FE vs. XLU
FE (FirstEnergy Corp.) is a stock, while XLU (State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF) is Utilities Equities fund tracking the Utilities Select Sector Index. Over the past 10 years, FE returned 8.15%/yr vs 9.35%/yr for XLU. A 0.69 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.
Performance
FE vs. XLU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FE achieves a 8.10% return, which is significantly higher than XLU's 6.99% return. Over the past 10 years, FE has underperformed XLU with an annualized return of 8.15%, while XLU has yielded a comparatively higher 9.35% annualized return.
FE
- 1D
- 1.48%
- 1M
- 2.46%
- YTD
- 8.10%
- 6M
- 8.42%
- 1Y
- 22.46%
- 3Y*
- 11.80%
- 5Y*
- 9.37%
- 10Y*
- 8.15%
XLU
- 1D
- 0.78%
- 1M
- 0.02%
- YTD
- 6.99%
- 6M
- 7.17%
- 1Y
- 14.05%
- 3Y*
- 14.90%
- 5Y*
- 10.60%
- 10Y*
- 9.35%
FE vs. XLU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FE FirstEnergy Corp. | 8.10% | 17.26% | 13.24% | -8.86% | 4.79% | 41.81% | -34.18% | 34.13% | 27.85% | 3.61% |
XLU State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF | 6.99% | 16.03% | 23.31% | -7.18% | 1.44% | 17.70% | 0.51% | 25.93% | 3.94% | 12.05% |
Correlation
The correlation between FE and XLU is 0.68, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.68 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.73 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.76 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.73 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 22, 1998 | 0.69 |
The correlation between FE and XLU has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.68 to 0.76 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
FE vs. XLU — Risk / Return Rank
FE
XLU
FE vs. XLU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FirstEnergy Corp. (FE) and State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU). 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.
| FE | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.52 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.63 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.26 | 1.17 | +0.08 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.53 | 1.54 | 0.00 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.49 | 3.26 | +1.23 |
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Drawdowns
FE vs. XLU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FE drawdown since its inception was -55.75%, which is greater than XLU's maximum drawdown of -51.98%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FE and XLU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FE | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -55.75% | -51.98% | -3.77% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.71% | -9.18% | -5.53% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -17.82% | -17.26% | -0.56% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -28.59% | -25.26% | -3.33% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -47.68% | -36.07% | -11.61% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.65% | -4.30% | -3.35% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -21.22% | -10.21% | -11.01% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.02% | 4.32% | +0.70% |
Volatility
FE vs. XLU - Volatility Comparison
FirstEnergy Corp. (FE) has a higher volatility of 5.84% compared to State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU) at 5.21%. This indicates that FE's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XLU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FE | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.84% | 5.21% | +0.63% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.99% | 11.70% | +0.29% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.24% | 14.69% | +0.55% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 19.46% | 17.30% | +2.16% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 24.68% | 19.29% | +5.39% |
Dividends
FE vs. XLU - Dividend Comparison
FE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.79%, more than XLU's 2.65% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FE FirstEnergy Corp. | 3.79% | 3.93% | 4.24% | 4.31% | 3.72% | 3.75% | 5.10% | 3.13% | 3.83% | 4.70% | 4.65% | 4.54% |
XLU State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF | 2.65% | 2.71% | 2.96% | 3.39% | 2.92% | 2.79% | 3.14% | 2.95% | 3.33% | 3.33% | 3.41% | 3.67% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FE and XLU have a correlation of 0.68, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FE has higher volatility (5.84%) compared to XLU (5.21%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FE dropped -55.75% vs XLU's -51.98%.
FE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.48 vs 0.96), 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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