RTO vs. XLF

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

RTO (Rentokil Initial PLC) is a stock, while XLF (State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF) is Financials Equities fund tracking the Financial Select Sector Index. Over the past 10 years, RTO returned 10.46%/yr vs 12.60%/yr for XLF. At a 0.24 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

RTO vs. XLF - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Rentokil Initial PLC (RTO) and State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, RTO achieves a 2.23% return, which is significantly higher than XLF's -4.22% return. Over the past 10 years, RTO has underperformed XLF with an annualized return of 10.46%, while XLF has yielded a comparatively higher 12.60% annualized return.

RTO

• 1D: 2.06%
• 1M: -12.01%
• YTD: 2.23%
• 6M: 6.53%
• 1Y: 28.31%
• 3Y*: -7.76%
• 5Y*: -0.91%
• 10Y*: 10.46%

XLF

• 1D: 2.59%
• 1M: 1.16%
• YTD: -4.22%
• 6M: -1.90%
• 1Y: 4.34%
• 3Y*: 18.85%
• 5Y*: 8.16%
• 10Y*: 12.60%

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

RTO vs. XLF - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
RTO Rentokil Initial PLC	2.23%	19.64%	-9.78%	-5.92%	-22.27%	14.36%	16.84%	42.28%	-0.22%	64.45%
XLF State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF	-4.22%	14.90%	30.56%	12.03%	-10.59%	34.80%	-1.74%	31.88%	-13.06%	22.00%

Correlation

The correlation between RTO and XLF is 0.39, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.39
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.36
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.38
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.27
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 16, 2007	0.24

The correlation between RTO and XLF shifts across timeframes, from 0.24 (all time) to 0.39 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

RTO vs. XLF — Risk / Return Rank

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

RTO

RTO Risk / Return Rank: 70
RTO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 70
RTO Sortino Ratio Rank: 68
RTO Omega Ratio Rank: 64
RTO Calmar Ratio Rank: 73
RTO Martin Ratio Rank: 77

XLF

XLF Risk / Return Rank: 13
XLF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 14
XLF Sortino Ratio Rank: 13
XLF Omega Ratio Rank: 13
XLF Calmar Ratio Rank: 13
XLF Martin Ratio Rank: 13

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.

RTO vs. XLF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Rentokil Initial PLC (RTO) and State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF). 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.

	RTO	XLF	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.93	0.30	+0.63
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.62	0.50	+1.12
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.19	1.06	+0.13
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.83	0.29	+1.53
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	5.27	0.77	+4.50
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

RTO vs. XLF - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current RTO Sharpe Ratio is 0.93, which is higher than the XLF Sharpe Ratio of 0.30. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of RTO and XLF, 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

	RTO	XLF	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.93	0.30	+0.63
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.03	0.44	-0.47
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.32	0.57	-0.25
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.12	0.21	-0.08

Drawdowns

RTO vs. XLF - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum RTO drawdown since its inception was -86.53%, roughly equal to the maximum XLF drawdown of -82.69%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RTO and XLF.

Drawdown Indicators

	RTO	XLF	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-86.53%	-82.69%	-3.84%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-15.56%	-14.79%	-0.77%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-49.81%	-15.54%	-34.27%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-50.94%	-25.81%	-25.13%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-50.94%	-42.86%	-8.08%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-24.90%	-6.99%	-17.91%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-30.53%	-20.02%	-10.51%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.38%	5.68%	-0.30%

Volatility

RTO vs. XLF - Volatility Comparison

Rentokil Initial PLC (RTO) has a higher volatility of 6.03% compared to State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) at 4.21%. This indicates that RTO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XLF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	RTO	XLF	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.03%	4.21%	+1.82%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	21.63%	11.24%	+10.39%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	30.49%	14.63%	+15.86%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	34.41%	18.66%	+15.75%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	33.03%	22.17%	+10.86%

Dividends

RTO vs. XLF - Dividend Comparison

RTO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.31%, more than XLF's 1.52% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
RTO Rentokil Initial PLC	2.31%	2.23%	2.28%	1.73%	1.38%	1.30%	0.00%	0.87%	1.14%	1.69%	2.99%	1.54%
XLF State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF	1.52%	1.31%	1.42%	1.71%	2.04%	1.63%	2.03%	1.87%	2.08%	1.48%	21.10%	1.95%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both RTO and XLF in my portfolio?

RTO and XLF have a correlation of 0.39, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, RTO or XLF?

RTO has higher volatility (6.03%) compared to XLF (4.21%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RTO dropped -86.53% vs XLF's -82.69%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

RTO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.93 vs 0.30), 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.