SGOV vs. XLU
SGOV (iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF) and XLU (State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SGOV is a Ultrashort Bond fund tracking the ICE 0-3 Month US Treasury Securities Index, while XLU is a Utilities Equities fund tracking the Utilities Select Sector Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, SGOV returned 3.55%/yr vs 9.10%/yr for XLU. At a correlation of -0.03, they often move in opposite directions. SGOV charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.08%/yr for XLU.
Performance
SGOV vs. XLU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SGOV achieves a 1.56% return, which is significantly lower than XLU's 2.66% return.
SGOV
- 1D
- 0.01%
- 1M
- 0.28%
- YTD
- 1.56%
- 6M
- 1.80%
- 1Y
- 3.95%
- 3Y*
- 4.70%
- 5Y*
- 3.55%
- 10Y*
- —
XLU
- 1D
- -1.87%
- 1M
- -2.68%
- YTD
- 2.66%
- 6M
- 3.35%
- 1Y
- 10.26%
- 3Y*
- 12.85%
- 5Y*
- 9.10%
- 10Y*
- 8.99%
SGOV vs. XLU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SGOV iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | 1.56% | 4.24% | 5.27% | 5.12% | 1.58% | 0.04% | 0.04% |
XLU State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF | 2.66% | 16.03% | 23.31% | -7.18% | 1.44% | 17.70% | 11.78% |
Correlation
The correlation between SGOV and XLU is -0.10, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.10 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.02 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.03 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 28, 2020 | -0.03 |
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Return for Risk
SGOV vs. XLU — Risk / Return Rank
SGOV
XLU
SGOV vs. XLU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) 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.
| SGOV | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +19.57 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +274.65 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 195.55 | 1.13 | +194.42 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 398.20 | 1.12 | +397.08 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4,461.99 | 2.47 | +4,459.52 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| SGOV | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.28 | 0.71 | +19.57 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 14.78 | 0.53 | +14.25 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.47 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 12.50 | 0.40 | +12.10 |
Drawdowns
SGOV vs. XLU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SGOV drawdown since its inception was -0.03%, smaller than the maximum XLU drawdown of -51.98%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SGOV and XLU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SGOV | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -0.03% | -51.98% | +51.95% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.01% | -9.18% | +9.17% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.01% | -17.26% | +17.25% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -0.03% | -25.26% | +25.23% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -36.07% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -8.18% | +8.18% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.00% | -10.22% | +10.22% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.00% | 4.16% | -4.16% |
Volatility
SGOV vs. XLU - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) is 0.06%, while State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU) has a volatility of 5.60%. This indicates that SGOV 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.
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Volatility by Period
| SGOV | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.06% | 5.60% | -5.54% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.13% | 11.70% | -11.57% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.20% | 14.64% | -14.44% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 0.24% | 17.34% | -17.10% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 0.24% | 19.27% | -19.03% |
SGOV vs. XLU - Expense Ratio Comparison
SGOV has a 0.09% 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
SGOV vs. XLU - Dividend Comparison
SGOV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.85%, more than XLU's 2.73% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SGOV iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | 3.85% | 4.10% | 5.10% | 4.87% | 1.45% | 0.03% | 0.05% | 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
SGOV and XLU have a correlation of -0.10, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
XLU has higher volatility (5.60%) compared to SGOV (0.06%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SGOV dropped -0.03% vs XLU's -51.98%.
On 5-year performance, XLU leads with 9.10% vs 3.55% for SGOV. On fees, XLU is cheaper at 0.08% per year. On volatility, SGOV has been the lower-risk option at 0.06%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, XLU has performed better with a 9.10% return vs 3.55%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
XLU is cheaper with a 0.08% expense ratio, compared with 0.09% for SGOV.
SGOV has the higher dividend yield at 3.85%, compared with 2.73% for XLU.
SGOV is categorized as Ultrashort Bond, while XLU is Utilities Equities. SGOV tracks ICE 0-3 Month US Treasury Securities Index, while XLU tracks Utilities Select Sector Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.09% for SGOV and 0.08% for XLU.
SGOV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (20.28 vs 0.70), 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.
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