LEDS vs SPY: Correlation
How closely do SemiLEDS Corporation (LEDS) and SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) trade together? Their weekly returns over three years give a correlation of 0.18, which is weak.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are LEDS and SPY?
Across a 3-year window, the weekly returns of LEDS and SPY correlate at 0.18, weak. The relationship has been stable: the 1-year correlation (0.22) sits close to the 3-year figure. Stretching to 5 years gives 0.23, with an annualized covariance of 231.2 %².
Among the 11 assets we track against LEDS, SPY sits near the bottom by co-movement, at rank #7. Correlation aside, the last 12 months split them widely, with SPY ahead by 19.6 points (+1.0% versus +20.6%). Note the risk asymmetry: LEDS runs 6.3 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.
LEDS vs SPY: side by side
| LEDS (SemiLEDS Corporation) | SPY (SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +1.0% | +20.6% |
| 5-year return | -78.8% | +82.4% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 90.7% | 14.5% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 1.11 | 1.00 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -67.6% | -18.8% |
| Market cap | – | – |
| 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 | LEDS | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -65.4% | -18.2% |
| 2023 | -13.1% | +26.2% |
| 2024 | -7.2% | +24.9% |
| 2025 | +16.3% | +17.7% |
| 2026 | +32.0% | +13.7% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are LEDS and SPY good diversifiers for each other?
Yes: at 0.18, the two have gone their own ways historically, which is what genuine diversification looks like.
FAQ
What is the correlation between LEDS and SPY?
Using weekly returns as of 2026-08-27: 0.18 over 3 years, with 0.22 over the last year and 0.23 over 5 years.
Is SPY a good diversifier for LEDS?
Yes: at 0.18, the two have gone their own ways historically, which is what genuine diversification looks like.
What does a correlation of 0.18 mean?
On the −1 to +1 scale, 0.18 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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Related comparisons
Hubs: LEDS correlations · SPY correlations
