DON vs SPYD: Yield, Cost and Returns Compared
As of Nov 5, 2026, SPYD yields more: 4.11% (dividend yield) against 2.30% for DON. SPYD is cheaper to own at 0.07% a year vs 0.38%. Over the same 11 years (Oct 2015 to Oct 2026), DON returned 9.6% a year with distributions reinvested, and SPYD 9.5%.
SPYDState Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF4.11%dividend yield| Compared | DON | SPYD |
|---|---|---|
| YieldDividend yield | 2.30% | 4.11% |
| Expense ratio | 0.38% | 0.07% |
| Total return, 1 yr | +15.7% | +20.6% |
| Total return, 3 yr (a year) | +15.8% | +18.7% |
| Total return, 5 yr (a year) | +8.3% | +8.7% |
| Total return, 10 yr (a year) | +9.5% | +8.9% |
| Worst drop since Oct 2015 | -35.9% | -36.6% |
| Share price since Oct 2015 | +108% | +63% |
| Pays | Monthly | Quarterly |
| Issuer | WisdomTree | State Street Investment Management |
| Assets | $4.0B | $7.6B |
| Started | 2006 | 2015 |
| Type | Mid-Cap Value | Mid-Cap Value |
Higher yield
SPYD
4.11%
Lower cost
SPYD
0.07%
Better total return
DON
9.6%/yr
Smaller worst drop
DON
-35.9%
Key facts: DON vs SPYD
Data as of · Source: SmarterDividends data
- As of Nov 5, 2026, DON yields 2.30% (dividend yield) and SPYD yields 4.11% (dividend yield).
- DON's expense ratio is 0.38% and SPYD's is 0.07%: $38 vs $7 a year on $10,000.
- From Oct 2015 to Oct 2026, $10,000 in DON grew to $27,284 (9.6% a year) and $10,000 in SPYD to $27,105 (9.5% a year), distributions reinvested.
- Their worst month-end drops over that time: -35.9% for DON and -36.6% for SPYD.
- 2 of DON's top ten holdings are also in SPYD's top ten, an overlap of at least 2% of the fund.
Cite this page
SmarterDividends, "DON vs SPYD: Yield, Cost and Returns Compared," updated Nov 5, 2026, https://smarterdividends.com/compare/don-vs-spyd
$10,000 in each, Oct 2015 to Oct 2026
Distributions reinvested, month-end values, with the S&P 500 for reference.
DON became
$27,284
9.6% a year
SPYD became
$27,105
9.5% a year
Year by year
| Year | DON | SPYD |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | +3.4% | +4.6% |
| 2024 | +13.9% | +15.3% |
| 2023 | +13.6% | +3.9% |
| 2022 | −4.7% | −1.2% |
| 2021 | +30.3% | +32.7% |
| 2020 | −5.4% | −11.6% |
| 2019 | +23.3% | +21.2% |
| 2018 | −8.2% | −4.9% |
| 2017 | +14.9% | +12.7% |
| 2016 | +20.4% | +24.6% |
Total return each calendar year, distributions reinvested.
Top holdings
2 of the top ten overlap, at least 2% of each fund.
DON
- BBY Best Buy Co Inc1.6%
- APA APA Corp1.5%
- VTRS Viatris Inc1.5%
- DINO HF Sinclair Corp1.3%
- HAS Hasbro Inc1.3%
- BEN Franklin Templeton Inc1.3%
- PR Permian Resources Corp Class A1.2%
- SWK Stanley Black & Decker Inc1.1%
- AFG American Financial Group Inc1.1%
- SJM JM Smucker Co1.0%
SPYD
- ACN Accenture PLC Class A2.4%
- HAS Hasbro Inc1.7%
- PFE Pfizer Inc1.6%
- CVX Chevron Corp1.6%
- MDT Medtronic PLC1.5%
- SWK Stanley Black & Decker Inc1.5%
- EOG EOG Resources Inc1.5%
- HPQ HP Inc1.5%
- CCI Crown Castle Inc1.5%
- AMT American Tower Corp1.4%
DON vs SPYD: questions
Is DON or SPYD better?
It depends on the job. SPYD pays more today (4.11% vs 2.30%), SPYD costs less, and DON has the better total return over Oct 2015 to Oct 2026, with DON holding up better in its worst stretch. For income, look at yield and whether the payouts hold up; for growth, total return and drawdowns.
Which pays a higher dividend, DON or SPYD?
SPYD, at 4.11% against 2.30% for DON as of Nov 5, 2026. On $10,000 that's about $411 vs $230 a year at today's rates.
Which has the better total return?
DON. From Oct 2015 to Oct 2026, it returned 9.6% a year with distributions reinvested, against 9.5% for SPYD. $10,000 became $27,284 vs $27,105.
Which is cheaper, DON or SPYD?
SPYD, with a 0.07% expense ratio against 0.38%.
Do DON and SPYD hold the same things?
Partly. 2 of their top ten holdings match (HAS, SWK), at least 2% of each fund. Owning both doubles up on those.
Related comparisons
Yields, costs and holdings as each fund reports them (via Yahoo Finance), updated daily; returns from month-end prices with distributions reinvested. SPYD leads on 5 of 8 measures above. For information only, not investment advice. Last fund data: Nov 5, 2026.