IYG vs. XLFI
IYG (iShares U.S. Financial Services ETF) and XLFI (State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IYG is a Financials Equities fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Financial Services TR, while XLFI is a Derivative Income fund actively managed by State Street. IYG is passively managed, while XLFI is actively managed. Over the past year, IYG returned 14.31% vs 11.89% for XLFI. Their correlation of 0.94 means they have usually moved in the same direction. IYG charges 0.42%/yr vs 0.35%/yr for XLFI.
Performance
IYG vs. XLFI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IYG achieves a 6.15% return, which is significantly higher than XLFI's 4.70% return.
IYG
- 1D
- 0.96%
- 1M
- 4.27%
- 6M
- 7.93%
- YTD
- 6.15%
- 1Y
- 14.31%
- 3Y*
- 22.26%
- 5Y*
- 10.92%
- 10Y*
- 14.64%
- ALL TIME*
- 6.76%
XLFI
- 1D
- 0.34%
- 1M
- 3.60%
- 6M
- 6.29%
- YTD
- 4.70%
- 1Y
- 11.89%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 10.21%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $7.02M | $11.44M | $10.05M | |
| $183.60K | $216.70K | $174.14K |
IYG vs. XLFI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
IYG iShares U.S. Financial Services ETF | 6.15% | 5.75% |
XLFI State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF | 4.70% | 5.40% |
Correlation
The correlation between IYG 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 IYG and XLFI has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.94 to 0.94 - a consistent structural relationship.
IYG vs. XLFI - Sectors Allocation Comparison
Sectors
IYG
XLFI
Financial Services
Technology
-
Basic Materials
-
-
Communication Services
-
-
Consumer Cyclical
-
-
Consumer Defensive
-
-
Energy
-
-
Healthcare
-
-
Industrials
-
-
Real Estate
-
-
Utilities
-
-
Financial Services
IYG
XLFI
Technology
IYG
XLFI
-
Basic Materials
IYG
-
XLFI
-
Communication Services
IYG
-
XLFI
-
Consumer Cyclical
IYG
-
XLFI
-
Consumer Defensive
IYG
-
XLFI
-
Energy
IYG
-
XLFI
-
Healthcare
IYG
-
XLFI
-
Industrials
IYG
-
XLFI
-
Real Estate
IYG
-
XLFI
-
Utilities
IYG
-
XLFI
-
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Return for Risk
IYG vs. XLFI — Risk / Return Rank
IYG
XLFI
IYG vs. XLFI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Financial Services ETF (IYG) 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.
| IYG | XLFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.10 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.07 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.17 | 1.19 | -0.02 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.90 | 1.00 | -0.10 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.30 | 2.82 | -0.53 |
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Drawdowns
IYG vs. XLFI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IYG drawdown since its inception was -81.84%, which is greater than XLFI's maximum drawdown of -11.89%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IYG and XLFI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IYG | XLFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -81.84% | -11.89% | -69.95% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -15.90% | -11.89% | -4.01% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -18.54% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.62% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -44.32% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -20.63% | -3.00% | -17.63% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 6.25% | 4.22% | +2.03% |
Volatility
IYG vs. XLFI - Volatility Comparison
iShares U.S. Financial Services ETF (IYG) has a higher volatility of 4.49% compared to State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF (XLFI) at 2.83%. This indicates that IYG'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
| IYG | XLFI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.49% | 2.83% | +1.66% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.00% | 9.10% | +2.90% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.75% | 11.80% | +3.95% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.34% | 11.86% | +8.48% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 23.38% | 11.86% | +11.52% |
IYG vs. XLFI - Expense Ratio Comparison
IYG has a 0.42% expense ratio, which is higher than XLFI's 0.35% expense ratio.
Dividends
IYG vs. XLFI - Dividend Comparison
IYG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.01%, less than XLFI's 12.09% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IYG iShares U.S. Financial Services ETF | 1.01% | 1.00% | 1.16% | 1.77% | 2.07% | 1.25% | 1.71% | 1.59% | 1.81% | 1.24% | 1.28% | 1.33% |
XLFI State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF | 12.09% | 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, IYG 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.
IYG has higher volatility (4.49%) compared to XLFI (2.83%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IYG dropped -81.84% vs XLFI's -11.89%.
On 1-year performance, IYG leads with 14.31% vs 11.89% for XLFI. On fees, XLFI is cheaper at 0.35% per year. On volatility, XLFI has been the lower-risk option at 2.83%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, IYG has performed better with a 14.31% return vs 11.89%. 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 0.42% for IYG.
XLFI has the higher dividend yield at 12.09%, compared with 1.01% for IYG.
IYG is categorized as Financials Equities, while XLFI is Derivative Income. They also come from different issuers: iShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.42% for IYG and 0.35% for XLFI.
XLFI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.01 vs 0.91), 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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