SPY vs WEA
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust vs Western Asset Premier Bond Fund
Which is better, SPY or WEA?
Large Cap Blend against Long Term Low Quality.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 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 | SPY | WEA |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.09%Best | 1.22% |
| AUM | $823.2B | $126M |
| Dividend Yield | 0.99% | 7.89% |
| Holdings | 1,515 | 386 |
| YTD Return | +13.53%Best | -7.78% |
| 1Y Return | +17.47%Best | -5.07% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +22.36%Best | +7.42% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +13.21%Best | -0.19% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 14.9%Best | 15.7% |
| Max Drawdown | -56.5%Best | -64.9% |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $18,596Best | $9,905 |
| Fund Family | State Street Investment Management | Franklin Templeton Investments (US) |
| Category | Equity | Fixed Income |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Long Term Low Quality |
| Inception | Jan 22, 1993 | Mar 28, 2002 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Mar 26, 2002 to Oct 14, 2026 (24.6 years).
SPY vs WEA 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.
SPY vs WEA Performance
State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management and Western Asset Premier Bond Fund (WEA) is an ETF from Franklin Templeton Investments (US). Over the past year SPY returned +17.47% while WEA returned -5.07%. Year to date, SPY is up 13.53% versus a loss of 7.78% for WEA.
Over three years, SPY compounded at +22.36% per year against +7.42% for WEA; over five years the annualized figures are +13.21% and -0.19% respectively. Across the full 25-year window we track, SPY has the edge at +8.41% annualized vs -0.10%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
WEA has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 15.7% 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 -56.5% for SPY and -64.9% for WEA. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.46. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SPY charges 0.09% per year while WEA charges 1.22%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $122 annually, a gap of $113 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SPY currently yields 0.99% against 7.89% for WEA.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.8% of SPY's money is in holdings WEA also owns.
Stated as a floor: for WEA, our book for it covers 68.8% 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.
2 positions in common, counted across the 504 positions we hold weights for in SPY and 224 in WEA, against full books of 1,515 and 386.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of SPY and WEA you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, SPY or WEA?
SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while WEA charges 1.22%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $113 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SPY or WEA?
Over the past year SPY returned +17.47% vs -5.07% for WEA, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (25 years), SPY annualized +8.41% vs -0.10% for WEA. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SPY or WEA?
WEA has been the more volatile fund at 15.7% annualized versus 14.9% for SPY. Worst drawdown: SPY -56.5% vs WEA -64.9%.
Should I hold both SPY and WEA?
SPY and WEA have a monthly-return correlation of 0.46, 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, SPY or WEA?
SPY yields 0.99% while WEA yields 7.89%, so WEA currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is WEA better than SPY?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.