NFJ vs SPY
Virtus Dividend, Interest & Premium Strategy Fund vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, NFJ or SPY?
Allocation/Balanced against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. NFJ led over 1Y, SPY over 3Y, 5Y and the full window.
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
| Metric | NFJ | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.96% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $1.5B | $811.2B |
| Dividend Yield | 7.39% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 190 | 1,515 |
| YTD Return | +24.08%Best | +14.77% |
| 1Y Return | +28.48%Best | +18.61% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +20.86% | +22.83%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +9.15% | +13.84%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 17.4% | 14.9%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -70.3% | -56.5%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $15,492 | $19,119Best |
| Fund Family | Virtus Investment Partners | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Allocation/Balanced | Equity |
| Style | Allocation/Balanced | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Feb 28, 2005 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Feb 24, 2005 to Oct 13, 2026 (21.6 years).
NFJ 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 is available from the range buttons; it is not the opening view here because over the whole period one of these two funds moves so much further than the other that its line would sit flat on the axis.
NFJ vs SPY Performance
Virtus Dividend, Interest & Premium Strategy Fund (NFJ) is an ETF from Virtus Investment Partners and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year NFJ returned +28.48% while SPY returned +18.61%. Year to date, NFJ is up 24.08% versus a gain of 14.77% for SPY.
Over three years, NFJ compounded at +20.86% per year against +22.83% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +9.15% and +13.84% respectively. Across the full 22-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +9.40% annualized vs -0.16%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
NFJ has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 17.4% compared with 14.9% 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 -70.3% for NFJ 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 0.84. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
NFJ charges 0.96% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $96 vs $9 annually, a gap of $87 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, NFJ currently yields 7.39% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
At least 40.4% of SPY's money is in holdings NFJ also owns.
Stated as a floor: for NFJ, our book for it covers 86.5% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
55 positions in common, counted across the 107 positions we hold weights for in NFJ and 504 in SPY, against full books of 190 and 1,515.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in NFJ | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAPLApple, Inc | 4.40% | 7.45% | 3.05% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 3.87% | 5.71% | 1.84% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 5.23% | 3.78% | 1.45% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 1.53% | 3.12% | 1.59% |
| LLYEli Lilly & Co. | 2.93% | 1.37% | 1.56% |
| JPMJpmorgan Chase | 2.15% | 1.43% | 0.72% |
| SCHWSchwab Strategic T | 3.23% | 0.27% | 2.96% |
| GEVGE Vernova Inc. CDR (CAD Hedged) | 2.62% | 0.36% | 2.26% |
| HSYHershey Co. | 2.74% | 0.04% | 2.70% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 0.48% | 2.22% | 1.74% |
40.4% of SPY is already inside NFJ.
You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, NFJ or SPY?
NFJ has an expense ratio of 0.96% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $87 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, NFJ or SPY?
Over the past year NFJ returned +28.48% vs +18.61% for SPY, so NFJ leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (22 years), NFJ annualized -0.16% vs +9.40% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, NFJ or SPY?
NFJ has been the more volatile fund at 17.4% annualized versus 14.9% for SPY. Worst drawdown: NFJ -70.3% vs SPY -56.5%.
Should I hold both NFJ and SPY?
NFJ and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.84, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between NFJ and SPY?
At least 40.4% of SPY's money is in holdings NFJ also owns. Our book for NFJ is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 55 positions in common, counted across the 107 positions we hold weights for in NFJ and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, NFJ or SPY?
NFJ yields 7.39% while SPY yields 0.98%, so NFJ currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than NFJ?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. NFJ led over 1Y, SPY over 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.