BTU vs SPY: Correlation
Measured on weekly returns over the past three years, Peabody Energy Corporation (BTU) and SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) carry a correlation of 0.20, a weak link.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are BTU and SPY?
Over the past 3 years, BTU and SPY moved with a correlation of 0.20, which is weak. Lately the two have drifted apart, with the 1-year correlation at -0.17 versus 0.20 over 3 years. Over 5 years the correlation is 0.13, and the annualized covariance of weekly returns is 153.4 %².
Out of 10 assets tracked against BTU, SPY lands near the bottom at #6. Correlation aside, the last 12 months split them widely, with BTU ahead by 57.0 points (+77.6% versus +20.6%). Note the risk asymmetry: BTU runs 3.6 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.
BTU vs SPY: side by side
| BTU (Peabody Energy Corporation) | SPY (SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +77.6% | +20.6% |
| 5-year return | +95.9% | +82.4% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 52.8% | 14.5% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.73 | 1.00 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -65.1% | -18.8% |
| Market cap | $3.6B | – |
| P/E (trailing) | – | – |
| Dividend yield | 1.10% | 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 | BTU | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +162.4% | -18.2% |
| 2023 | -7.0% | +26.2% |
| 2024 | -12.8% | +24.9% |
| 2025 | +44.2% | +17.7% |
| 2026 | -0.0% | +13.7% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are BTU and SPY good diversifiers for each other?
Yes, to a useful degree: a correlation of 0.20 leaves real independence between the two, which historically damped combined volatility.
FAQ
What is the correlation between BTU and SPY?
Using weekly returns as of 2026-08-27: 0.20 over 3 years, with -0.17 over the last year and 0.13 over 5 years.
Is SPY a good diversifier for BTU?
Yes, to a useful degree: a correlation of 0.20 leaves real independence between the two, which historically damped combined volatility.
What does a correlation of 0.20 mean?
On the −1 to +1 scale, 0.20 describes how much the two returns move together: +1 is lockstep, 0 is independence, negative values mean opposite directions. It says nothing about which performed better.
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Hubs: BTU correlations · SPY correlations
