VALIX vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

VALIX (Value Line Capital Appreciation Fund, Inc.) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both funds - VALIX is a Diversified Portfolio fund managed by T. Rowe Price, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 10 years, VALIX returned 13.21%/yr vs 15.49%/yr for SPY. Their correlation of 0.88 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VALIX charges 1.07%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

VALIX vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Value Line Capital Appreciation Fund, Inc. (VALIX) 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, VALIX achieves a 13.49% return, which is significantly higher than SPY's 10.91% return. Over the past 10 years, VALIX has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 13.21%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 15.49% annualized return.

VALIX

• 1D: -0.61%
• 1M: 9.60%
• YTD: 13.49%
• 6M: 12.04%
• 1Y: 30.34%
• 3Y*: 23.59%
• 5Y*: 9.99%
• 10Y*: 13.21%

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)

VALIX vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VALIX Value Line Capital Appreciation Fund, Inc.	13.49%	20.76%	21.20%	34.45%	-29.86%	6.69%	33.13%	26.20%	-2.86%	23.88%
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 VALIX and SPY is 0.87, 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	0.87
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.87
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.88
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.87
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 1, 1993	0.88

The correlation between VALIX and SPY has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.87 to 0.88 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

VALIX vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

VALIX

VALIX Risk / Return Rank: 49
VALIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 58
VALIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 53
VALIX Omega Ratio Rank: 52
VALIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 45
VALIX Martin Ratio Rank: 39

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.

VALIX vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Value Line Capital Appreciation Fund, Inc. (VALIX) 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.

	VALIX	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.24	2.38	-0.14
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.08	3.24	-0.16
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.40	1.43	-0.04
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.54	3.16	-0.62
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	8.43	14.72	-6.29
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VALIX vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VALIX Sharpe Ratio is 2.24, which is comparable to the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 2.38. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VALIX 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

	VALIX	SPY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.24	2.38	-0.14
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.52	0.82	-0.29
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.70	0.87	-0.16
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.58	0.59	-0.01

Drawdowns

VALIX vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VALIX drawdown since its inception was -35.14%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VALIX and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	VALIX	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-35.14%	-55.19%	+20.05%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.36%	-8.88%	-3.48%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-17.62%	-18.76%	+1.14%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-35.14%	-24.50%	-10.64%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-35.14%	-33.72%	-1.42%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.61%	-0.70%	+0.09%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.57%	-9.05%	+2.48%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.71%	1.91%	+1.80%

Volatility

VALIX vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

Value Line Capital Appreciation Fund, Inc. (VALIX) has a higher volatility of 4.93% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 2.84%. This indicates that VALIX'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

	VALIX	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.93%	2.84%	+2.09%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.09%	8.90%	+2.19%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.03%	11.83%	+2.20%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	19.16%	17.05%	+2.11%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.89%	17.94%	+0.95%

VALIX vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

VALIX has a 1.07% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

VALIX vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

VALIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.31%, 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%
VALIX Value Line Capital Appreciation Fund, Inc.	5.31%	6.03%	0.79%	0.75%	11.01%	10.83%	5.49%	9.79%	8.28%	5.57%	5.75%	6.86%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VALIX and SPY in my portfolio?

VALIX and SPY have a correlation of 0.87, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VALIX or SPY?

VALIX has higher volatility (4.93%) compared to SPY (2.84%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VALIX dropped -35.14% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.38 vs 2.24), 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.