ILIT vs. XLE

Last updated Aug 4, 2026

ILIT (Ishares Lithium Miners And Producers ETF) and XLE (State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ILIT is a Lithium & Battery Metals fund tracking the STOXX Global Lithium Miners and Producers Index - USD - Benchmark TR Net, while XLE is a Energy Equities fund tracking the Energy Select Sector Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, ILIT returned -13.40%/yr vs 14.20%/yr for XLE. Their 0.15 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. ILIT charges 0.47%/yr vs 0.08%/yr for XLE.

Performance

ILIT vs. XLE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Ishares Lithium Miners And Producers ETF (ILIT) 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, ILIT achieves a -12.80% return, which is significantly lower than XLE's 33.31% return.

ILIT

• 1D: 1.04%
• 1M: -21.07%
• 6M: -17.72%
• YTD: -12.80%
• 1Y: 60.15%
• 3Y*: -13.40%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: -14.33%

XLE

• 1D: -1.28%
• 1M: 10.47%
• 6M: 19.08%
• YTD: 33.31%
• 1Y: 41.66%
• 3Y*: 14.20%
• 5Y*: 23.80%
• 10Y*: 10.08%
• ALL TIME*: 8.81%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
ILIT Ishares Lithium Miners And Producers ETF	$172.10K	$273.29K	$648.98K
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF	$1.70B	$1.73B	$1.97B

ILIT vs. XLE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
ILIT Ishares Lithium Miners And Producers ETF	-12.80%	81.51%	-45.14%	-28.86%
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF	33.31%	7.88%	5.56%	9.43%

Correlation

The correlation between ILIT and XLE is -0.06, meaning there was essentially no consistent relationship between their historical price movements. Each responded to its own set of market drivers.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	-0.06
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.15
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 23, 2023	0.15

The correlation between ILIT and XLE shifts across timeframes, from -0.06 (1 year) to 0.15 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

ILIT vs. XLE - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	ILIT	XLE
Basic Materials	82.9%	-
Industrials	12.5%	-
Consumer Cyclical	4.2%	-
Technology	0.4%	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	100.0%
Financial Services	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Real Estate	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

ILIT vs. XLE — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

ILIT

ILIT Risk / Return Rank: 43
ILIT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 46
ILIT Sortino Ratio Rank: 50
ILIT Omega Ratio Rank: 45
ILIT Calmar Ratio Rank: 38
ILIT Martin Ratio Rank: 37

XLE

XLE Risk / Return Rank: 75
XLE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 84
XLE Sortino Ratio Rank: 79
XLE Omega Ratio Rank: 76
XLE Calmar Ratio Rank: 78
XLE Martin Ratio Rank: 61

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

ILIT vs. XLE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Ishares Lithium Miners And Producers ETF (ILIT) 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.

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.

	ILIT	XLE	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.20	1.99	-0.80
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.83	2.58	-0.75
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.22	1.32	-0.11
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.38	2.79	-1.42
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.91	7.45	-3.55

ILIT vs. XLE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ILIT Sharpe Ratio is 1.20, which is lower than the XLE Sharpe Ratio of 1.99. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ILIT 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.

Drawdowns

ILIT vs. XLE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ILIT drawdown since its inception was -73.69%, roughly equal to the maximum XLE drawdown of -71.26%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ILIT and XLE.

Drawdown Indicators

	ILIT	XLE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-73.69%	-71.26%	-2.43%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-43.92%	-14.98%	-28.94%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-70.05%	-20.14%	-49.91%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-26.04%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-66.81%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-42.95%	-5.35%	-37.60%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-45.08%	-17.93%	-27.15%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	15.45%	5.60%	+9.85%

Volatility

ILIT vs. XLE - Volatility Comparison

Ishares Lithium Miners And Producers ETF (ILIT) has a higher volatility of 11.17% compared to State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) at 6.13%. This indicates that ILIT'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.

Volatility by Period

	ILIT	XLE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	11.17%	6.13%	+5.04%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	33.89%	16.74%	+17.15%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	50.66%	21.04%	+29.62%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	41.98%	25.77%	+16.21%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	41.98%	29.58%	+12.40%

ILIT vs. XLE - Expense Ratio Comparison

ILIT has a 0.47% expense ratio, which is higher than XLE's 0.08% expense ratio.

Dividends

ILIT vs. XLE - Dividend Comparison

ILIT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.36%, less than XLE's 2.58% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ILIT Ishares Lithium Miners And Producers ETF	2.36%	2.27%	6.48%	0.69%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF	2.58%	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 ILIT and XLE in my portfolio?

ILIT and XLE have a correlation of -0.06, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ILIT or XLE?

ILIT has higher volatility (11.17%) compared to XLE (6.13%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ILIT dropped -73.69% vs XLE's -71.26%.

Which ETF is better, ILIT or XLE?

On 3-year performance, XLE leads with 14.20% vs -13.40% for ILIT. On fees, XLE is cheaper at 0.08% per year. On volatility, XLE has been the lower-risk option at 6.13%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, ILIT or XLE?

Over the 3-year period, XLE has performed better with a 14.20% return vs -13.40%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, ILIT or XLE?

XLE is cheaper with a 0.08% expense ratio, compared with 0.47% for ILIT.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, ILIT or XLE?

XLE has the higher dividend yield at 2.58%, compared with 2.36% for ILIT.

What is the main difference between ILIT and XLE?

ILIT is categorized as Lithium & Battery Metals, while XLE is Energy Equities. ILIT tracks STOXX Global Lithium Miners and Producers Index - USD - Benchmark TR Net, while XLE tracks Energy Select Sector Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.47% for ILIT and 0.08% for XLE.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

XLE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.99 vs 1.20), 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.