FUND vs. XLE

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

FUND (Sprott Focus Trust, 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, FUND returned 13.22%/yr vs 9.99%/yr for XLE. At a 0.44 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

FUND vs. XLE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Sprott Focus Trust, Inc. (FUND) and State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FUND achieves a 22.25% return, which is significantly lower than XLE's 32.26% return. Over the past 10 years, FUND has outperformed XLE with an annualized return of 13.22%, while XLE has yielded a comparatively lower 9.99% annualized return.

FUND

• 1D: 3.00%
• 1M: 2.80%
• YTD: 22.25%
• 6M: 25.21%
• 1Y: 51.17%
• 3Y*: 19.08%
• 5Y*: 11.57%
• 10Y*: 13.22%

XLE

• 1D: 0.07%
• 1M: -1.18%
• YTD: 32.26%
• 6M: 29.34%
• 1Y: 47.98%
• 3Y*: 17.74%
• 5Y*: 20.45%
• 10Y*: 9.99%

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

FUND vs. XLE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
FUND Sprott Focus Trust, Inc.	22.25%	27.57%	-1.08%	6.94%	-1.16%	36.20%	2.44%	36.27%	-19.56%	22.23%
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF	32.26%	7.88%	5.56%	-0.63%	64.32%	53.28%	-32.67%	11.74%	-18.22%	-0.89%

Correlation

The correlation between FUND and XLE is 0.19, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.19
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.42
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.47
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.52
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 23, 1998	0.44

Over the past year, the correlation between FUND and XLE has dropped to 0.19 - well below their long-term average of 0.44, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

FUND vs. XLE — Risk / Return Rank

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

FUND

FUND Risk / Return Rank: 95
FUND Sharpe Ratio Rank: 96
FUND Sortino Ratio Rank: 95
FUND Omega Ratio Rank: 95
FUND Calmar Ratio Rank: 91
FUND Martin Ratio Rank: 96

XLE

XLE Risk / Return Rank: 70
XLE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 74
XLE Sortino Ratio Rank: 67
XLE Omega Ratio Rank: 64
XLE Calmar Ratio Rank: 79
XLE Martin Ratio Rank: 65

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.

FUND vs. XLE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Sprott Focus Trust, Inc. (FUND) 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.

	FUND	XLE	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	3.32	2.36	+0.96
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	4.19	3.01	+1.18
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.56	1.38	+0.18
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.98	4.00	+0.98
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	23.27	11.60	+11.67
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

FUND vs. XLE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FUND Sharpe Ratio is 3.32, which is higher than the XLE Sharpe Ratio of 2.36. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FUND and XLE, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	FUND	XLE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.32	2.36	+0.96
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.62	0.79	-0.17
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.67	0.34	+0.33
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.33	0.31	+0.02

Drawdowns

FUND vs. XLE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FUND drawdown since its inception was -65.37%, smaller than the maximum XLE drawdown of -71.26%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FUND and XLE.

Drawdown Indicators

	FUND	XLE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-65.37%	-71.26%	+5.89%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.32%	-12.05%	+1.73%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.25%	-20.14%	+1.89%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-24.67%	-26.04%	+1.37%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-43.32%	-66.81%	+23.49%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-6.09%	+6.09%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-12.34%	-17.98%	+5.64%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.21%	4.15%	-1.94%

Volatility

FUND vs. XLE - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Sprott Focus Trust, Inc. (FUND) is 5.88%, while State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) has a volatility of 8.25%. This indicates that FUND 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.

Volatility by Period

	FUND	XLE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.88%	8.25%	-2.37%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.35%	16.51%	-4.16%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.51%	20.50%	-4.99%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.73%	26.01%	-7.28%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.73%	29.58%	-9.85%

Dividends

FUND vs. XLE - Dividend Comparison

FUND's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.54%, more than XLE's 2.54% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
FUND Sprott Focus Trust, Inc.	5.54%	6.65%	8.27%	6.22%	6.72%	8.79%	7.93%	6.30%	11.92%	6.59%	5.76%	7.59%
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

Can I hold both FUND and XLE in my portfolio?

FUND and XLE have a correlation of 0.19, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, FUND or XLE?

XLE has higher volatility (8.25%) compared to FUND (5.88%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FUND dropped -65.37% vs XLE's -71.26%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

FUND currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.32 vs 2.36), 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.