USAAX vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

USAAX (USAA Growth Fund) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both funds - USAAX is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund managed by Victory, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 10 years, USAAX returned 15.79%/yr vs 15.57%/yr for SPY. Their correlation of 0.89 suggests significant overlap in exposure. USAAX charges 0.84%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

USAAX vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in USAA Growth Fund (USAAX) 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, USAAX achieves a 6.03% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 11.69% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with USAAX having a 15.79% annualized return and SPY not far behind at 15.57%.

USAAX

• 1D: 0.70%
• 1M: 6.00%
• YTD: 6.03%
• 6M: 6.07%
• 1Y: 22.32%
• 3Y*: 23.43%
• 5Y*: 12.77%
• 10Y*: 15.79%

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)

USAAX vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
USAAX USAA Growth Fund	6.03%	16.68%	32.82%	48.39%	-32.49%	16.97%	37.07%	27.62%	-4.33%	28.44%
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 USAAX and SPY is 0.92, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.92
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.91
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.92
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.91
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 1, 1993	0.89

The correlation between USAAX and SPY has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.89 to 0.92 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

USAAX vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

USAAX

USAAX Risk / Return Rank: 20
USAAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 26
USAAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 23
USAAX Omega Ratio Rank: 24
USAAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 14
USAAX Martin Ratio Rank: 15

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.

USAAX vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for USAA Growth Fund (USAAX) 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.

	USAAX	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.49	2.52	-1.03
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.05	3.42	-1.36
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.26	1.46	-0.20
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.35	3.42	-2.06
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	4.51	15.93	-11.41
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

USAAX vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current USAAX Sharpe Ratio is 1.49, which is lower than the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 2.52. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of USAAX 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

	USAAX	SPY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.49	2.52	-1.03
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.54	0.84	-0.30
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.72	0.87	-0.15
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.51	0.59	-0.08

Drawdowns

USAAX vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum USAAX drawdown since its inception was -66.79%, which is greater than SPY's maximum drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for USAAX and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	USAAX	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-66.79%	-55.19%	-11.60%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-16.92%	-8.88%	-8.04%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-29.85%	-18.76%	-11.09%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-41.75%	-24.50%	-17.25%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-41.75%	-33.72%	-8.03%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-18.82%	-9.05%	-9.77%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.08%	1.91%	+3.17%

Volatility

USAAX vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

USAA Growth Fund (USAAX) has a higher volatility of 3.42% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 2.75%. This indicates that USAAX'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

	USAAX	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.42%	2.75%	+0.67%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.68%	8.89%	+2.79%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.68%	11.81%	+3.87%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	23.99%	17.05%	+6.94%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	22.10%	17.94%	+4.16%

USAAX vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

USAAX has a 0.84% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

USAAX vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

USAAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.02%, 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%
USAAX USAA Growth Fund	10.02%	10.62%	10.47%	6.54%	6.98%	10.34%	4.33%	26.15%	13.67%	2.47%	5.27%	6.92%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both USAAX and SPY in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.92, USAAX and SPY move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which is riskier, USAAX or SPY?

USAAX has higher volatility (3.42%) compared to SPY (2.75%). In terms of maximum drawdown, USAAX dropped -66.79% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.52 vs 1.49), 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.