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Launched · SEC filings

State Street SPDR US Small Cap Low Volatility Index ETF

SMLVNYSE ArcaSPDRB

$155.69−4.51 (−2.82%)

At close: Nov 5, 2026, 4:00 PM ET

B68/ 100

Rank 4 of 16 in US Low Volatility Index

B68/100Rank 4 of 16inUS Low Volatility Index
Intraday session: down, 77 prints from 160.19 to 155.69. Range 155.16 to 161.21. Use the arrow keys to read each point.155.00157.00158.00159.00161.0010 AM12 PM2 PM4 PM
Expense ratio
0.12%
Fund size
$267M
1Y total return
+24.9%
Yield · Last 12 months
2.33%
Holdings
391
Avg volume · 30D
3.59K sh
52W range
low $124.22high $163.75
Launched
Filings
SEC EDGAR

The ETF.net SMLV Grade

B

Score 68 out of 100

Category
US Low Volatility Index⁠
Rank
4 of 16
Six-pillar profile for SMLV. Scores out of 100: Cost 90, Risk 39, Mission 70, Tradability 49, Holdings 79, Durability 53. Strongest: Cost (90). Weakest: Risk (39). Leans toward Cost.

Score 68 of 100 falls in the B band. A is 70 or higher, B 55 to under 70, C 40 to under 55, D 25 to under 40, F under 25.

  • Cost

    The fund’s net expense ratio, ranked against its category.
    A90 out of 100
    Rank 2 of 16

  • Mission

    Whether the fund did what it promised, tested against its stated mandate.
    A70 out of 100
    Rank 13 of 16

  • Risk

    How the fund held up when markets fell: downside volatility, drawdowns and tail loss.
    D39 out of 100
    Rank 12 of 16

  • Tradability

    How easy the fund is to trade: daily volume, and how far its price strays from net asset value.
    C49 out of 100
    Rank 7 of 16

  • Holdings

    How concentrated the fund is, and how complete and current its disclosed holdings are.
    A79 out of 100
    Rank 3 of 16

  • Durability

    Whether the fund is likely to stay open, judged by its age, its assets and its issuer’s assets.
    C53 out of 100
    Rank 11 of 16

Our read on SMLV

ETF.net Research

In short

BLow volatility is usually a large-cap game. SMLV runs the same calm-stocks screen down where the swings actually live: US small caps, roughly 400 of them, for 0.12% a year.

Stated mandate

The fund's advertised mandate is exposure to U.S. small-capitalization companies selected for low volatility.

Why people hold it

  • Costs 0.12% a year, under the 0.20% median for its low-volatility peer group.
  • The low-vol shelf is stacked with large-cap mandates (USMV, LGLV, ONEV). This one applies the screen to US small caps instead.ssga.com
  • Roughly 400 holdings, so no single small cap steers the fund. It has tracked its index through live markets since 2013.
  • Sits in the upper half of its low-volatility cohort on our overall read.

Worth knowing

  • Thinly traded next to the giants of the category, so the spread you pay at the point of trade matters more here.
  • Low volatility is relative, not absolute. This is still small-cap equity, and it rides rougher than the large-cap min-vol funds it shares a shelf with.
  • Distributions land quarterly, not monthly.

SMLV Performance

Launched Feb 20, 2013

Shows how $10,000 changes over the selected period, with cash distributions reinvested at the closing price on each ex-dividend date.

SMLV$12,490
SPY tracks large US stocks. It provides market context, rather than representing this fund’s strategy, asset class or investment benchmark.$10,934
Nov 5, 2025 to Nov 5, 2026. SMLV $12,490. SPY $10,934. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$10,000$11,000$12,000$13,000Nov 2025May 2026Nov 2026

Nov 5, 2025 – Nov 5, 2026

Returns run to the Nov 5, 2026 close, with cash distributions reinvested. Each period starts on the same date that many months or years earlier. Periods over one year show the average yearly return.

Trailing total return for SMLV. Periods over one year show the average yearly return.
PeriodSMLV
Year to date+20.8%
1 month+2.2%
3 months−3.4%
1 year+24.9%
3 yearsper year+19.0%
5 yearsper year+8.0%
10 yearsper year+10.5%

With distributions reinvested.

Calendar-year total return with cash distributions hypothetically reinvested at the ex-dividend date’s closing price. The current year shows year to date.

Annual total returns for SMLV
YearReturn barSMLV
2026 YTD+20.8%
2025+5.6%
2024+16.8%
2023+7.6%
2022−7.7%
2021+27.7%
2020−1.5%

SMLV in the news

SMLV Dividends

Adds up every distribution paid per share over the last 12 months, divided by the last completed close. Distributions are counted by ex-date. Data through Nov 5, 2026.
2.33%Last 12 months
Payout per share
$3.63Last 12 months
Last payment
$0.97 per share
Paid on
Shares bought on or after this date do not qualify for this distribution.
Frequency
Quarterly

Distribution history

2017–2026

One bar per payment. 39 payments from 2017 to 2026 YTD. Mar 17, 2017 $0.36; Jun 16, 2017 $0.47; Sep 15, 2017 $0.56; Dec 15, 2017 $5.85; Mar 16, 2018 $0.42; Jun 15, 2018 $0.60; Sep 21, 2018 $0.70; Dec 21, 2018 $0.89; Mar 15, 2019 $0.43; Jun 21, 2019 $0.75; Sep 20, 2019 $0.63; Dec 20, 2019 $0.80; Mar 20, 2020 $0.45; Jun 19, 2020 $0.59; Sep 18, 2020 $0.24; Dec 18, 2020 $1.08; Mar 19, 2021 $0.45; Jun 18, 2021 $0.70; Sep 17, 2021 $0.59; Dec 17, 2021 $0.81; Mar 18, 2022 $0.47; Jun 17, 2022 $0.65; Sep 16, 2022 $0.59; Dec 16, 2022 $0.88; Mar 17, 2023 $0.84; Jun 16, 2023 $0.64; Sep 15, 2023 $0.66; Dec 15, 2023 $0.87; Mar 15, 2024 $0.56; Jun 21, 2024 $0.90; Sep 20, 2024 $0.89; Dec 20, 2024 $1.07; Mar 24, 2025 $0.85; Jun 23, 2025 $0.83; Sep 22, 2025 $0.87; Dec 22, 2025 $1.04; Mar 23, 2026 $0.71; Jun 22, 2026 $0.91; Sep 21, 2026 $0.97. Use the arrow keys to read each point.2017201820192020202120222023202420252026YTD
Ex-datePay dateAmount per share
Sep 21, 2026Sep 23, 2026$0.97
Jun 22, 2026Jun 24, 2026$0.91
Mar 23, 2026Mar 25, 2026$0.71
Dec 22, 2025Dec 24, 2025$1.04
Sep 22, 2025Sep 24, 2025$0.87
Jun 23, 2025Jun 25, 2025$0.83
Mar 24, 2025Mar 26, 2025$0.85
Dec 20, 2024Dec 24, 2024$1.07
Sep 20, 2024Sep 24, 2024$0.89
Jun 21, 2024Jun 25, 2024$0.90
Mar 15, 2024Mar 20, 2024$0.56
Dec 15, 2023Dec 20, 2023$0.87

See all 55 payments⁠

$10,000 in SMLV 10 years ago paid $3,892 in dividends.⁠

SMLV Risk

Risk pillarD39 out of 100Rank 12 of 16 in US Low Volatility Index
How much the fund’s monthly returns vary, scaled to a year.
17.2%
Annualised · 36 months to Oct 2026
How it’s calculated: standard deviation

The sample standard deviation of monthly total returns, multiplied by the square root of 12.

Uses up to 36 complete months, with at least 12 required. Total returns include reinvested distributions.

Return above 3-month US Treasury bills per unit of volatility.
0.94
vs 3-month T-bills · to Oct 2026
How it’s calculated: Sharpe ratio

Subtract each month’s Treasury-bill return from the fund’s monthly total return.

Divide the average of those excess returns by their sample standard deviation, then multiply by the square root of 12.

Uses up to 36 complete months, with at least 12 required. Each month uses the Treasury yield quoted at the end of the previous month.

The largest fall from a peak to the low that followed.
−20.4%
Trough Apr 2025
How it’s calculated: maximum drawdown

The largest percentage decline from an earlier peak, using total returns with reinvested distributions.

Uses up to five years through the last close, with at least 12 months required.

How strongly the fund’s returns move with its asset-class index.
0.80
vs its asset-class index
How it’s calculated: beta

The beta figure is supplied by FMP. The comparison index depends on the fund’s broad asset class.

FMP measures it over up to five years of monthly returns.

SMLV Cost

Compare SMLV and QLV

Overpaying vs QLV, cheapest in US Low Volatility Index

$831

On $10,000 over 30 years. 7% growth a year before fees, expense ratio only.

  • SMLV 0.12%

    $2,520

  • QLV 0.08% Cheapest

    $1,689

$10,000
30 years

Cost over time

  • SMLV 0.12%
  • QLV 0.08%
  • Overpaying
One line per fund, from year 0 to year 30. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$1K$2K$3K051015202530SMLV $2,520QLV $1,689

Year by year

YearSMLVQLVOverpaying
10$220$147$73
20$859$575$284
30$2,520$1,689$831

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