UPGR vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

UPGR (Xtrackers US Green Infrastructure Select Equity ETF) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - UPGR is a Energy Equities fund tracking the Solactive United States Green Infrastructure ESG Screened Index - Benchmark TR Gross, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, UPGR returned 71.38% vs 27.98% for SPY. A 0.63 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. UPGR charges 0.35%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

UPGR vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Xtrackers US Green Infrastructure Select Equity ETF (UPGR) 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, UPGR achieves a 22.11% return, which is significantly higher than SPY's 10.91% return.

UPGR

• 1D: -2.52%
• 1M: 12.74%
• YTD: 22.11%
• 6M: 20.09%
• 1Y: 71.38%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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)

UPGR vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
UPGR Xtrackers US Green Infrastructure Select Equity ETF	22.11%	35.25%	-14.72%	-15.29%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	10.91%	17.72%	24.89%	6.53%

Correlation

The correlation between UPGR and SPY is 0.66, 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	0.66
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 14, 2023	0.63

The correlation between UPGR and SPY has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.63 to 0.66 - a consistent structural relationship.

UPGR vs. SPY - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	UPGR	SPY
Industrials	51.4%	7.8%
Utilities	12.2%	2.4%
Consumer Cyclical	10.4%	10.3%
Basic Materials	10.0%	1.8%
Energy	9.8%	3.6%
Technology	3.9%	35.9%
Consumer Defensive	2.1%	4.8%
Financial Services	0.1%	11.8%
Communication Services	-	11.3%
Healthcare	-	8.4%
Real Estate	-	1.9%

Return for Risk

UPGR vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

UPGR

UPGR Risk / Return Rank: 68
UPGR Sharpe Ratio Rank: 73
UPGR Sortino Ratio Rank: 66
UPGR Omega Ratio Rank: 59
UPGR Calmar Ratio Rank: 82
UPGR Martin Ratio Rank: 60

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.

UPGR vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Xtrackers US Green Infrastructure Select Equity ETF (UPGR) 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.

	UPGR	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.37	2.38	0.00
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.04	3.24	-0.20
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.36	1.43	-0.07
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.34	3.16	+1.17
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.65	14.72	-4.07
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

UPGR vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current UPGR Sharpe Ratio is 2.37, which is comparable to the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 2.38. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of UPGR 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

	UPGR	SPY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.37	2.38	0.00
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.82	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.87	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.21	0.59	-0.38

Drawdowns

UPGR vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum UPGR drawdown since its inception was -46.60%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UPGR and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	UPGR	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-46.60%	-55.19%	+8.59%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-16.55%	-8.88%	-7.67%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-18.76%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-24.50%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-33.72%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.52%	-0.70%	-1.82%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-20.53%	-9.05%	-11.48%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.73%	1.91%	+4.82%

Volatility

UPGR vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

Xtrackers US Green Infrastructure Select Equity ETF (UPGR) has a higher volatility of 10.90% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 2.84%. This indicates that UPGR'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

	UPGR	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	10.90%	2.84%	+8.06%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	20.37%	8.90%	+11.47%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	30.33%	11.83%	+18.50%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	30.51%	17.05%	+13.46%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	30.51%	17.94%	+12.57%

UPGR vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

UPGR has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

UPGR vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

UPGR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.27%, less 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%
UPGR Xtrackers US Green Infrastructure Select Equity ETF	0.27%	0.39%	1.16%	0.32%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both UPGR and SPY in my portfolio?

UPGR and SPY have a correlation of 0.66, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, UPGR or SPY?

UPGR has higher volatility (10.90%) compared to SPY (2.84%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UPGR dropped -46.60% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which ETF is better, UPGR or SPY?

On 1-year performance, UPGR leads with 71.38% vs 27.98% for SPY. On fees, SPY is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, SPY has been the lower-risk option at 2.84%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, UPGR or SPY?

Over the 1-year period, UPGR has performed better with a 71.38% return vs 27.98%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, UPGR or SPY?

SPY is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.35% for UPGR.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, UPGR or SPY?

SPY has the higher dividend yield at 0.98%, compared with 0.27% for UPGR.

What is the main difference between UPGR and SPY?

UPGR is categorized as Energy Equities, while SPY is S&P 500. UPGR tracks Solactive United States Green Infrastructure ESG Screened Index - Benchmark TR Gross, while SPY tracks S&P 500 Index. They also come from different issuers: Xtrackers and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.35% for UPGR and 0.09% for SPY.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.38 vs 2.37), 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.