NUSA vs SPY
Nuveen ESG 1-5 Year US Aggregate Bond ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, NUSA or SPY?
Short Term Bond against Large Cap Blend.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.2% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 55.4%.
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 | NUSA | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.14% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $36M | $823.2B |
| Dividend Yield | 3.95% | 0.99% |
| Holdings | 692 | 1,515 |
| YTD Return | -0.22% | +13.53%Best |
| 1Y Return | +0.39% | +17.47%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +4.15% | +22.36%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +1.40% | +13.21%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 2.5%Best | 15.7% |
| Max Drawdown | -9.9%Best | -34.1% |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $10,720 | $18,596Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 55.4% | 38.2%Best |
| Fund Family | Nuveen | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Fixed Income | Equity |
| Style | Short Term Bond | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Mar 31, 2017 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Apr 3, 2017 to Oct 14, 2026 (9.5 years).
NUSA 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.
NUSA vs SPY Performance
Nuveen ESG 1-5 Year US Aggregate Bond ETF (NUSA) is an ETF from Nuveen and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year NUSA returned +0.39% while SPY returned +17.47%. Year to date, NUSA is down 0.22% versus a gain of 13.53% for SPY.
Over three years, NUSA compounded at +4.15% per year against +22.36% for SPY; over five years the annualized figures are +1.40% and +13.21% respectively. Across the full 10-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +14.15% annualized vs +0.87%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SPY has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 15.7% compared with 2.5% for NUSA. 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 -9.9% for NUSA and -34.1% 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 0.44. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
NUSA charges 0.14% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $14 vs $9 annually, a gap of $5 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, NUSA currently yields 3.95% against 0.99% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
94.0% of NUSA's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 40.2% of SPY's money is in holdings NUSA also owns.
Most of NUSA is already inside SPY. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
29 positions in common, counted across the 32 positions we hold weights for in NUSA and 504 in SPY, against full books of 692 and 1,515.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 467 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for NUSA (58.8% of the fund), and 2 for NUSA that do not appear in SPY (3.6%).
Some of those will be the same company recorded under a different code in one of the two books, so the real difference in what you would own is no larger than this and may be smaller. We do not name the individual positions here for that reason.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in NUSA | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 9.75% | 7.78% | 1.97% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 8.84% | 5.71% | 3.13% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 4.20% | 7.45% | 3.25% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 6.11% | 3.78% | 2.33% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc | 6.23% | 3.12% | 3.11% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 4.24% | 2.48% | 1.76% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 3.97% | 2.22% | 1.75% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 3.76% | 1.59% | 2.17% |
| LRCXLrcx Uw Equity | 4.39% | 0.52% | 3.87% |
| JPMJpmorgan Chase | 3.34% | 1.43% | 1.91% |
94.0% of NUSA is already inside SPY.
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, NUSA or SPY?
NUSA has an expense ratio of 0.14% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $5 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, NUSA or SPY?
Over the past year NUSA returned +0.39% vs +17.47% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (10 years), NUSA annualized +0.87% vs +14.15% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, NUSA or SPY?
SPY has been the more volatile fund at 15.7% annualized versus 2.5% for NUSA. Worst drawdown: NUSA -9.9% vs SPY -34.1%.
Should I hold both NUSA and SPY?
NUSA and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.44, 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 NUSA and SPY?
94.0% of NUSA's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 40.2% of SPY's is in holdings NUSA also owns. They hold 29 positions in common, counted across the 32 positions we hold weights for in NUSA and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, NUSA or SPY?
NUSA yields 3.95% while SPY yields 0.99%, so NUSA currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than NUSA?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.2% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 55.4%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.