MDY vs. XLU

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF (MDY) and Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU).

MDY and XLU are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. MDY is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the S&P MidCap 400 Index. It was launched on May 4, 1995. XLU is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the Utilities Select Sector Index. It was launched on Dec 16, 1998. Both MDY and XLU are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

MDY vs. XLU - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF (MDY) and Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

MDY vs. XLU - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
MDY SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF	3.32%	7.19%	13.64%	16.07%	-13.28%	24.53%	13.50%	25.78%	-11.29%	15.93%
XLU Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund	8.77%	16.03%	23.31%	-7.18%	1.44%	17.70%	0.51%	25.93%	3.94%	12.05%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, MDY achieves a 3.32% return, which is significantly lower than XLU's 8.77% return. Over the past 10 years, MDY has outperformed XLU with an annualized return of 10.34%, while XLU has yielded a comparatively lower 9.79% annualized return.

MDY

• 1D: 0.82%
• 1M: -5.32%
• YTD: 3.32%
• 6M: 4.62%
• 1Y: 17.32%
• 3Y*: 12.06%
• 5Y*: 6.51%
• 10Y*: 10.34%

XLU

• 1D: 0.48%
• 1M: -1.98%
• YTD: 8.77%
• 6M: 6.26%
• 1Y: 19.98%
• 3Y*: 14.30%
• 5Y*: 10.90%
• 10Y*: 9.79%

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

MDY vs. XLU - Expense Ratio Comparison

MDY has a 0.23% expense ratio, which is higher than XLU's 0.13% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

MDY

SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF

XLU

Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund

Return for Risk

MDY vs. XLU — Risk / Return Rank

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

MDY

MDY Risk / Return Rank: 46
MDY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 43
MDY Sortino Ratio Rank: 45
MDY Omega Ratio Rank: 44
MDY Calmar Ratio Rank: 47
MDY Martin Ratio Rank: 54

XLU

XLU Risk / Return Rank: 66
XLU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 70
XLU Sortino Ratio Rank: 66
XLU Omega Ratio Rank: 62
XLU Calmar Ratio Rank: 79
XLU Martin Ratio Rank: 52

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.

MDY vs. XLU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF (MDY) and Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU). 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.

	MDY	XLU	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.82	1.27	-0.45
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.30	1.73	-0.43
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.18	1.23	-0.06
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.28	2.21	-0.93
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	5.46	5.31	+0.15
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

MDY vs. XLU - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current MDY Sharpe Ratio is 0.82, which is lower than the XLU Sharpe Ratio of 1.27. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of MDY and XLU, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	MDY	XLU	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.82	1.27	-0.45
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.33	0.64	-0.31
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.49	0.51	-0.02
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.51	0.41	+0.10

Correlation

The correlation between MDY and XLU is 0.45, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.

Dividends

MDY vs. XLU - Dividend Comparison

MDY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.15%, less than XLU's 2.58% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
MDY SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF	1.15%	1.15%	1.18%	1.21%	1.37%	0.96%	1.12%	1.34%	1.39%	1.18%	1.31%	1.35%
XLU Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund	2.58%	2.71%	2.96%	3.39%	2.92%	2.79%	3.14%	2.95%	3.33%	3.33%	3.41%	3.67%

Drawdowns

MDY vs. XLU - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum MDY drawdown since its inception was -55.33%, which is greater than XLU's maximum drawdown of -51.98%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MDY and XLU.

Drawdown Indicators

	MDY	XLU	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-55.33%	-51.98%	-3.35%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.07%	-9.18%	-4.89%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-24.03%	-25.26%	+1.23%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-42.22%	-36.07%	-6.15%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.36%	-2.72%	-2.64%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.06%	-10.26%	+3.20%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.29%	3.82%	-0.53%

Volatility

MDY vs. XLU - Volatility Comparison

SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF (MDY) has a higher volatility of 6.42% compared to Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU) at 5.09%. This indicates that MDY's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XLU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	MDY	XLU	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.42%	5.09%	+1.33%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.89%	10.36%	+1.53%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	21.11%	15.79%	+5.32%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	19.78%	17.18%	+2.60%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.17%	19.21%	+1.96%