RCTR vs SPY
First Trust Bloomberg Nuclear Power ETF vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
Which is better, RCTR or SPY?
SPY has been ahead.
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 46.6%.
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 | RCTR | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.70% | 0.09%Best |
| AUM | $30M | $804.7B |
| Dividend Yield | 0.62% | 0.98% |
| Holdings | 100 | 505 |
| YTD Return | +0.87% | +12.47%Best |
| 1Y Return | +8.33% | +17.51%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +21.18% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +12.88% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 24.6% | 12.3%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -19.0% | -8.9%Best |
| $10,000 over 1.1 years | $11,184 | $12,194Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 46.6% | 38.0%Best |
| Fund Family | First Trust Portfolios (US) | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Blend | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Jul 30, 2025 | Jan 22, 1993 |
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.1 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jul 31, 2025 to Sep 11, 2026 (1.1 years).
RCTR 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 covers the 1.1 years both funds cover.
RCTR vs SPY Performance
First Trust Bloomberg Nuclear Power ETF (RCTR) is an ETF from First Trust Portfolios (US) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year RCTR returned +8.33% while SPY returned +17.51%. Year to date, RCTR is up 0.87% versus a gain of 12.47% for SPY.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
RCTR has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 24.6% compared with 12.3% 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 -19.0% for RCTR and -8.9% 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 0.52. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
RCTR charges 0.70% per year while SPY charges 0.09%. On a $10,000 position that is $70 vs $9 annually, a gap of $61 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, RCTR currently yields 0.62% against 0.98% for SPY.
Holdings Overlap
27.1% of RCTR's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 1.0% of SPY's money is in holdings RCTR also owns.
RCTR and SPY share little of their money.
7 positions in common, counted across the 45 positions we hold weights for in RCTR and 504 in SPY, against full books of 100 and 505.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 487 positions for SPY that do not appear in our book for RCTR (98.5% of the fund), and 8 for RCTR that do not appear in SPY (14.9%).
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 RCTR | Weight in SPY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| CEGConstellation Energy Corp | 5.16% | 0.13% | 5.03% |
| DUKDuke Energy Corp. | 4.16% | 0.15% | 4.01% |
| ETREntergy Corp. | 4.15% | 0.07% | 4.08% |
| SOSouthern Co. | 4.04% | 0.16% | 3.88% |
| VSTVistra Energy Corp. | 4.09% | 0.07% | 4.02% |
| GEVGE Vernova, LLC | 3.63% | 0.41% | 3.22% |
| HIIHuntington Ingalls Industries Inc. | 1.91% | 0.02% | 1.89% |
27.1% of RCTR 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, RCTR or SPY?
RCTR has an expense ratio of 0.70% while SPY charges 0.09%. SPY is the cheaper option, by $61 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, RCTR or SPY?
Over the past year RCTR returned +8.33% vs +17.51% for SPY, so SPY leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), RCTR annualized +10.71% vs +19.76% for SPY. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, RCTR or SPY?
RCTR has been the more volatile fund at 24.6% annualized versus 12.3% for SPY. Worst drawdown: RCTR -19.0% vs SPY -8.9%.
Should I hold both RCTR and SPY?
RCTR and SPY have a monthly-return correlation of 0.52, 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 RCTR and SPY?
27.1% of RCTR's money is in holdings SPY also owns. 1.0% of SPY's is in holdings RCTR also owns. They hold 7 positions in common, counted across the 45 positions we hold weights for in RCTR and 504 in SPY.
Which pays a higher dividend, RCTR or SPY?
RCTR yields 0.62% while SPY yields 0.98%, so SPY currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SPY better than RCTR?
SPY has a lower expense ratio. SPY led over 1Y and the full window. SPY is less concentrated, with 38.0% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 46.6%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.