UL vs. SPY
UL (The Unilever Group) 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, UL returned 5.33%/yr vs 15.42%/yr for SPY. At a 0.41 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
UL vs. SPY - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, UL achieves a -8.35% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 9.07% return. Over the past 10 years, UL has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 5.33%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 15.42% annualized return.
UL
- 1D
- 1.03%
- 1M
- 4.77%
- YTD
- -8.35%
- 6M
- -7.70%
- 1Y
- -13.60%
- 3Y*
- 5.05%
- 5Y*
- 0.66%
- 10Y*
- 5.33%
SPY
- 1D
- 0.54%
- 1M
- 0.35%
- YTD
- 9.07%
- 6M
- 9.42%
- 1Y
- 25.67%
- 3Y*
- 20.86%
- 5Y*
- 13.36%
- 10Y*
- 15.42%
UL vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UL The Unilever Group | -8.35% | 5.96% | 20.90% | -0.17% | -2.82% | -7.61% | 9.04% | 12.88% | -2.34% | 40.15% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 9.07% | 17.72% | 24.89% | 26.18% | -18.18% | 28.73% | 18.33% | 31.22% | -4.57% | 21.71% |
Correlation
The correlation between UL and SPY is 0.06, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.06 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.32 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 29, 1993 | 0.41 |
Over the past year, the correlation between UL and SPY has dropped to 0.06 - well below their long-term average of 0.41, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
UL vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank
UL
SPY
UL vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for The Unilever Group (UL) 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| UL | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.68 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -3.55 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.90 | 1.36 | -0.47 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.60 | 2.74 | -3.34 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.23 | 12.39 | -13.62 |
Loading charts...
Drawdowns
UL vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum UL drawdown since its inception was -53.55%, roughly equal to the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UL and SPY.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| UL | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -53.55% | -55.19% | +1.64% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -25.09% | -8.88% | -16.21% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -25.09% | -18.76% | -6.33% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.53% | -24.50% | -2.03% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -30.13% | -33.72% | +3.59% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -19.64% | -2.35% | -17.29% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.61% | -9.04% | -1.57% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 12.20% | 1.97% | +10.23% |
Volatility
UL vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison
The Unilever Group (UL) has a higher volatility of 6.11% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 4.34%. This indicates that UL'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.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| UL | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.11% | 4.34% | +1.77% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.78% | 9.58% | +7.20% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.50% | 12.29% | +9.21% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.87% | 17.12% | +3.75% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.61% | 17.96% | +3.65% |
Dividends
UL vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison
UL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.87%, more than SPY's 1.00% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 1.00% | 1.07% | 1.21% | 1.40% | 1.65% | 1.20% | 1.52% | 1.75% | 2.04% | 1.80% | 2.03% | 2.06% |
UL The Unilever Group | 3.87% | 3.51% | 3.29% | 3.83% | 3.57% | 3.77% | 3.07% | 3.18% | 3.49% | 2.80% | 3.42% | 3.02% |
Frequently Asked Questions
UL and SPY have a correlation of 0.06, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
UL has higher volatility (6.11%) compared to SPY (4.34%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UL dropped -53.55% vs SPY's -55.19%.
SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.98 vs -0.70), 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.
Find the right allocation for UL and SPY
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer