GEN vs. XLK
GEN (Gen Digital Inc.) is a stock, while XLK (State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF) is Technology Equities fund tracking the S&P Technology Select Sector Daily Capped 35/20 Index. Over the past 10 years, GEN returned 10.70%/yr vs 23.77%/yr for XLK. Their 0.52 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently.
Performance
GEN vs. XLK - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GEN achieves a 2.04% return, which is significantly lower than XLK's 22.09% return. Over the past 10 years, GEN has underperformed XLK with an annualized return of 10.70%, while XLK has yielded a comparatively higher 23.77% annualized return.
GEN
- 1D
- 0.59%
- 1M
- 2.92%
- 6M
- 15.65%
- YTD
- 2.04%
- 1Y
- -2.79%
- 3Y*
- 14.73%
- 5Y*
- 4.19%
- 10Y*
- 10.70%
- ALL TIME*
- 11.97%
XLK
- 1D
- -0.22%
- 1M
- -2.90%
- 6M
- 22.17%
- YTD
- 22.09%
- 1Y
- 37.14%
- 3Y*
- 26.04%
- 5Y*
- 18.87%
- 10Y*
- 23.77%
- ALL TIME*
- 10.21%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $104.55M | $105.32M | $168.92M | |
| $1.61B | $1.67B | $2.22B |
GEN vs. XLK - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GEN Gen Digital Inc. | 2.04% | 1.06% | 22.41% | 9.29% | -15.81% | 27.59% | 44.36% | 37.17% | -31.76% | 18.69% |
XLK State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF | 22.09% | 24.61% | 21.63% | 56.02% | -27.73% | 34.74% | 43.62% | 49.86% | -1.68% | 34.26% |
Correlation
The correlation between GEN and XLK is 0.15, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.15 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.34 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.41 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.45 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 22, 1998 | 0.52 |
Over the past year, the correlation between GEN and XLK has dropped to 0.15 - well below their long-term average of 0.52, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
GEN vs. XLK — Risk / Return Rank
GEN
XLK
GEN vs. XLK - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) and State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK). 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.
| GEN | XLK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.49 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.82 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.00 | 1.23 | -0.23 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.12 | 2.16 | -2.27 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.22 | 5.85 | -6.08 |
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Drawdowns
GEN vs. XLK - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GEN drawdown since its inception was -87.75%, which is greater than XLK's maximum drawdown of -82.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GEN and XLK.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GEN | XLK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -87.75% | -82.05% | -5.70% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -43.59% | -15.92% | -27.67% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -43.59% | -25.66% | -17.93% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -48.41% | -33.56% | -14.85% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -48.41% | -33.56% | -14.85% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -12.98% | -11.43% | -1.55% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -34.22% | -34.80% | +0.58% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 22.77% | 5.86% | +16.91% |
Volatility
GEN vs. XLK - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Gen Digital Inc. (GEN) is 8.71%, while State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) has a volatility of 9.58%. This indicates that GEN experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XLK based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| GEN | XLK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.71% | 9.58% | -0.87% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 30.27% | 21.81% | +8.46% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 35.02% | 25.59% | +9.43% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 31.71% | 25.75% | +5.96% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 33.39% | 24.90% | +8.49% |
Dividends
GEN vs. XLK - Dividend Comparison
GEN's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.82%, more than XLK's 0.45% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GEN Gen Digital Inc. | 1.82% | 1.84% | 1.83% | 2.19% | 2.33% | 1.92% | 60.15% | 1.37% | 1.59% | 1.07% | 18.31% | 2.86% |
XLK State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF | 0.45% | 0.54% | 0.66% | 0.76% | 1.04% | 0.65% | 0.92% | 1.16% | 1.60% | 1.37% | 1.74% | 1.79% |
Frequently Asked Questions
GEN and XLK have a correlation of 0.15, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
XLK has higher volatility (9.58%) compared to GEN (8.71%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GEN dropped -87.75% vs XLK's -82.05%.
XLK currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.34 vs -0.15), 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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