What is the best ETF to beat the S&P 500?
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The answer: RSP has outperformed the S&P 500 by 0.57% on an annualized basis since the ETF's inception two decades ago. Source: Morningstar Direct. Data begins at RSP inception date of April 24, 2003, through September 30, 2023.
The S&P 500's track record is impressive, but the Vanguard Growth ETF has outperformed it. The Vanguard Growth ETF leans heavily toward tech businesses that exhibit faster revenue and earnings gains. No matter what investments you choose, it's always smart to keep a long-term mindset.
Warren Buffett has long recommended the S&P 500 index fund and ETF, and through his holding company Berkshire Hathaway, he also owns two of these types of investments: the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO) and the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEMKT: SPY).
| Symbol | Name | 5-Year Return |
|---|---|---|
| PSI | Invesco Semiconductors ETF | 21.40% |
| XLK | Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund | 21.07% |
| XHB | SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF | 20.59% |
| DGP | DB Gold Double Long Exchange Traded Notes | 20.58% |
The two investments held in Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio that Buffett recommends more than anything else are two S&P 500 index funds. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEMKT: SPY) and the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO).
The Direxion Daily S&P 500® Bull 2X Shares seeks daily investment results, before fees and expenses, of 200% of the performance of the S&P 500® Index.
QQQ, which has $255 billion of assets under management, has exceeded the the S&P 500's gains since the Nasdaq-100-tracking fund launched 25 years ago, according to FactSet data.
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 2 (Buy), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Because of this, VOO is a great option for investors seeking exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Blend segment of the market.
That's because your investment gives you access to the broad stock market. Meanwhile, if you only invest in S&P 500 ETFs, you won't beat the broad market. Rather, you can expect your portfolio's performance to be in line with that of the broad market. But that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Is it possible to outperform S&P 500?
Through careful research and diversification across various investment strategies, it is possible for investors to outperform the S&P 500 and potentially achieve significant long-term gains.
We took a look at the best performing S&P 500 stocks over the past five years, with the top three performers being NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA), Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENPH), and Enphase Energy, Inc.
Over the long run, they do compound—those fee differences—and investors have been putting a lot more money into VOO versus SPY. That is the reason why we view VOO slightly better than SPY. And that is just the basic approach, which is the lower the investor can pay, the better the investment is.
In the long run, the funds' broad diversification, low turnover, and low fees outweigh these risks.” While the two ETFs follow the same strategy, they earn different ratings. VOO earns a top rating of Gold, while SPY earns the next best rating of Silver.
But to be clear, Ramsey's all in favor of using ETFs when used properly. For investors who can use ETFs as part of a long-term, buy-and-hold investment program, rather than as trading vehicles, Ramsey has nothing bad to say about them.
| Symbol | Name | Dividend Yield |
|---|---|---|
| PEX | ProShares Global Listed Private Equity ETF | 12.14% |
| SPYI | NEOS S&P 500 High Income ETF | 12.10% |
| BTF | Valkyrie Bitcoin and Ether Strategy ETF | 12.08% |
| SDIV | Global X SuperDividend ETF | 12.06% |
| Ticker | Fund | 10-Yr Return |
|---|---|---|
| VGT | Vanguard Information Technology ETF | 19.60% |
| IYW | iShares U.S. Technology ETF | 19.58% |
| IXN | iShares Global Tech ETF | 18.20% |
| IGM | iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF | 17.95% |
- ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO)
- Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ)
- Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT)
- VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH)
- Invesco S&P MidCap Momentum ETF (XMMO)
- SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF (XHB)
- Invesco S&P 500 GARP ETF (SPGP)
Berkshire's 18% year-to-date returns top the S&P 500's 7% gain, and the results grow more eye-popping as the time frame extends: Berkshire's 271% return over the last decade and 50,799% surge over the last 40 years smashes the S&P's 232% and 4,213% respective gains, according to FactSet data.
Berkshire Hathaway stock held strong in 2022, making a slight gain compared to a loss of more than 19% for the S&P 500. But it lagged in 2023 rising about 16% compared to the S&P 500's gain of 24%. So far this year it is up around 16%. All-around performance is strong, but not quite ideal, for Berkshire Hathaway stock.
What 5 stocks is Warren Buffett buying?
| Stock | Number of Shares Owned | Value of Stake |
|---|---|---|
| Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) | 400,000,000 | $23.8 billion |
| Chevron (NYSE:CVX) | 126,093,326 | $18.9 billion |
| Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY) | 248,018,128 | $15.1 billion |
| Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ:KHC) | 325,634,818 | $11.3 billion |
Experts agree that for most personal investors, a portfolio comprising 5 to 10 ETFs is perfect in terms of diversification. But the number of ETFs is not what you should be looking at.
Key Takeaways. Dividend ETFs invest in high-yielding dividend stocks to maintain a stable, steady income. The S&P 500 is a broad-based index of large U.S. stocks, providing growth and diversification. The best choice for you will depend on whether you prefer income or growth from your investments.
The Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Class (VFIAX) and the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) are similar investment products. Both track the S&P 500, a U.S. stock index comprising 500 companies with the largest market capitalizations.
The table demonstrates that the difference between SPY and QQQ is that the S&P 500 Index and SPY ETF provide much better options for diversification across economic sectors. Despite this, the tech sector accounts for over a third of assets in this fund and is actually 3 times more than the second largest sector.
