GLD vs. XLE
Compare and contrast key facts about SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) and State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE).
GLD and XLE are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. GLD is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the LBMA Gold Price PM. It was launched on Nov 18, 2004. XLE is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the Energy Select Sector Index. It was launched on Dec 16, 1998. Both GLD and XLE are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
GLD vs. XLE - Performance Comparison
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GLD vs. XLE - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GLD SPDR Gold Shares | 8.57% | 63.68% | 26.66% | 12.69% | -0.77% | -4.15% | 24.81% | 17.86% | -1.94% | 12.81% |
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | 37.91% | 7.88% | 5.56% | -0.63% | 64.32% | 53.28% | -32.67% | 11.74% | -18.22% | -0.89% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GLD achieves a 8.57% return, which is significantly lower than XLE's 37.91% return. Over the past 10 years, GLD has outperformed XLE with an annualized return of 13.92%, while XLE has yielded a comparatively lower 11.65% annualized return.
GLD
- 1D
- 3.79%
- 1M
- -11.05%
- YTD
- 8.57%
- 6M
- 21.05%
- 1Y
- 49.33%
- 3Y*
- 32.92%
- 5Y*
- 21.58%
- 10Y*
- 13.92%
XLE
- 1D
- -1.13%
- 1M
- 10.27%
- YTD
- 37.91%
- 6M
- 39.21%
- 1Y
- 35.32%
- 3Y*
- 17.71%
- 5Y*
- 23.99%
- 10Y*
- 11.65%
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GLD vs. XLE - Expense Ratio Comparison
GLD has a 0.40% expense ratio, which is higher than XLE's 0.08% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
GLD vs. XLE — Risk / Return Rank
GLD
XLE
GLD vs. XLE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) 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.
| GLD | XLE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.79 | 1.42 | +0.36 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.21 | 1.84 | +0.38 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.33 | 1.28 | +0.06 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.68 | 1.96 | +0.72 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.90 | 5.16 | +4.75 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| GLD | XLE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.79 | 1.42 | +0.36 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 1.22 | 0.93 | +0.30 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.88 | 0.40 | +0.48 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.62 | 0.32 | +0.30 |
Correlation
The correlation between GLD and XLE is 0.17, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.
Dividends
GLD vs. XLE - Dividend Comparison
GLD has not paid dividends to shareholders, while XLE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.44%.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GLD SPDR Gold Shares | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | 2.44% | 3.28% | 3.36% | 3.55% | 3.68% | 4.21% | 5.62% | 6.72% | 3.54% | 3.03% | 2.26% | 3.39% |
Drawdowns
GLD vs. XLE - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GLD drawdown since its inception was -45.56%, smaller than the maximum XLE drawdown of -71.26%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GLD and XLE.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GLD | XLE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.56% | -71.26% | +25.70% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -19.21% | -18.79% | -0.42% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.03% | -26.04% | +5.01% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -22.00% | -66.81% | +44.81% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -13.23% | -2.08% | -11.15% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -16.17% | -18.05% | +1.88% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.20% | 7.14% | -1.94% |
Volatility
GLD vs. XLE - Volatility Comparison
SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) has a higher volatility of 11.06% compared to State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) at 5.05%. This indicates that GLD's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XLE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| GLD | XLE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 11.06% | 5.05% | +6.01% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 24.30% | 13.94% | +10.36% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.80% | 24.93% | +2.87% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.74% | 26.06% | -8.32% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 15.87% | 29.48% | -13.61% |