposure.

Performance

TY vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Tri-Continental Corporation (TY) 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, TY achieves a 9.21% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 10.91% return. Over the past 10 years, TY has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 14.34%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 15.49% annualized return.

TY

• 1D: 0.34%
• 1M: 3.21%
• YTD: 9.21%
• 6M: 11.01%
• 1Y: 27.38%
• 3Y*: 20.22%
• 5Y*: 10.96%
• 10Y*: 14.34%

SPY

• 1D: -0.70%
• 1M: 5.05%
• YTD: 10.91%
• 6M: 10.91%
• 1Y: 27.98%
• 3Y*: 22.35%
• 5Y*: 13.83%
• 10Y*: 15.49%

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

TY vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
TY Tri-Continental Corporation	9.21%	16.12%	22.01%	17.86%	-16.32%	29.45%	12.38%	28.60%	-5.84%	28.47%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	10.91%	17.72%	24.89%	26.18%	-18.18%	28.73%	18.33%	31.22%	-4.57%	21.71%

Correlation

The correlation between TY and SPY is 0.78, 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	0.78
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.83
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.86
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.85
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 1, 1993	0.80

The correlation between TY and SPY has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.78 to 0.86 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

TY vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

TY

TY Risk / Return Rank: 93
TY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 93
TY Sortino Ratio Rank: 94
TY Omega Ratio Rank: 94
TY Calmar Ratio Rank: 88
TY Martin Ratio Rank: 94

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 70
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 69
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 70
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 62
SPY 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.

TY vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Tri-Continental Corporation (TY) 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.

	TY	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.87	2.38	+0.49
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	4.00	3.24	+0.76
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.54	1.43	+0.11
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.08	3.16	+0.92
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	17.52	14.72	+2.80
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

TY vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current TY Sharpe Ratio is 2.87, which is comparable to the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 2.38. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of TY 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

	TY	SPY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.87	2.38	+0.49
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.78	0.82	-0.04
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.87	0.87	+0.01
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.33	0.59	-0.25

Drawdowns

TY vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum TY drawdown since its inception was -67.71%, which is greater than SPY's maximum drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for TY and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	TY	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-67.71%	-55.19%	-12.52%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.79%	-8.88%	+2.09%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-16.09%	-18.76%	+2.67%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-20.78%	-24.50%	+3.72%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-38.57%	-33.72%	-4.85%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-0.70%	+0.70%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-15.62%	-9.05%	-6.57%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.58%	1.91%	-0.33%

Volatility

TY vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Tri-Continental Corporation (TY) is 1.80%, while State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) has a volatility of 2.84%. This indicates that TY 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.

Volatility by Period

	TY	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.80%	2.84%	-1.04%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.48%	8.90%	-1.42%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	9.60%	11.83%	-2.23%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.20%	17.05%	-2.85%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.52%	17.94%	-1.42%

Dividends

TY vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

TY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 11.08%, more than SPY's 0.98% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	0.98%	1.07%	1.21%	1.40%	1.65%	1.20%	1.52%	1.75%	2.04%	1.80%	2.03%	2.06%
TY Tri-Continental Corporation	11.08%	11.97%	10.61%	4.36%	8.71%	14.13%	6.25%	6.86%	8.13%	4.69%	4.12%	4.05%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both TY and SPY in my portfolio?

TY and SPY have a correlation of 0.78, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, TY or SPY?

SPY has higher volatility (2.84%) compared to TY (1.80%). In terms of maximum drawdown, TY dropped -67.71% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

TY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.87 vs 2.38), 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.