SPDR S&P 500 (SPY) ETF: What is it & How Does it Work? (2024)

FAQs

SPDR S&P 500 (SPY) ETF: What is it & How Does it Work? ›

What Is the SPY ETF? The SPY ETF is an exchange-traded fund that seeks to track the performance of the S&P 500 index, which is a basket of the largest publicly traded companies in the U.S. SPY is the oldest ETF listed on a U.S. exchange and is one of the most popular ETFs in the world.

The SPDR S&P 500 ETF is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and trades under the ticker symbol SPY. The SPY's price tracks the S&P 500 index. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF allows investors to track the performance of the US economy without having to buy all the stocks listed on the S&P 500 directly.

SPDR S&P 500 ETF carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Thus, SPY is a sufficient option for those seeking exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Blend area of the market.

What Is SPY? The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), also known as SPY, is an exchange-traded fund that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 index. The S&P 500 is a stock market index that measures the performance of 500 large cap publicly traded companies in the United States.

SPY is managed by State Street Global Advisors, an ETF pioneer and one of the world's largest asset managers, and is benchmarked to the S&P 500 Index from S&P Dow Jones Indices, one of the most trusted index providers.

To invest in S&P 500 ETFs, investors can gain exposure through discount brokers with commission-free trading. S&P 500 index funds trade through brokers and discount brokers and may be accessed directly from the fund companies.

Historical dividend payout and yield for SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) since 1995. The current TTM dividend payout for SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) as of May 24, 2024 is $6.72. The current dividend yield for SPDR S&P 500 ETF as of May 24, 2024 is 1.27%.

Since it was expanded to include 500 stocks in 1957, the average annualized return in the S&P 500 is closer to 10.15%. That means the average annualized return in SPY is roughly 10%.

When it comes to choosing between Vanguard and State Street SPDR for passive sector exposure, you really can't go wrong with either. Both offer low-cost options, but your selection should be based on your specific investment objectives. For buy-and-hold investors, Vanguard's sector ETFs may be the preferable choice.

Key Takeaways. SPDR exchange traded funds are issued by State Street Global Advisors and are designed to track indexes or benchmarks. SPDR 500 Trust, sometimes called spiders, holds the same stocks as the S&P 500 Index. ETFs differ from mutual funds in that shares are traded on the exchanges like shares of stock.

How to invest in S&P 500 for beginners? ›

VOO dividend yield as of May 2024

At the last update on April 26, the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF had a dividend yield of 1.37%. But it's important to note that yields can fluctuate with market prices.

Market risk

The single biggest risk in ETFs is market risk. Like a mutual fund or a closed-end fund, ETFs are only an investment vehicle—a wrapper for their underlying investment. So if you buy an S&P 500 ETF and the S&P 500 goes down 50%, nothing about how cheap, tax efficient, or transparent an ETF is will help you.

Bottom line. The SPY ETF is a cost-effective investment option for investors looking to gain exposure to about 500 large US companies. However, it is also subject to the same risks as any other investment in the stock market, including market volatility, and economic and geopolitical risks.

Many investors use SPY to diversify a portfolio and to gain exposure to the U.S. stock market without having to buy individual stocks. The low expenses inherent with ETFs like SPY enable investors to track the S&P 500 index more closely compared to index funds with higher expenses.

Video Player is loading. In the last 30 Years, the SPDR S&P 500 (SPY) ETF obtained a 10.35% compound annual return, with a 15.12% standard deviation.

How to Buy the SPY ETF. Investing in the SPY ETF can be relatively easy. Many investors buy shares of the SPY ETF through an online broker or through a mutual fund company that provides access to ETFs. You can also buy shares of the SPY ETF through a retirement account, such as an IRA.

SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF is an excellent option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - Large Cap Value segment of the market. There are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider as well.