PRGTX vs. XLK

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

PRGTX (T. Rowe Price Global Technology Fund) and XLK (State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF) are both Technology Equities funds. Over the past 10 years, PRGTX returned 19.61%/yr vs 25.84%/yr for XLK. Their correlation of 0.88 suggests significant overlap in exposure. PRGTX charges 0.95%/yr vs 0.08%/yr for XLK.

Performance

PRGTX vs. XLK - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in T. Rowe Price Global Technology Fund (PRGTX) and State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PRGTX achieves a 44.18% return, which is significantly higher than XLK's 36.47% return. Over the past 10 years, PRGTX has underperformed XLK with an annualized return of 19.61%, while XLK has yielded a comparatively higher 25.84% annualized return.

PRGTX

• 1D: 1.35%
• 1M: 20.72%
• YTD: 44.18%
• 6M: 43.53%
• 1Y: 79.97%
• 3Y*: 40.07%
• 5Y*: 12.30%
• 10Y*: 19.61%

XLK

• 1D: -1.00%
• 1M: 21.09%
• YTD: 36.47%
• 6M: 35.71%
• 1Y: 66.93%
• 3Y*: 33.90%
• 5Y*: 23.83%
• 10Y*: 25.84%

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

PRGTX vs. XLK - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PRGTX T. Rowe Price Global Technology Fund	44.18%	27.28%	33.12%	55.92%	-55.53%	8.85%	75.77%	34.22%	-10.07%	47.09%
XLK State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF	36.47%	24.61%	21.63%	56.02%	-27.73%	34.74%	43.62%	49.86%	-1.68%	34.26%

Correlation

The correlation between PRGTX and XLK is 0.94, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.94
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.93
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.87
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.86
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 3, 2001	0.88

The correlation between PRGTX and XLK has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.86 to 0.94 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

PRGTX vs. XLK — Risk / Return Rank

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

PRGTX

PRGTX Risk / Return Rank: 92
PRGTX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 96
PRGTX Sortino Ratio Rank: 88
PRGTX Omega Ratio Rank: 86
PRGTX Calmar Ratio Rank: 96
PRGTX Martin Ratio Rank: 93

XLK

XLK Risk / Return Rank: 83
XLK Sharpe Ratio Rank: 91
XLK Sortino Ratio Rank: 85
XLK Omega Ratio Rank: 83
XLK Calmar Ratio Rank: 80
XLK Martin Ratio Rank: 73

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.

PRGTX vs. XLK - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for T. Rowe Price Global Technology Fund (PRGTX) and State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK). 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.

	PRGTX	XLK	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	3.57	3.24	+0.34
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	4.18	3.92	+0.26
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.58	1.52	+0.06
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	6.32	4.22	+2.10
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	19.93	14.16	+5.77
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PRGTX vs. XLK - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PRGTX Sharpe Ratio is 3.57, which is comparable to the XLK Sharpe Ratio of 3.24. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PRGTX and XLK, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	PRGTX	XLK	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.57	3.24	+0.34
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.39	0.96	-0.57
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.69	1.06	-0.37
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.47	0.42	+0.05

Drawdowns

PRGTX vs. XLK - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PRGTX drawdown since its inception was -71.18%, smaller than the maximum XLK drawdown of -82.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PRGTX and XLK.

Drawdown Indicators

	PRGTX	XLK	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-71.18%	-82.05%	+10.87%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.06%	-15.92%	+2.86%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-26.67%	-25.66%	-1.01%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-65.29%	-33.56%	-31.73%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-65.29%	-33.56%	-31.73%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-1.00%	+1.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-21.54%	-34.96%	+13.42%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.13%	4.74%	-0.61%

Volatility

PRGTX vs. XLK - Volatility Comparison

T. Rowe Price Global Technology Fund (PRGTX) has a higher volatility of 8.26% compared to State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) at 6.98%. This indicates that PRGTX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XLK based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PRGTX	XLK	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	8.26%	6.98%	+1.28%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	18.69%	16.68%	+2.01%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	23.11%	20.82%	+2.29%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	31.80%	24.90%	+6.90%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	28.39%	24.49%	+3.90%

PRGTX vs. XLK - Expense Ratio Comparison

PRGTX has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is higher than XLK's 0.08% expense ratio.

Dividends

PRGTX vs. XLK - Dividend Comparison

PRGTX has not paid dividends to shareholders, while XLK's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.39%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PRGTX T. Rowe Price Global Technology Fund	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	3.28%	27.71%	5.05%	0.15%	24.67%	15.81%	9.46%	10.03%
XLK State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF	0.39%	0.54%	0.66%	0.76%	1.04%	0.65%	0.92%	1.16%	1.60%	1.37%	1.74%	1.79%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PRGTX and XLK in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.94, PRGTX and XLK 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.

Which is riskier, PRGTX or XLK?

PRGTX has higher volatility (8.26%) compared to XLK (6.98%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PRGTX dropped -71.18% vs XLK's -82.05%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PRGTX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.57 vs 3.24), 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.