PICK vs. XLB

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about iShares MSCI Global Select Metals & Mining Producers ETF (PICK) and Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLB).

PICK and XLB are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. PICK is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI ACWI Select Metals & Mining Producers Ex Gold & Silver Investable Market Index. It was launched on Jan 31, 2012. XLB is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the Materials Select Sector Index. It was launched on Dec 16, 1998. Both PICK and XLB 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

PICK vs. XLB - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares MSCI Global Select Metals & Mining Producers ETF (PICK) and Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLB). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

PICK vs. XLB - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PICK iShares MSCI Global Select Metals & Mining Producers ETF	10.23%	51.89%	-16.37%	9.69%	2.54%	22.61%	27.46%	16.47%	-18.65%	38.42%
XLB Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF	10.68%	9.94%	0.15%	12.46%	-12.30%	27.44%	20.46%	24.13%	-14.88%	24.01%

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with PICK having a 10.23% return and XLB slightly higher at 10.68%. Over the past 10 years, PICK has outperformed XLB with an annualized return of 15.98%, while XLB has yielded a comparatively lower 10.45% annualized return.

PICK

• 1D: 4.93%
• 1M: -12.05%
• YTD: 10.23%
• 6M: 29.18%
• 1Y: 63.27%
• 3Y*: 13.81%
• 5Y*: 10.83%
• 10Y*: 15.98%

XLB

• 1D: 1.79%
• 1M: -6.02%
• YTD: 10.68%
• 6M: 12.59%
• 1Y: 18.51%
• 3Y*: 9.53%
• 5Y*: 6.79%
• 10Y*: 10.45%

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

PICK vs. XLB - Expense Ratio Comparison

PICK has a 0.39% expense ratio, which is higher than XLB's 0.13% expense ratio.

PICK

iShares MSCI Global Select Metals & Mining Producers ETF

XLB

Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF

Return for Risk

PICK vs. XLB — Risk / Return Rank

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

PICK

PICK Risk / Return Rank: 92
PICK Sharpe Ratio Rank: 94
PICK Sortino Ratio Rank: 92
PICK Omega Ratio Rank: 92
PICK Calmar Ratio Rank: 91
PICK Martin Ratio Rank: 92

XLB

XLB Risk / Return Rank: 54
XLB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 53
XLB Sortino Ratio Rank: 56
XLB Omega Ratio Rank: 49
XLB Calmar Ratio Rank: 58
XLB 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.

PICK vs. XLB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI Global Select Metals & Mining Producers ETF (PICK) and Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLB). 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.

	PICK	XLB	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.18	0.89	+1.29
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.68	1.38	+1.31
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.40	1.18	+0.22
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.12	1.35	+1.76
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	12.51	4.72	+7.79
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PICK vs. XLB - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PICK Sharpe Ratio is 2.18, which is higher than the XLB Sharpe Ratio of 0.89. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PICK and XLB, 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

	PICK	XLB	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.18	0.89	+1.29
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.40	0.36	+0.03
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.56	0.51	+0.05
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.17	0.36	-0.19

Correlation

The correlation between PICK and XLB is 0.69, 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

PICK vs. XLB - Dividend Comparison

PICK's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.61%, more than XLB's 1.75% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PICK iShares MSCI Global Select Metals & Mining Producers ETF	2.61%	2.88%	3.26%	4.19%	6.93%	5.89%	2.27%	5.51%	4.77%	2.41%	1.15%	15.77%
XLB Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF	1.75%	1.92%	1.92%	2.00%	2.26%	1.62%	1.72%	1.98%	2.20%	1.66%	1.95%	2.24%

Drawdowns

PICK vs. XLB - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PICK drawdown since its inception was -68.87%, which is greater than XLB's maximum drawdown of -59.83%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PICK and XLB.

Drawdown Indicators

	PICK	XLB	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-68.87%	-59.83%	-9.04%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-19.54%	-14.64%	-4.90%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-36.37%	-24.72%	-11.65%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-52.72%	-37.27%	-15.45%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-12.15%	-6.39%	-5.76%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-24.37%	-10.88%	-13.49%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.87%	4.20%	+0.67%

Volatility

PICK vs. XLB - Volatility Comparison

iShares MSCI Global Select Metals & Mining Producers ETF (PICK) has a higher volatility of 13.01% compared to Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLB) at 6.28%. This indicates that PICK's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XLB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PICK	XLB	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	13.01%	6.28%	+6.73%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	21.97%	12.53%	+9.44%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	29.27%	20.95%	+8.32%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	27.51%	18.91%	+8.60%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	28.47%	20.62%	+7.85%