SGLN.L vs. XLU
SGLN.L (iShares Physical Gold ETC) and XLU (State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SGLN.L is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price, while XLU is a Utilities Equities fund tracking the Utilities Select Sector Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SGLN.L returned 13.68%/yr vs 9.72%/yr for XLU. At a 0.15 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SGLN.L charges 0.12%/yr vs 0.08%/yr for XLU.
Performance
SGLN.L vs. XLU - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Different Trading Currencies
SGLN.L is traded in GBp, while XLU is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the XLU values have been converted to GBp using the latest available exchange rates.
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SGLN.L achieves a 1.38% return, which is significantly lower than XLU's 3.66% return. Over the past 10 years, SGLN.L has outperformed XLU with an annualized return of 13.68%, while XLU has yielded a comparatively lower 9.72% annualized return.
SGLN.L
- 1D
- -0.06%
- 1M
- -6.00%
- YTD
- 1.38%
- 6M
- 3.07%
- 1Y
- 31.70%
- 3Y*
- 27.57%
- 5Y*
- 19.24%
- 10Y*
- 13.68%
XLU
- 1D
- -1.90%
- 1M
- -0.58%
- YTD
- 3.66%
- 6M
- 3.18%
- 1Y
- 11.77%
- 3Y*
- 10.64%
- 5Y*
- 10.34%
- 10Y*
- 9.72%
SGLN.L vs. XLU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SGLN.L iShares Physical Gold ETC | 1.38% | 53.66% | 28.20% | 7.24% | 11.84% | -2.82% | 19.93% | 14.63% | 4.36% | 1.68% |
XLU State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF | 3.66% | 7.76% | 25.47% | -11.82% | 13.51% | 18.82% | -2.44% | 21.14% | 10.10% | 2.36% |
Correlation
The correlation between SGLN.L and XLU is 0.14, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.16 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.20 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 11, 2011 | 0.15 |
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
SGLN.L vs. XLU — Risk / Return Rank
SGLN.L
XLU
SGLN.L vs. XLU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Physical Gold ETC (SGLN.L) and State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (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.
| SGLN.L | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.57 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.61 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.27 | 1.14 | +0.13 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.75 | 1.23 | +0.52 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.61 | 2.64 | +1.97 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
Loading charts...
Sharpe Ratios by Period
| SGLN.L | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.35 | 0.79 | +0.57 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.89 | 0.60 | +0.29 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.73 | 0.48 | +0.24 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.25 | 0.52 | -0.27 |
Drawdowns
SGLN.L vs. XLU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SGLN.L drawdown since its inception was -53.23%, which is greater than XLU's maximum drawdown of -30.72%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SGLN.L and XLU.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| SGLN.L | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -53.23% | -30.72% | -22.51% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -18.04% | -9.62% | -8.42% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -20.33% | -12.62% | -7.71% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -20.33% | -28.20% | +7.87% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -22.30% | -28.20% | +5.90% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -18.04% | -7.67% | -10.37% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -24.71% | -7.49% | -17.22% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 6.86% | 4.47% | +2.39% |
Volatility
SGLN.L vs. XLU - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Physical Gold ETC (SGLN.L) is 4.84%, while State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU) has a volatility of 5.97%. This indicates that SGLN.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XLU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| SGLN.L | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.84% | 5.97% | -1.13% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 20.20% | 12.05% | +8.15% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 23.35% | 15.02% | +8.33% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 21.74% | 17.39% | +4.35% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.80% | 20.19% | -1.39% |
SGLN.L vs. XLU - Expense Ratio Comparison
SGLN.L has a 0.12% expense ratio, which is higher than XLU's 0.08% 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%.
Dividends
SGLN.L vs. XLU - Dividend Comparison
SGLN.L has not paid dividends to shareholders, while XLU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.73%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SGLN.L iShares Physical Gold ETC | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
XLU State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF | 2.73% | 2.71% | 2.96% | 3.39% | 2.92% | 2.79% | 3.14% | 2.95% | 3.33% | 3.33% | 3.41% | 3.67% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SGLN.L and XLU have a correlation of 0.14, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, XLU is cheaper at 0.08% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
XLU is cheaper with a 0.08% expense ratio, compared with 0.12% for SGLN.L.
SGLN.L is categorized as Gold, while XLU is Utilities Equities. SGLN.L tracks LBMA Gold Price, while XLU tracks Utilities Select Sector Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.12% for SGLN.L and 0.08% for XLU.
Find the right allocation for SGLN.L and XLU
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer