FTXR vs. XLII

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

FTXR (First Trust Nasdaq Transportation ETF) and XLII (State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - FTXR is a Industrials Equities fund tracking the Nasdaq U.S. Smart Transportation Index, while XLII is a Derivative Income fund actively managed by State Street. FTXR is passively managed, while XLII is actively managed. A 0.75 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. FTXR charges 0.60%/yr vs 0.35%/yr for XLII.

Performance

FTXR vs. XLII - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust Nasdaq Transportation ETF (FTXR) and State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF (XLII). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FTXR achieves a 14.58% return, which is significantly higher than XLII's 6.89% return.

FTXR

• 1D: -0.02%
• 1M: 11.32%
• YTD: 14.58%
• 6M: 18.08%
• 1Y: 43.09%
• 3Y*: 19.84%
• 5Y*: 6.66%
• 10Y*: —

XLII

• 1D: 0.86%
• 1M: 1.58%
• YTD: 6.89%
• 6M: 9.52%
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

FTXR vs. XLII - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
FTXR First Trust Nasdaq Transportation ETF	14.58%	20.38%
XLII State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF	6.89%	6.62%

Correlation

The correlation between FTXR and XLII is 0.75, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 31, 2025	0.75

FTXR vs. XLII - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	FTXR	XLII
Industrials	67.1%	-
Consumer Cyclical	32.4%	-
Energy	0.6%	-
Basic Materials	-	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Financial Services	-	100.3%
Healthcare	-	-
Real Estate	-	-
Technology	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

FTXR vs. XLII — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

FTXR

FTXR Risk / Return Rank: 57
FTXR Sharpe Ratio Rank: 58
FTXR Sortino Ratio Rank: 58
FTXR Omega Ratio Rank: 52
FTXR Calmar Ratio Rank: 60
FTXR Martin Ratio Rank: 57

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

FTXR vs. XLII - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Nasdaq Transportation ETF (FTXR) and State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF (XLII). 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.

	FTXR	XLII	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.99	—	—
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.80	—	—
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.33	—	—
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.99	—	—
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	10.08	—	—
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	FTXR	XLII	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.99	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.28	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.40	1.46	-1.06

Drawdowns

FTXR vs. XLII - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FTXR drawdown since its inception was -52.06%, which is greater than XLII's maximum drawdown of -10.10%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FTXR and XLII.

Drawdown Indicators

	FTXR	XLII	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-52.06%	-10.10%	-41.96%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.49%	—	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-29.71%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-33.96%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.09%	-0.21%	-0.88%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-11.06%	-1.35%	-9.71%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.29%	—	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	FTXR	XLII	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.70%	—	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	16.48%	—	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	21.79%	11.57%	+10.22%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	23.85%	11.57%	+12.28%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	24.75%	11.57%	+13.18%

FTXR vs. XLII - Expense Ratio Comparison

FTXR has a 0.60% expense ratio, which is higher than XLII's 0.35% expense ratio.

Dividends

FTXR vs. XLII - Dividend Comparison

FTXR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.14%, less than XLII's 11.27% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
FTXR First Trust Nasdaq Transportation ETF	1.14%	1.52%	2.13%	1.50%	2.38%	0.67%	0.33%	1.34%	1.74%	1.18%	0.24%
XLII State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF	11.27%	5.47%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both FTXR and XLII in my portfolio?

FTXR and XLII have a correlation of 0.75, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, FTXR or XLII?

On fees, XLII is cheaper at 0.35% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, FTXR or XLII?

XLII is cheaper with a 0.35% expense ratio, compared with 0.60% for FTXR.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, FTXR or XLII?

XLII has the higher dividend yield at 11.27%, compared with 1.14% for FTXR.

What is the main difference between FTXR and XLII?

FTXR is categorized as Industrials Equities, while XLII is Derivative Income. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.60% for FTXR and 0.35% for XLII.