# Stratified LargeCap Index ETF (SSPY): ETF Facts & Distributions > Markdown mirror of https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/sspy for AI agents. Same live data as the HTML page, regenerated on the same refresh cycle. Not investment advice. - Issuer: Stratified · Asset class: Equity - Strategy: Options Income · Inception: 2019-01-02 SSPYs index aims to provide equal exposure to companies that share related business risks, using a proprietary stratified weighting methodology. The fund manager sorts S&P 500 companies into groups based on their underlying business functions and relationships such as common suppliers, customers, competitors, and products. When two or more companies earnings are affected by these fundamental drivers, they are grouped, and their weight is redistributed across the other components. The objective is to provide a more unbiased return on the large-cap space than market-cap-weighted funds. Rebala... ## Key Facts | Metric | Value | |---|---| | Price | $100.35 | | Expense Ratio | 0.45% | | Assets Under Management | $131.6M | | NAV | $100.64 | | Holdings Count | 503 | | Distribution Yield (TTM) | 1.20% | | Annual Distribution (TTM) | $1.20 /share | | Distribution Frequency | Annual | | 52-Week Range | $83.66 – $101.70 | | Beta | 0.85 | ## Latest Distribution - Amount: $1.2022 /share - Ex-date: 2025-12-30 - Pay date: 2025-12-31 ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What does SSPY invest in? SSPYs index aims to provide equal exposure to companies that share related business risks, using a proprietary stratified weighting methodology. The fund manager sorts S&P 500 companies into groups based on their underlying business functions and relationships such as common suppliers, customers, competitors, and products. When two or more companies earnings are affected by these fundamental drivers, they are grouped, and their weight is redistributed across the other components. The objective is to provide a more unbiased return on the large-cap space than market-cap-weighted funds. Rebalanced quarterly, the index includes 500 components from all eight industry sectors. On September 27, 2024, the fund acquired all assets and liabilities of the Syntax Stratified ETF suite, LargeCap, MidCap, SmallCap, Total Market II, and U.S. Total Market ETF (SYUS), which had about $50.1 million combined AUM. ### What is the expense ratio of SSPY? Stratified LargeCap Index ETF (SSPY) charges an expense ratio of 0.45%. This is the annual fee deducted from fund assets to cover management and operations. ### What is SSPY's distribution yield? SSPY's trailing-twelve-month yield is 1.20%, calculated from the sum of distributions over the past year divided by the current price. ### How does SSPY's covered-call strategy work? SSPY sells call options against the stocks (or index) it holds, collecting premium income that gets passed through to shareholders as distributions. The strategy generates above-market income in flat or rising markets but caps upside. When the underlying rallies past the strike, the gains above the strike go to the option buyer, not the fund. ### How big is SSPY? Stratified LargeCap Index ETF (SSPY) manages $131.6M in total assets. AUM determines bid-ask liquidity and the fund's vulnerability to closure. Funds below ~$50M are at higher risk of liquidation. ### Is SSPY actively managed or an index fund? SSPY's management style is described in the fund's prospectus. See the description on the Summary tab for the published strategy. ### Does SSPY pay a distribution? Yes, Stratified LargeCap Index ETF (SSPY) distributes distributions to shareholders. The trailing-twelve-month yield is 1.20%. Full distribution history is on this page. ### How often does SSPY pay distributions? Stratified LargeCap Index ETF pays distributions Annual. Each ex-dividend date, record date, and payment date is listed in the distribution history table on this page. ### When is SSPY's next ex-distribution date? The most recently announced ex-distribution date for SSPY was 2025-12-30. The next ex-date typically follows Annual; once announced it appears at the top of the distribution history table on this page. ### Is SSPY's distribution sustainable? Covered-call ETFs like SSPY fund their distributions from option premium income. Sustainability depends on (1) whether option premiums stay high enough to cover the announced rate, and (2) whether NAV holds up over time. The NAV Erosion section on this page contrasts total return with price change since inception. If distributions consistently exceed total return, the fund is paying out capital rather than income. ### How much will SSPY's expense ratio cost me over 30 years? On a $10,000 investment compounding at 7% gross return, a 0.45% expense ratio quietly compounds against your balance every year. The Fee Compounding Forecast card above projects the dollar drag for any holding period and assumption you pick. The typical result for a 1.0% expense ratio on a 30-year hold is roughly 25% of the final balance lost to fees. ### How does SSPY charge its expense ratio? The expense ratio is deducted in tiny daily slices from SSPY's net asset value (NAV). You never see a bill. The price quoted on every exchange is already net of fees. There's no "fee day" to avoid; the cost is continuous and built into the trading price. ### Why does SSPY cost more than a fund like VOO? SSPY is an options-income fund (current expense ratio 0.45%). Covered-call and 0DTE strategies require active option-writing, daily rebalancing, and dedicated risk management. They cost more than passive equity funds. The Cost Verdict card compares SSPY against the options-income cohort, not VOO. ### Are SSPY's distributions taxed at ordinary income or qualified-dividend rates? SSPY's option-premium distributions are typically classified as ordinary income (NOT the qualified-dividend rate), so they're taxed at your marginal federal rate plus state. For a 24% bracket investor that's roughly 2x the 15% long-term capital gains rate most dividend investors are used to. The Fee Compounding Forecast card above lets you layer in this tax drag alongside the fund fee. Consult a tax advisor. This is not tax advice. ### Are there cheaper alternatives to SSPY? The Lower-Fee Alternatives card above lists ETFs following the same investment strategy as SSPY (0.45%) but at a lower expense ratio. Each row shows the fee gap, the peer's AUM as a liquidity sanity-check, and a direct link to that fund's analysis page. Cheaper price doesn't automatically mean better. Verify the peer holds what you actually want. ## More on Dividend Data - Overview (HTML): https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/sspy - Distribution history: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/sspy/dividend - Holdings & diversification: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/sspy/diversification - Fees & cheaper alternatives: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/sspy/expenses - Peer comparison: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/sspy/peers Data sourced from primary filings and market data providers; see https://www.dividenddata.com/methodology.