ICSU.L vs. XSKR.L

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

ICSU.L (iShares S&P 500 Consumer Staples Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc)) and XSKR.L (Xtrackers MSCI Europe Communication Services ESG Screened UCITS ETF 1C) are both exchange-traded funds - ICSU.L is a Consumer Staples Equities fund tracking the S&P 500 Capped 35/20 Consumer Staples Index, while XSKR.L is a Communications Equities fund tracking the MSCI World/Comm Services NR USD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, ICSU.L returned 8.44%/yr vs 5.78%/yr for XSKR.L. At a 0.34 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. ICSU.L charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.20%/yr for XSKR.L.

Performance

ICSU.L vs. XSKR.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in iShares S&P 500 Consumer Staples Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (ICSU.L) and Xtrackers MSCI Europe Communication Services ESG Screened UCITS ETF 1C (XSKR.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ICSU.L achieves a 8.55% return, which is significantly higher than XSKR.L's 3.68% return.

ICSU.L

• 1D: -0.12%
• 1M: -0.51%
• YTD: 8.55%
• 6M: 8.42%
• 1Y: 6.30%
• 3Y*: 6.78%
• 5Y*: 8.44%
• 10Y*: —

XSKR.L

• 1D: -0.62%
• 1M: 2.21%
• YTD: 3.68%
• 6M: 6.07%
• 1Y: -6.83%
• 3Y*: 9.88%
• 5Y*: 5.78%
• 10Y*: 2.80%

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

ICSU.L vs. XSKR.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
ICSU.L iShares S&P 500 Consumer Staples Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc)	8.55%	-3.20%	16.26%	-5.83%	11.78%	19.63%	5.64%	22.78%	-4.77%	-20.91%
XSKR.L Xtrackers MSCI Europe Communication Services ESG Screened UCITS ETF 1C	3.68%	9.54%	11.64%	14.09%	-6.11%	7.74%	-7.30%	-1.29%	-8.08%	0.76%

Correlation

The correlation between ICSU.L and XSKR.L is 0.16, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.16
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.23
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.25
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 23, 2017	0.34

The correlation between ICSU.L and XSKR.L shifts across timeframes, from 0.16 (1 year) to 0.34 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

ICSU.L vs. XSKR.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	ICSU.L	XSKR.L
Consumer Defensive	99.0%	-
Consumer Cyclical	1.0%	-
Basic Materials	-	-
Communication Services	-	90.0%
Energy	-	-
Financial Services	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Industrials	-	-
Real Estate	-	10.1%
Technology	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

ICSU.L vs. XSKR.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

ICSU.L

ICSU.L Risk / Return Rank: 17
ICSU.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 17
ICSU.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 17
ICSU.L Omega Ratio Rank: 16
ICSU.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 18
ICSU.L Martin Ratio Rank: 17

XSKR.L

XSKR.L Risk / Return Rank: 5
XSKR.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 5
XSKR.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 5
XSKR.L Omega Ratio Rank: 5
XSKR.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 5
XSKR.L Martin Ratio Rank: 4

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.

ICSU.L vs. XSKR.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares S&P 500 Consumer Staples Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (ICSU.L) and Xtrackers MSCI Europe Communication Services ESG Screened UCITS ETF 1C (XSKR.L). 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.

	ICSU.L	XSKR.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.44	-0.50	+0.94
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.74	-0.62	+1.36
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.08	0.93	+0.16
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.68	-0.51	+1.19
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.61	-1.06	+2.67
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ICSU.L vs. XSKR.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ICSU.L Sharpe Ratio is 0.44, which is higher than the XSKR.L Sharpe Ratio of -0.50. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ICSU.L and XSKR.L, 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

	ICSU.L	XSKR.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.44	-0.50	+0.94
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.44	0.43	+0.02
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.17	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.24	0.07	+0.17

Drawdowns

ICSU.L vs. XSKR.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ICSU.L drawdown since its inception was -33.13%, smaller than the maximum XSKR.L drawdown of -48.77%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ICSU.L and XSKR.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	ICSU.L	XSKR.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-33.13%	-48.77%	+15.64%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.24%	-14.35%	+5.11%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-20.55%	-14.35%	-6.20%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-20.55%	-17.88%	-2.67%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-41.65%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.70%	-8.69%	+2.99%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.36%	-20.43%	+10.07%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.90%	6.98%	-3.08%

Volatility

ICSU.L vs. XSKR.L - Volatility Comparison

iShares S&P 500 Consumer Staples Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (ICSU.L) has a higher volatility of 6.88% compared to Xtrackers MSCI Europe Communication Services ESG Screened UCITS ETF 1C (XSKR.L) at 4.99%. This indicates that ICSU.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XSKR.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ICSU.L	XSKR.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.88%	4.99%	+1.89%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.08%	12.18%	-0.10%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.44%	14.67%	-0.23%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	19.17%	13.62%	+5.55%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.66%	16.77%	+1.89%

ICSU.L vs. XSKR.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

ICSU.L has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than XSKR.L's 0.20% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

ICSU.L vs. XSKR.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither ICSU.L nor XSKR.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ICSU.L and XSKR.L in my portfolio?

ICSU.L and XSKR.L have a correlation of 0.16, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, ICSU.L or XSKR.L?

On fees, ICSU.L is cheaper at 0.15% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, ICSU.L or XSKR.L?

ICSU.L is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.20% for XSKR.L.

What is the main difference between ICSU.L and XSKR.L?

ICSU.L is categorized as Consumer Staples Equities, while XSKR.L is Communications Equities. ICSU.L tracks S&P 500 Capped 35/20 Consumer Staples Index, while XSKR.L tracks MSCI World/Comm Services NR USD. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Xtrackers. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for ICSU.L and 0.20% for XSKR.L.