IYF vs. XLFI
IYF (iShares U.S. Financials ETF) and XLFI (State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IYF is a Financials Equities fund tracking the Russell 1000 Financials 40 Act 15/22.5 Daily Capped Index, while XLFI is a Derivative Income fund actively managed by State Street. IYF is passively managed, while XLFI is actively managed. Over the past year, IYF returned 14.06% vs 11.31% for XLFI. Their correlation of 0.94 means they have usually moved in the same direction. IYF charges 0.38%/yr vs 0.35%/yr for XLFI.
Performance
IYF vs. XLFI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IYF achieves a 5.27% return, which is significantly higher than XLFI's 3.17% return.
IYF
- 1D
- -0.09%
- 1M
- 2.09%
- 6M
- 6.28%
- YTD
- 5.27%
- 1Y
- 14.06%
- 3Y*
- 21.23%
- 5Y*
- 12.16%
- 10Y*
- 13.70%
- ALL TIME*
- 6.14%
XLFI
- 1D
- -0.41%
- 1M
- 2.09%
- 6M
- 4.95%
- YTD
- 3.17%
- 1Y
- 11.31%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 8.72%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $64.39M | $58.62M | $40.71M | |
| $205.39K | $226.21K | $175.11K |
IYF vs. XLFI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
IYF iShares U.S. Financials ETF | 5.27% | 5.55% |
XLFI State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF | 3.17% | 5.40% |
Correlation
The correlation between IYF and XLFI is 0.94, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.94 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 30, 2025 | 0.94 |
The correlation between IYF and XLFI has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.94 to 0.94 - a consistent structural relationship.
IYF vs. XLFI - Sectors Allocation Comparison
Sectors
IYF
XLFI
Financial Services
Real Estate
-
Technology
-
Basic Materials
-
-
Communication Services
-
-
Consumer Cyclical
-
-
Consumer Defensive
-
-
Energy
-
-
Healthcare
-
-
Industrials
-
-
Utilities
-
-
Financial Services
IYF
XLFI
Real Estate
IYF
XLFI
-
Technology
IYF
XLFI
-
Basic Materials
IYF
-
XLFI
-
Communication Services
IYF
-
XLFI
-
Consumer Cyclical
IYF
-
XLFI
-
Consumer Defensive
IYF
-
XLFI
-
Energy
IYF
-
XLFI
-
Healthcare
IYF
-
XLFI
-
Industrials
IYF
-
XLFI
-
Utilities
IYF
-
XLFI
-
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Return for Risk
IYF vs. XLFI — Risk / Return Rank
IYF
XLFI
IYF vs. XLFI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Financials ETF (IYF) and State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF (XLFI). 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.
| IYF | XLFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.01 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.07 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.15 | 1.15 | 0.00 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.86 | 0.80 | +0.06 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.33 | 2.26 | +0.07 |
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Drawdowns
IYF vs. XLFI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IYF drawdown since its inception was -79.09%, which is greater than XLFI's maximum drawdown of -11.89%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IYF and XLFI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IYF | XLFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -79.09% | -11.89% | -67.20% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.88% | -11.89% | -1.99% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -16.60% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.06% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -42.57% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.51% | -1.11% | -0.40% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -17.51% | -3.02% | -14.49% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.14% | 4.22% | +0.92% |
Volatility
IYF vs. XLFI - Volatility Comparison
iShares U.S. Financials ETF (IYF) has a higher volatility of 3.97% compared to State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF (XLFI) at 2.78%. This indicates that IYF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XLFI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IYF | XLFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.97% | 2.78% | +1.19% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.05% | 9.08% | +1.97% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.67% | 11.88% | +2.79% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.94% | 11.85% | +7.09% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.82% | 11.85% | +8.97% |
IYF vs. XLFI - Expense Ratio Comparison
IYF has a 0.38% expense ratio, which is higher than XLFI's 0.35% expense ratio.
Dividends
IYF vs. XLFI - Dividend Comparison
IYF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.42%, less than XLFI's 11.29% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IYF iShares U.S. Financials ETF | 1.42% | 1.32% | 1.29% | 1.67% | 1.86% | 1.27% | 1.72% | 1.64% | 1.90% | 1.46% | 1.67% | 1.66% |
XLFI State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF | 11.29% | 5.57% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.94, IYF and XLFI move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
IYF has higher volatility (3.97%) compared to XLFI (2.78%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IYF dropped -79.09% vs XLFI's -11.89%.
On 1-year performance, IYF leads with 14.06% vs 11.31% for XLFI. On fees, XLFI is cheaper at 0.35% per year. On volatility, XLFI has been the lower-risk option at 2.78%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, IYF has performed better with a 14.06% return vs 11.31%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
XLFI is cheaper with a 0.35% expense ratio, compared with 0.38% for IYF.
XLFI has the higher dividend yield at 11.29%, compared with 1.42% for IYF.
IYF is categorized as Financials Equities, while XLFI is Derivative Income. They also come from different issuers: iShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.38% for IYF and 0.35% for XLFI.
IYF currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.82 vs 0.81), 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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