IGE vs. XLEI

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

IGE (iShares North American Natural Resources ETF) and XLEI (State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF) are both Energy Equities funds - IGE tracks the S&P North American Natural Resources Sector Index while XLEI tracks the S&P Energy Select Sector. Both are passively managed. A 0.74 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. IGE charges 0.39%/yr vs 0.35%/yr for XLEI.

Performance

IGE vs. XLEI - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares North American Natural Resources ETF (IGE) and State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF (XLEI). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IGE achieves a 22.98% return, which is significantly higher than XLEI's 20.42% return.

IGE

• 1D: -0.15%
• 1M: -0.36%
• YTD: 22.98%
• 6M: 23.36%
• 1Y: 43.74%
• 3Y*: 20.25%
• 5Y*: 17.22%
• 10Y*: 9.79%

XLEI

• 1D: 1.05%
• 1M: 1.40%
• YTD: 20.42%
• 6M: 20.06%
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

IGE vs. XLEI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
IGE iShares North American Natural Resources ETF	22.98%	12.28%
XLEI State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF	20.42%	6.77%

Correlation

The correlation between IGE and XLEI is 0.74, 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	0.74

IGE vs. XLEI - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	IGE	XLEI
Energy	71.9%	-
Basic Materials	24.5%	-
Consumer Cyclical	3.3%	-
Healthcare	0.2%	-
Industrials	0.1%	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Financial Services	-	100.3%
Real Estate	-	-
Technology	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

IGE vs. XLEI — Risk / Return Rank

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

IGE

IGE Risk / Return Rank: 84
IGE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 83
IGE Sortino Ratio Rank: 80
IGE Omega Ratio Rank: 75
IGE Calmar Ratio Rank: 95
IGE Martin Ratio Rank: 88

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.

IGE vs. XLEI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares North American Natural Resources ETF (IGE) and State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF (XLEI). 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.

	IGE	XLEI	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.75	—	—
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.64	—	—
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.45	—	—
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	7.93	—	—
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	19.51	—	—
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

	IGE	XLEI	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.75	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.77	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.39	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.30	2.65	-2.35

Drawdowns

IGE vs. XLEI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IGE drawdown since its inception was -67.55%, which is greater than XLEI's maximum drawdown of -7.98%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IGE and XLEI.

Drawdown Indicators

	IGE	XLEI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-67.55%	-7.98%	-59.57%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-5.54%	—	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.49%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-25.72%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-60.57%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.86%	-0.97%	-1.89%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-18.90%	-1.52%	-17.38%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.25%	—	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	IGE	XLEI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.40%	—	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.67%	—	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.98%	13.16%	+2.82%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	22.45%	13.16%	+9.29%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	24.94%	13.16%	+11.78%

IGE vs. XLEI - Expense Ratio Comparison

IGE has a 0.39% expense ratio, which is higher than XLEI's 0.35% expense ratio.

Dividends

IGE vs. XLEI - Dividend Comparison

IGE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.89%, less than XLEI's 16.59% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
IGE iShares North American Natural Resources ETF	1.89%	2.32%	2.54%	2.85%	2.96%	2.92%	3.34%	5.55%	2.68%	2.11%	1.66%	3.08%
XLEI State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF	16.59%	10.17%	0.00%	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 IGE and XLEI in my portfolio?

IGE and XLEI have a correlation of 0.74, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, IGE or XLEI?

On fees, XLEI 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, IGE or XLEI?

XLEI is cheaper with a 0.35% expense ratio, compared with 0.39% for IGE.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, IGE or XLEI?

XLEI has the higher dividend yield at 16.59%, compared with 1.89% for IGE.

What is the main difference between IGE and XLEI?

IGE tracks S&P North American Natural Resources Sector Index, while XLEI tracks S&P Energy Select Sector. They also come from different issuers: iShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.39% for IGE and 0.35% for XLEI.