SAM vs. XLE

Last updated Jul 17, 2026

SAM (The Boston Beer Company, Inc.) is a stock, while XLE (State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF) is Energy Equities fund tracking the Energy Select Sector Index. Over the past 10 years, SAM returned 0.91%/yr vs 9.47%/yr for XLE. At a 0.21 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

SAM vs. XLE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (SAM) and State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SAM achieves a -6.47% return, which is significantly lower than XLE's 29.29% return. Over the past 10 years, SAM has underperformed XLE with an annualized return of 0.91%, while XLE has yielded a comparatively higher 9.47% annualized return.

SAM

• 1D: 7.35%
• 1M: 1.29%
• 6M: -15.54%
• YTD: -6.47%
• 1Y: -5.07%
• 3Y*: -15.37%
• 5Y*: -27.72%
• 10Y*: 0.91%

XLE

• 1D: 0.92%
• 1M: 3.74%
• 6M: 21.42%
• YTD: 29.29%
• 1Y: 36.53%
• 3Y*: 15.59%
• 5Y*: 22.95%
• 10Y*: 9.47%

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

SAM vs. XLE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SAM The Boston Beer Company, Inc.	-6.47%	-34.95%	-13.20%	4.88%	-34.76%	-49.20%	163.14%	56.89%	26.03%	12.51%
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF	29.29%	7.88%	5.56%	-0.63%	64.32%	53.28%	-32.67%	11.74%	-18.22%	-0.89%

Correlation

The correlation between SAM and XLE is 0.06, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.06
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.09
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.10
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.12
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 22, 1998	0.21

The correlation between SAM and XLE shifts across timeframes, from 0.06 (1 year) to 0.21 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

SAM vs. XLE — Risk / Return Rank

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

SAM

SAM Risk / Return Rank: 38
SAM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 39
SAM Sortino Ratio Rank: 35
SAM Omega Ratio Rank: 35
SAM Calmar Ratio Rank: 40
SAM Martin Ratio Rank: 38

XLE

XLE Risk / Return Rank: 59
XLE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 67
XLE Sortino Ratio Rank: 61
XLE Omega Ratio Rank: 57
XLE Calmar Ratio Rank: 61
XLE Martin Ratio Rank: 49

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.

SAM vs. XLE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (SAM) and State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE). 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.

	SAM	XLE	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.13	1.75	-1.88
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.08	2.32	-2.24
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.01	1.29	-0.28
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.13	2.45	-2.58
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.32	6.58	-6.90

SAM vs. XLE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SAM Sharpe Ratio is -0.13, which is lower than the XLE Sharpe Ratio of 1.75. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SAM and XLE, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

SAM vs. XLE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SAM drawdown since its inception was -87.67%, which is greater than XLE's maximum drawdown of -71.26%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SAM and XLE.

Drawdown Indicators

	SAM	XLE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-87.67%	-71.26%	-16.41%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-38.06%	-14.98%	-23.08%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-59.09%	-20.14%	-38.95%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-83.07%	-26.04%	-57.03%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-87.67%	-66.81%	-20.86%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-86.03%	-8.20%	-77.83%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-40.86%	-17.95%	-22.91%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	15.93%	5.57%	+10.36%

Volatility

SAM vs. XLE - Volatility Comparison

The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (SAM) has a higher volatility of 14.62% compared to State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) at 6.10%. This indicates that SAM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XLE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SAM	XLE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	14.62%	6.10%	+8.52%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	30.58%	16.65%	+13.93%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	38.51%	20.96%	+17.55%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	40.09%	25.87%	+14.22%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	40.97%	29.58%	+11.39%

Dividends

SAM vs. XLE - Dividend Comparison

SAM has not paid dividends to shareholders, while XLE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.66%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SAM The Boston Beer Company, Inc.	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF	2.66%	3.28%	3.36%	3.55%	3.68%	4.21%	5.62%	6.72%	3.54%	3.03%	2.26%	3.39%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SAM and XLE in my portfolio?

SAM and XLE have a correlation of 0.06, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, SAM or XLE?

SAM has higher volatility (14.62%) compared to XLE (6.10%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SAM dropped -87.67% vs XLE's -71.26%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

XLE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.75 vs -0.13), 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.