CF vs. XLE
CF (CF Industries Holdings, Inc.) is a stock, while XLE (State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF) is Energy Equities fund tracking the Energy Select Sector Index. Over the past 10 years, CF returned 20.99%/yr vs 10.52%/yr for XLE. Their 0.50 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently.
Performance
CF vs. XLE - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CF achieves a 63.40% return, which is significantly higher than XLE's 35.03% return. Over the past 10 years, CF has outperformed XLE with an annualized return of 20.99%, while XLE has yielded a comparatively lower 10.52% annualized return.
CF
- 1D
- -0.46%
- 1M
- 15.75%
- 6M
- 35.55%
- YTD
- 63.40%
- 1Y
- 37.75%
- 3Y*
- 18.16%
- 5Y*
- 24.12%
- 10Y*
- 20.99%
- ALL TIME*
- 21.21%
XLE
- 1D
- 1.00%
- 1M
- 12.76%
- 6M
- 18.26%
- YTD
- 35.03%
- 1Y
- 40.82%
- 3Y*
- 14.62%
- 5Y*
- 23.67%
- 10Y*
- 10.52%
- ALL TIME*
- 8.87%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $259.19M | $278.77M | $321.72M | |
| $1.70B | $1.73B | $1.97B |
CF vs. XLE - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CF CF Industries Holdings, Inc. | 63.40% | -7.17% | 10.08% | -4.75% | 22.29% | 87.18% | -15.76% | 12.73% | 5.13% | 40.24% |
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | 35.03% | 7.88% | 5.56% | -0.63% | 64.32% | 53.28% | -32.67% | 11.74% | -18.22% | -0.89% |
Correlation
The correlation between CF and XLE is 0.55, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.55 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.48 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.50 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.52 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 11, 2005 | 0.50 |
The correlation between CF and XLE has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.48 to 0.55 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
CF vs. XLE — Risk / Return Rank
CF
XLE
CF vs. XLE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| CF | XLE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.05 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.06 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.18 | 1.32 | -0.14 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.49 | 2.74 | -1.25 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.31 | 7.32 | -4.01 |
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Drawdowns
CF vs. XLE - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CF drawdown since its inception was -76.73%, which is greater than XLE's maximum drawdown of -71.26%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CF and XLE.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CF | XLE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -76.73% | -71.26% | -5.47% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -25.45% | -14.98% | -10.47% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -29.16% | -20.14% | -9.02% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -48.36% | -26.04% | -22.32% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -60.74% | -66.81% | +6.07% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -8.65% | -4.13% | -4.52% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -24.87% | -17.93% | -6.94% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 11.44% | 5.62% | +5.82% |
Volatility
CF vs. XLE - Volatility Comparison
CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) has a higher volatility of 10.07% compared to State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) at 5.85%. This indicates that CF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier 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
| CF | XLE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 10.07% | 5.85% | +4.22% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 35.61% | 16.71% | +18.90% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 42.03% | 21.05% | +20.98% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 38.14% | 25.77% | +12.37% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 40.08% | 29.57% | +10.51% |
Dividends
CF vs. XLE - Dividend Comparison
CF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.60%, less than XLE's 2.55% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CF CF Industries Holdings, Inc. | 1.60% | 2.59% | 2.34% | 2.01% | 1.76% | 1.70% | 3.10% | 2.51% | 2.76% | 2.82% | 3.81% | 2.94% |
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | 2.55% | 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
CF and XLE have a correlation of 0.55, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CF has higher volatility (10.07%) compared to XLE (5.85%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CF dropped -76.73% vs XLE's -71.26%.
XLE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.95 vs 0.90), 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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