SCHB vs SPTM: A Broad Market Look

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The market’s a funny thing. Promises a fortune, usually delivers a headache. These two ETFs, the State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 1500 Composite Stock Market ETF (SPTM 0.04%) and the Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF (SCHB 0.15%), they’re both aiming for the same slice of the pie – a broad U.S. stock market play for a fee that barely registers. Core holdings, they call it. Sounds…safe. Too safe, maybe.

I took a look. Digging through the numbers, the fine print, the stuff most investors skip. Trying to figure out which one, if either, is worth the bother. It’s a close-run thing, this one. Like betting on which alley cat will cross the street first.

Snapshot

Metric SPTM SCHB
Issuer SPDR Schwab
Expense ratio 0.03% 0.03%
1-yr return (as of Jan. 25, 2026) 12.91% 12.80%
Dividend yield 1.13% 1.11%
Beta (5Y monthly) 1.02 1.05
AUM $12 billion $38 billion

Fees. They’re both scraping the bottom of the barrel at 0.03%. Dividend yields? A rounding error. These funds aren’t going to make you rich on payout alone. You’re looking at a difference of pennies. The real game is in what they hold, and how much of it they can actually trade without causing a ripple.

Performance & Risk

Metric SPTM SCHB
Max drawdown (5 y) -24.15% -25.40%
Growth of $1,000 over 5 years $1,765 $1,700

Drawdowns. The gut punches the market likes to deliver. SPTM held up a hair better, but it’s a difference you wouldn’t notice unless you were staring at a screen all day, which, frankly, is a bad idea. Five years, $1,000 grows to roughly the same amount with either one. The market’s a fickle dame, and she doesn’t hand out guarantees.

What’s Inside

SCHB chases the Dow Jones U.S. Broad Stock Market Index, a collection of 2,401 stocks. It’s got a heavy lean towards tech – 33% – followed by financials and consumer goods. Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft – the usual suspects. Been around since 2009, which in market years is practically ancient. No surprises there.

SPTM follows the S&P Composite 1500 Index – a slightly smaller club, around 1,510 stocks. Sector allocations are almost identical to SCHB. Same top holdings. Launched in 2000, so it’s seen a few cycles. A little more weathered, maybe.

The Bottom Line

These two are practically twins separated at birth. Low fees, similar yields, same big players at the top. They both love tech, and they both avoid trouble when they can. Returns and drawdowns are close enough to call it even. You’re splitting hairs here, folks.

The real difference? Assets under management. SCHB has a bigger pile – $38 billion versus $12 billion for SPTM. That means more liquidity, easier trades. And SCHB holds nearly 1,000 more stocks. A wider net, they call it. Doesn’t necessarily mean better returns, but it gives you a little more breathing room.

Look, the market’s a jungle. These ETFs are just tools. SCHB, with its larger size and broader holdings, feels a little more…substantial. But either one will get you a ride. Just don’t expect a smooth one.

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2026-01-25 19:32