State Street SPDR Portfolio Developed World ex-US ETF

SPDW

Market cap $40.8B

The State Street SPDR Portfolio Developed World ex-US ETF has managed to outperform the S&P 500 in 2026, building on strong gains achieved in 2025. With the U.S. dollar no longer falling relative to developed markets currencies, recent gains have increasingly been driven by attractive valuations. Case in point, SPDW holdings remain notably cheaper than the S&P 500, regardless of whether we look at current or forward P/E multiples.

Both VEA and SPDW offer ultra-low expense ratios and similar one-year returns. VEA holds a much larger number of stocks and manages significantly more assets under management (AUM).

State Street SPDR Portfolio Devt World ex-US ETF earns a reiterated "Buy" rating, outperforming SPY by 24% since June 2025. SPDW benefits from attractive valuation, robust momentum, and bullish seasonality, with a $51 price target still in play. Strong sector diversification, a low expense ratio (0.03%), and a 3.01% dividend yield enhance SPDW's risk-reward profile.

SPDW: The Alternative When Seeking Ex-U.S. Returns

SPDW charges a much lower expense ratio and currently offers a higher dividend yield than ACWX. SPDW covers only developed markets outside the United States, while ACWX includes both developed and other non-U.S. equities.

Both SCHF and SPDW offer ultra-low 0.03% expense ratios and similar sector allocations SCHF has a lower beta than SPDW (0.86 vs 0.88), and beats SPDW in five-year growth, with $1,593 vs $1,567 from a $1,000 investment. SCHF holds more assets and features a marginally higher dividend yield CEO says this is worth 18 Nvidias.

SPDW charges a slightly lower expense ratio and barely edges out VXUS on recent performance and yield. VXUS covers both developed and emerging markets, while SPDW excludes emerging economies.

SPDW has a slightly lower expense ratio and higher dividend yield than VWO. VWO tilts toward emerging markets and technology, while SPDW focuses on developed markets with a financials and industrials lean.

SPDW charges a lower expense ratio and offers a higher yield than NZAC. SPDW posted a stronger 1-year total return but has a slightly deeper 5-year drawdown.

SPDW charges much lower fees and offers a higher yield than URTH. URTH holds more U.S. tech giants, while SPDW focuses exclusively on developed markets outside the U.S. SPDW saw a higher 1-year return but experienced a slightly deeper five-year drawdown.