WELL vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

WELL (Welltower Inc.) 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, WELL returned 14.94%/yr vs 15.49%/yr for SPY. At a 0.44 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

WELL vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Welltower Inc. (WELL) 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, WELL achieves a 8.28% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 10.91% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with WELL having a 14.94% annualized return and SPY not far ahead at 15.49%.

WELL

• 1D: 2.17%
• 1M: -7.77%
• YTD: 8.28%
• 6M: -0.46%
• 1Y: 33.15%
• 3Y*: 41.00%
• 5Y*: 24.18%
• 10Y*: 14.94%

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)

WELL vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
WELL Welltower Inc.	8.28%	49.86%	43.07%	41.79%	-21.18%	36.98%	-17.19%	23.04%	15.31%	0.22%
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 WELL and SPY is 0.05, 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	0.05
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.23
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.34
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.33
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 3, 2001	0.44

Over the past year, the correlation between WELL and SPY has dropped to 0.05 - well below their long-term average of 0.44, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

WELL vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

WELL

WELL Risk / Return Rank: 79
WELL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 82
WELL Sortino Ratio Rank: 77
WELL Omega Ratio Rank: 76
WELL Calmar Ratio Rank: 79
WELL Martin Ratio Rank: 79

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.

WELL vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Welltower Inc. (WELL) 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.

	WELL	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.59	2.38	-0.79
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.16	3.24	-1.07
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.28	1.43	-0.16
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.64	3.16	-0.52
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	6.62	14.72	-8.10
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

WELL vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current WELL Sharpe Ratio is 1.59, which is lower than the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 2.38. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of WELL 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

	WELL	SPY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.59	2.38	-0.79
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.03	0.82	+0.21
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.47	0.87	-0.40
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.56	0.59	-0.03

Drawdowns

WELL vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum WELL drawdown since its inception was -63.33%, which is greater than SPY's maximum drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for WELL and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	WELL	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-63.33%	-55.19%	-8.14%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.61%	-8.88%	-3.73%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-12.99%	-18.76%	+5.77%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-40.78%	-24.50%	-16.28%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-63.33%	-33.72%	-29.61%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-9.33%	-0.70%	-8.63%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.32%	-9.05%	-1.27%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.02%	1.91%	+3.11%

Volatility

WELL vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

Welltower Inc. (WELL) has a higher volatility of 7.54% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 2.84%. This indicates that WELL'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

	WELL	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.54%	2.84%	+4.70%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	16.49%	8.90%	+7.59%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	21.07%	11.83%	+9.24%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	23.68%	17.05%	+6.63%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	31.86%	17.94%	+13.92%

Dividends

WELL vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

WELL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.48%, 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%
WELL Welltower Inc.	1.48%	1.52%	2.03%	2.71%	3.72%	2.84%	4.18%	4.26%	5.01%	5.46%	5.14%	4.85%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both WELL and SPY in my portfolio?

WELL and SPY have a correlation of 0.05, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, WELL or SPY?

WELL has higher volatility (7.54%) compared to SPY (2.84%). In terms of maximum drawdown, WELL dropped -63.33% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.38 vs 1.59), 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.