APPS vs SPY: Correlation
How closely do Digital Turbine, Inc. (APPS) and SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) trade together? Their weekly returns over three years give a correlation of 0.24, which is weak.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are APPS and SPY?
On 3 years of weekly data the APPS/SPY correlation comes out at 0.24, weak. The link has tightened recently: the 1-year correlation (0.40) runs above the 3-year figure (0.24). The 5-year figure is 0.37, and annualized covariance runs at 445.2 %².
By 3-year correlation, SPY places #9 of the 14 assets tracked against APPS. Correlation aside, the last 12 months split them widely, with APPS ahead by 152.4 points (+173.0% versus +20.6%). Note the risk asymmetry: APPS runs 9.0 times the annualized volatility of the other leg, so equal-weighting the two is not an equal-risk position.
How is this computed?
Pearson correlation on weekly returns: ρ(A,B) = cov(rA, rB) / (σA · σB), over windows of 52, 156 and 260 weeks. Covariance is annualized (×52) and expressed in %². Full definitions on the methodology page.
APPS vs SPY: side by side
| APPS (Digital Turbine, Inc.) | SPY (SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +173.0% | +20.6% |
| 5-year return | -77.7% | +82.4% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 130.3% | 14.5% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 2.13 | 1.00 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -86.7% | -18.8% |
| Market cap | $1.4B | – |
| P/E (trailing) | – | – |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 1.01% |
| Expense ratio | – | 0.09% |
| Assets under management | – | $795.3B |
| Sector / category | US Listed | ETF · US Large Cap |
SPY is a Large Blend fund from State Street Investment Management: $795.3B under management, 504 holdings, a 0.09% expense ratio, a 1.01% trailing dividend yield.
Year-by-year returns
| Year | APPS | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -75.0% | -18.2% |
| 2023 | -55.0% | +26.2% |
| 2024 | -75.4% | +24.9% |
| 2025 | +195.9% | +17.7% |
| 2026 | +128.8% | +13.7% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are APPS and SPY good diversifiers for each other?
A fair diversifier. At 0.24, enough of each asset's movement is its own that the pair has smoothed outcomes historically.
FAQ
What is the correlation between APPS and SPY?
The APPS/SPY correlation stands at 0.24 on a 3-year window (1 year: 0.40, 5 years: 0.37), computed from weekly returns as of 2026-08-27.
Is SPY a good diversifier for APPS?
A fair diversifier. At 0.24, enough of each asset's movement is its own that the pair has smoothed outcomes historically.
What does a correlation of 0.24 mean?
A reading of 0.24 sits on a scale from −1 (opposite moves) through 0 (unrelated) to +1 (identical moves). Correlation captures direction, not magnitude or performance.
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Related comparisons
Hubs: APPS correlations · SPY correlations
