RL vs SPY: which was the better investment?
Ralph Lauren Corporation against SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust on real daily total-return data — every dividend reinvested, from Jun 12, 1997 to Jul 13, 2026.
Set up your comparison
What are you comparing?
Pick one investment — or add several to build a portfolio.
Compare against
The benchmark your investment has to beat.
Time & money
When the money goes in, and how much.
Leave empty for earliest
Leave empty for today
0 for a one-time investment
Daily total-return data — dividends reinvested. Monthly additions buy on the first trading day.
Track your entire portfolio in one free Google Sheet
Enter your trades once and values update automatically. We'll send it straight to your inbox.
Related comparisons
Browse all match-ups on the comparison hub, build your own in the Compare Investments tool, or check a single asset's exact-date returns with the Investment Calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Did RL beat SPY?
Yes — measured from Jun 12, 1997 to Jul 13, 2026 with dividends reinvested, RL came out ahead: $159,441 versus $139,185 from a $10,000 start. That gap compounds from a 10.0% annual return against 9.5%.
What would $10,000 in RL be worth today?
$10,000 invested in Ralph Lauren Corporation (RL) on Jun 12, 1997 would be worth about $159,441 as of Jul 13, 2026, a total return of 1494.4% (10.0% per year). The same $10,000 in SPY would be worth $139,185.
Which was riskier — RL or SPY?
RL swung with an annualized volatility of 39.3% and a worst peak-to-trough drop of -68.6%; SPY ran at 19.4% volatility with a -55.2% maximum drawdown. Risk-adjusted (Sharpe ratio), that is 0.20 for RL vs 0.38 for SPY.
What data is this comparison based on?
Daily adjusted closing prices covering Jun 12, 1997 through Jul 13, 2026 — the full period where both assets have price history. Adjusted prices include dividends and splits, so these are total returns. The page refreshes with new market data every day.
Can I change the dates, amounts, or add monthly investing?
Yes — the interactive tool on this page is pre-loaded with RL vs SPY. You can set any start and end date, change the starting amount, add monthly contributions, or build a multi-asset portfolio and compare it against any benchmark.