MIN vs SPY

MIN vs SPY

Which is better, MIN or SPY?

Each has led over a different period.

SPY has a lower expense ratio. MIN led over 1Y, 3Y and 5Y, SPY over the full window.

Lower Fees: SPYHigher Returns: split

MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricMINSPY
Expense Ratio0.64%0.09%Best
AUM$284M$823.2B
Dividend Yield9.33%0.99%
Holdings2531,515
YTD Return+476.39%Best+13.53%
1Y Return+475.04%Best+17.47%
3Y Return (annualized)+90.18%Best+22.36%
5Y Return (annualized)+43.41%Best+13.21%
Volatility (annualized)91.5%15.2%Best
Max Drawdown-57.9%-56.5%Best
$10,000 over 5 years$60,659Best$18,596
Fund FamilyAberdeen Asset ManagementState Street Investment Management
CategoryFixed IncomeEquity
Style-Large Cap Blend
InceptionMar 17, 1988Jan 22, 1993

Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.

Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Jan 2, 1996 to Oct 14, 2026 (30.8 years).

MIN vs SPY growth

Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view covers the 30.8 years both funds cover.

MIN vs SPY Performance

Aberdeen Intermediate Income Fund (MIN) is an ETF from Aberdeen Asset Management and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year MIN returned +475.04% while SPY returned +17.47%. Year to date, MIN is up 476.39% versus a gain of 13.53% for SPY.

Over three years, MIN compounded at +90.18% per year against +22.36% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +43.41% and +13.21% respectively. Across the full 31-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +8.79% annualized vs +4.24%.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

MIN has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 91.5% compared with 15.2% for SPY. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.

The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -57.9% for MIN and -56.5% for SPY. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.01. They move largely independently of each other.

Fees and Cost Over Time

MIN charges 0.64% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $64 vs $9 annually, a gap of $55 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, MIN currently yields 9.33% against 0.99% for SPY.

Holdings Overlap

SPY already in MIN0.1%

At least 0.1% of SPY's money is in holdings MIN also owns.

Stated as a floor: for MIN, our book for it covers 66.4% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.

We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.

1 positions in common, counted across the 149 positions we hold weights for in MIN and 504 in SPY, against full books of 253 and 1,515.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in MINWeight in SPYDifference
TMUST-Mobile Usa, Inc. 3.875% 15-Apr-20300.82%0.13%0.69%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

Whichever of MIN and SPY you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.

MINSPY

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, MIN or SPY?

MIN has an expense ratio of 0.64% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $55 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, MIN or SPY?

Over the past year MIN returned +475.04% vs +17.47% for SPY, so MIN leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (31 years), MIN annualized +4.24% vs +8.79% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, MIN or SPY?

MIN has been the more volatile fund at 91.5% annualized versus 15.2% for SPY. Worst drawdown: MIN -57.9% vs SPY -56.5%.

Should I hold both MIN and SPY?

MIN and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.01, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which pays a higher dividend, MIN or SPY?

MIN yields 9.33% while SPY yields 0.99%, so MIN currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is SPY better than MIN?

SPY has a lower expense ratio. MIN led over 1Y, 3Y and 5Y, SPY over the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.