VST vs. SPY
VST (Vistra Corp.) 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 5 years, VST returned 57.72%/yr vs 13.05%/yr for SPY. At a 0.40 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
VST vs. SPY - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VST achieves a 0.94% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 8.15% return.
VST
- 1D
- -2.91%
- 1M
- 4.06%
- YTD
- 0.94%
- 6M
- 0.72%
- 1Y
- -12.49%
- 3Y*
- 88.21%
- 5Y*
- 57.72%
- 10Y*
- —
SPY
- 1D
- -1.45%
- 1M
- -1.36%
- YTD
- 8.15%
- 6M
- 7.20%
- 1Y
- 23.59%
- 3Y*
- 20.68%
- 5Y*
- 13.05%
- 10Y*
- 15.53%
VST vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VST Vistra Corp. | 0.94% | 17.66% | 261.52% | 70.73% | 5.08% | 19.57% | -11.87% | 2.46% | 24.95% | 18.19% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 8.15% | 17.72% | 24.89% | 26.18% | -18.18% | 28.73% | 18.33% | 31.22% | -4.57% | 21.71% |
Correlation
The correlation between VST and SPY is 0.38, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.38 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.41 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.44 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 4, 2016 | 0.40 |
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Return for Risk
VST vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank
VST
SPY
VST vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vistra Corp. (VST) 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.
| VST | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.16 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.62 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.00 | 1.34 | -0.35 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.33 | 2.67 | -3.00 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.59 | 11.92 | -12.51 |
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Drawdowns
VST vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VST drawdown since its inception was -53.32%, roughly equal to the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VST and SPY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VST | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -53.32% | -55.19% | +1.87% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -38.01% | -8.88% | -29.13% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -48.80% | -18.76% | -30.04% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -48.80% | -24.50% | -24.30% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -33.72% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -25.17% | -3.17% | -22.00% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -13.75% | -9.04% | -4.71% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 21.12% | 1.98% | +19.14% |
Volatility
VST vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison
Vistra Corp. (VST) has a higher volatility of 14.36% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 4.87%. This indicates that VST'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.
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Volatility by Period
| VST | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 14.36% | 4.87% | +9.49% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 36.88% | 9.85% | +27.03% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 48.93% | 12.50% | +36.43% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 48.04% | 17.15% | +30.89% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 42.22% | 17.95% | +24.27% |
Dividends
VST vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison
VST's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.56%, less than SPY's 1.03% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 1.03% | 1.07% | 1.21% | 1.40% | 1.65% | 1.20% | 1.52% | 1.75% | 2.04% | 1.80% | 2.03% | 2.06% |
VST Vistra Corp. | 0.56% | 0.56% | 0.63% | 2.13% | 3.12% | 2.64% | 2.75% | 2.17% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 14.97% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VST and SPY have a correlation of 0.38, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VST has higher volatility (14.36%) compared to SPY (4.87%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VST dropped -53.32% vs SPY's -55.19%.
SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.90 vs -0.26), 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.
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