BILS vs. XLE
BILS (SPDR Bloomberg 3-12 Month T-Bill ETF) and XLE (State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - BILS is a Ultrashort Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg 3-12 Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index, while XLE is a Energy Equities fund tracking the Energy Select Sector Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, BILS returned 3.29%/yr vs 20.44%/yr for XLE. At a correlation of -0.09, they often move in opposite directions. BILS charges 0.14%/yr vs 0.08%/yr for XLE.
Performance
BILS vs. XLE - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BILS achieves a 1.40% return, which is significantly lower than XLE's 32.17% return.
BILS
- 1D
- -0.01%
- 1M
- 0.28%
- YTD
- 1.40%
- 6M
- 1.73%
- 1Y
- 3.90%
- 3Y*
- 4.66%
- 5Y*
- 3.29%
- 10Y*
- —
XLE
- 1D
- 1.29%
- 1M
- -1.14%
- YTD
- 32.17%
- 6M
- 29.80%
- 1Y
- 45.00%
- 3Y*
- 17.46%
- 5Y*
- 20.44%
- 10Y*
- 10.22%
BILS vs. XLE - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BILS SPDR Bloomberg 3-12 Month T-Bill ETF | 1.40% | 4.23% | 5.17% | 4.92% | 0.90% | -0.08% | 0.00% |
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | 32.17% | 7.88% | 5.56% | -0.63% | 64.32% | 53.28% | 27.18% |
Correlation
The correlation between BILS and XLE is -0.10, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.10 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.06 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.09 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 25, 2020 | -0.09 |
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Return for Risk
BILS vs. XLE — Risk / Return Rank
BILS
XLE
BILS vs. XLE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR Bloomberg 3-12 Month T-Bill ETF (BILS) and State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| BILS | XLE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 16.80 | 2.21 | +14.59 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 100.82 | 2.84 | +97.98 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 42.08 | 1.35 | +40.72 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 129.91 | 3.75 | +126.16 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1,442.41 | 10.92 | +1,431.48 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| BILS | XLE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 16.80 | 2.21 | +14.59 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 10.79 | 0.79 | +10.00 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.35 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 9.79 | 0.31 | +9.49 |
Drawdowns
BILS vs. XLE - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BILS drawdown since its inception was -0.41%, smaller than the maximum XLE drawdown of -71.26%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BILS and XLE.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BILS | XLE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -0.41% | -71.26% | +70.85% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.03% | -12.05% | +12.02% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.04% | -20.14% | +20.10% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -0.38% | -26.04% | +25.66% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -66.81% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.01% | -6.15% | +6.14% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.04% | -17.98% | +17.94% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.00% | 4.14% | -4.14% |
Volatility
BILS vs. XLE - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for SPDR Bloomberg 3-12 Month T-Bill ETF (BILS) is 0.06%, while State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) has a volatility of 8.25%. This indicates that BILS experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XLE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BILS | XLE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.06% | 8.25% | -8.19% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.14% | 16.58% | -16.44% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.23% | 20.53% | -20.30% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 0.31% | 26.02% | -25.71% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 0.30% | 29.59% | -29.29% |
BILS vs. XLE - Expense Ratio Comparison
BILS has a 0.14% expense ratio, which is higher than XLE's 0.08% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
BILS vs. XLE - Dividend Comparison
BILS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.81%, more than XLE's 2.54% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BILS SPDR Bloomberg 3-12 Month T-Bill ETF | 3.81% | 4.08% | 5.01% | 4.98% | 1.61% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | 2.54% | 3.28% | 3.36% | 3.55% | 3.68% | 4.21% | 5.62% | 6.72% | 3.54% | 3.03% | 2.26% | 3.39% |
Frequently Asked Questions
BILS and XLE have a correlation of -0.10, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
XLE has higher volatility (8.25%) compared to BILS (0.06%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BILS dropped -0.41% vs XLE's -71.26%.
On 5-year performance, XLE leads with 20.44% vs 3.29% for BILS. On fees, XLE is cheaper at 0.08% per year. On volatility, BILS has been the lower-risk option at 0.06%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, XLE has performed better with a 20.44% return vs 3.29%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
XLE is cheaper with a 0.08% expense ratio, compared with 0.14% for BILS.
BILS has the higher dividend yield at 3.81%, compared with 2.54% for XLE.
BILS is categorized as Ultrashort Bond, while XLE is Energy Equities. BILS tracks Bloomberg 3-12 Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index, while XLE tracks Energy Select Sector Index. Their fees differ too: 0.14% for BILS and 0.08% for XLE.
BILS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (16.80 vs 2.21), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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