FLOT vs. XLU
FLOT (iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF) and XLU (State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - FLOT is a Ultrashort Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg US Floating Rate Note < 5 Years Index, while XLU is a Utilities Equities fund tracking the Utilities Select Sector Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, FLOT returned 3.04%/yr vs 9.20%/yr for XLU. At a 0.08 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. FLOT charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.08%/yr for XLU.
Performance
FLOT vs. XLU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FLOT achieves a 1.99% return, which is significantly lower than XLU's 5.04% return. Over the past 10 years, FLOT has underperformed XLU with an annualized return of 3.04%, while XLU has yielded a comparatively higher 9.20% annualized return.
FLOT
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- 0.47%
- YTD
- 1.99%
- 6M
- 2.23%
- 1Y
- 4.87%
- 3Y*
- 5.66%
- 5Y*
- 4.22%
- 10Y*
- 3.04%
XLU
- 1D
- 1.09%
- 1M
- -0.31%
- YTD
- 5.04%
- 6M
- 5.48%
- 1Y
- 11.85%
- 3Y*
- 13.79%
- 5Y*
- 9.41%
- 10Y*
- 9.20%
FLOT vs. XLU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FLOT iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF | 1.99% | 4.91% | 6.53% | 6.43% | 1.28% | 0.45% | 0.87% | 3.97% | 1.48% | 1.65% |
XLU State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF | 5.04% | 16.03% | 23.31% | -7.18% | 1.44% | 17.70% | 0.51% | 25.93% | 3.94% | 12.05% |
Correlation
The correlation between FLOT and XLU is 0.06, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.06 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.09 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 17, 2011 | 0.08 |
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Return for Risk
FLOT vs. XLU — Risk / Return Rank
FLOT
XLU
FLOT vs. XLU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF (FLOT) 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.
| FLOT | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +5.74 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +10.66 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 3.23 | 1.15 | +2.08 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 11.32 | 1.30 | +10.02 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 105.27 | 2.80 | +102.47 |
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Drawdowns
FLOT vs. XLU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FLOT drawdown since its inception was -13.54%, smaller than the maximum XLU drawdown of -51.98%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FLOT and XLU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FLOT | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -13.54% | -51.98% | +38.44% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.43% | -9.18% | +8.75% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.57% | -17.26% | +15.69% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -2.36% | -25.26% | +22.90% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -13.54% | -36.07% | +22.53% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -6.05% | +6.05% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.21% | -10.22% | +10.01% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.05% | 4.25% | -4.20% |
Volatility
FLOT vs. XLU - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF (FLOT) is 0.21%, while State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU) has a volatility of 5.59%. This indicates that FLOT experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky 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
| FLOT | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.21% | 5.59% | -5.38% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.63% | 11.68% | -11.05% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.75% | 14.66% | -13.91% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 1.77% | 17.34% | -15.57% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 4.15% | 19.27% | -15.12% |
FLOT vs. XLU - Expense Ratio Comparison
FLOT has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is higher than XLU'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
FLOT vs. XLU - Dividend Comparison
FLOT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.53%, more than XLU's 2.67% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FLOT iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF | 4.53% | 4.84% | 5.82% | 5.66% | 2.06% | 0.43% | 1.25% | 2.78% | 2.41% | 1.46% | 0.97% | 0.53% |
XLU State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF | 2.67% | 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
FLOT and XLU have a correlation of 0.06, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
XLU has higher volatility (5.59%) compared to FLOT (0.21%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FLOT dropped -13.54% vs XLU's -51.98%.
On 10-year performance, XLU leads with 9.20% vs 3.04% for FLOT. On fees, XLU is cheaper at 0.08% per year. On volatility, FLOT has been the lower-risk option at 0.21%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, XLU has performed better with a 9.20% return vs 3.04%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
XLU is cheaper with a 0.08% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for FLOT.
FLOT has the higher dividend yield at 4.53%, compared with 2.67% for XLU.
FLOT is categorized as Ultrashort Bond, while XLU is Utilities Equities. FLOT tracks Bloomberg US Floating Rate Note < 5 Years Index, while XLU tracks Utilities Select Sector Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for FLOT and 0.08% for XLU.
FLOT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (6.56 vs 0.81), 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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