PBPH vs SPY
Portfolio Building Block World Pharma and Biotech Index ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, PBPH or SPY?
SPY has been ahead.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.2% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 63.6%.
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 | PBPH | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.13% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $1.0B | $823.2B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.08% | 0.99% |
| Holdings | 55 | 1,515 |
| YTD Return | +13.31% | +13.53%Best |
| 1Y Return | +14.49% | +17.47%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +22.36% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +13.21% |
| Top 10 Weight | 63.6% | 38.2%Best |
| Fund Family | Portfolio Building Block ETFs | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Nov 24, 2025 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Not shown on this pair: Volatility (annualized), Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window.
PBPH 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.
PBPH vs SPY Performance
Portfolio Building Block World Pharma and Biotech Index ETF (PBPH) is an ETF from Portfolio Building Block ETFs and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year PBPH returned +14.49% while SPY returned +17.47%. Year to date, PBPH is up 13.31% versus a gain of 13.53% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Fees and Cost Over Time
PBPH charges 0.13% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $13 vs $9 annually, a gap of $4 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, PBPH currently yields 0.08% against 0.99% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
61.0% of PBPH's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 5.2% of SPY's money is in holdings PBPH also owns.
The two portfolios partly overlap.
15 positions in common, counted across the 52 positions we hold weights for in PBPH and 504 in SPY, against full books of 55 and 1,515.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 481 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for PBPH (93.9% of the fund), and 13 for PBPH that do not appear in SPY (6.5%).
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 PBPH | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| LLYEli Lilly & Co. | 15.46% | 1.37% | 14.09% |
| JNJJohnson & Johnson - Common | 9.89% | 0.98% | 8.91% |
| ABBVAbbvie Inc. | 7.44% | 0.70% | 6.74% |
| MRKMerck & Company Inc | 5.71% | 0.54% | 5.17% |
| AMGNAmgen Inc. | 4.29% | 0.31% | 3.98% |
| GILDGilead Sciences | 3.93% | 0.28% | 3.65% |
| PFEPfizer Inc | 3.47% | 0.24% | 3.23% |
| VRTXNvaesrtex Pharmaceuticals Inc | 2.79% | 0.20% | 2.59% |
| BMYBristol-Myers Squibb Co. | 2.73% | 0.20% | 2.53% |
| REGNRegeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | 1.60% | 0.12% | 1.48% |
61.0% of PBPH 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, PBPH or SPY?
PBPH has an expense ratio of 0.13% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $4 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, PBPH or SPY?
Over the past year PBPH returned +14.49% vs +17.47% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between PBPH and SPY?
61.0% of PBPH's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 5.2% of SPY's is in holdings PBPH also owns. They hold 15 positions in common, counted across the 52 positions we hold weights for in PBPH and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, PBPH or SPY?
PBPH yields 0.08% while SPY yields 0.99%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than PBPH?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.2% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 63.6%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.