SMEA.L vs. XS6R.L

Last updated Jun 26, 2026

SMEA.L (iShares Core MSCI Europe UCITS ETF EUR (Acc)) and XS6R.L (Xtrackers MSCI Europe Utilities ESG Screened UCITS ETF 1C) are both exchange-traded funds - SMEA.L is a Europe Equities fund tracking the MSCI Europe NR EUR, while XS6R.L is a Utilities Equities fund tracking the MSCI World/Utilities NR USD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SMEA.L returned 10.90%/yr vs 12.07%/yr for XS6R.L. A 0.67 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. SMEA.L charges 0.12%/yr vs 0.20%/yr for XS6R.L.

Performance

SMEA.L vs. XS6R.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in iShares Core MSCI Europe UCITS ETF EUR (Acc) (SMEA.L) and Xtrackers MSCI Europe Utilities ESG Screened UCITS ETF 1C (XS6R.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SMEA.L achieves a 9.17% return, which is significantly lower than XS6R.L's 14.66% return. Over the past 10 years, SMEA.L has underperformed XS6R.L with an annualized return of 10.90%, while XS6R.L has yielded a comparatively higher 12.07% annualized return.

SMEA.L

• 1D: 0.68%
• 1M: 2.03%
• YTD: 9.17%
• 6M: 9.58%
• 1Y: 23.59%
• 3Y*: 15.45%
• 5Y*: 10.33%
• 10Y*: 10.90%

XS6R.L

• 1D: 1.62%
• 1M: 0.78%
• YTD: 14.66%
• 6M: 15.79%
• 1Y: 29.09%
• 3Y*: 17.64%
• 5Y*: 12.22%
• 10Y*: 12.07%

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

SMEA.L vs. XS6R.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SMEA.L iShares Core MSCI Europe UCITS ETF EUR (Acc)	9.17%	25.88%	3.68%	13.36%	-3.48%	16.94%	2.44%	19.59%	-9.45%	14.92%
XS6R.L Xtrackers MSCI Europe Utilities ESG Screened UCITS ETF 1C	14.66%	38.34%	-1.20%	11.55%	-3.84%	1.17%	18.06%	22.81%	3.52%	13.95%

Correlation

The correlation between SMEA.L and XS6R.L is 0.40, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.40
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.42
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.51
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.57
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 25, 2009	0.67

Over the past year, the correlation between SMEA.L and XS6R.L has dropped to 0.40 - well below their long-term average of 0.67, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

SMEA.L vs. XS6R.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	SMEA.L	XS6R.L
Financial Services	23.3%	-
Industrials	19.5%	5.4%
Healthcare	13.1%	-
Technology	9.6%	-
Consumer Defensive	8.3%	-
Consumer Cyclical	6.5%	-
Basic Materials	5.7%	-
Energy	4.9%	-
Utilities	4.7%	94.6%
Communication Services	3.8%	-
Real Estate	0.8%	-

Return for Risk

SMEA.L vs. XS6R.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

SMEA.L

SMEA.L Risk / Return Rank: 63
SMEA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 70
SMEA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 70
SMEA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 72
SMEA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 51
SMEA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 53

XS6R.L

XS6R.L Risk / Return Rank: 65
XS6R.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 69
XS6R.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 61
XS6R.L Omega Ratio Rank: 65
XS6R.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 72
XS6R.L Martin Ratio Rank: 58

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.

SMEA.L vs. XS6R.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core MSCI Europe UCITS ETF EUR (Acc) (SMEA.L) and Xtrackers MSCI Europe Utilities ESG Screened UCITS ETF 1C (XS6R.L). 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.

	SMEA.L	XS6R.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.95	1.94	+0.01
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.76	2.50	+0.26
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.37	1.34	+0.03
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.22	3.17	-0.95
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	7.97	9.02	-1.05

SMEA.L vs. XS6R.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SMEA.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.95, which is comparable to the XS6R.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.94. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SMEA.L and XS6R.L, 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

SMEA.L vs. XS6R.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SMEA.L drawdown since its inception was -30.06%, smaller than the maximum XS6R.L drawdown of -57.87%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SMEA.L and XS6R.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	SMEA.L	XS6R.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-30.06%	-57.87%	+27.81%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.56%	-9.14%	-1.42%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-14.06%	-16.65%	+2.59%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-15.76%	-21.38%	+5.62%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-28.56%	-27.10%	-1.46%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.22%	-2.97%	+2.75%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.64%	-27.09%	+20.45%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.95%	3.22%	-0.27%

Volatility

SMEA.L vs. XS6R.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares Core MSCI Europe UCITS ETF EUR (Acc) (SMEA.L) is 2.93%, while Xtrackers MSCI Europe Utilities ESG Screened UCITS ETF 1C (XS6R.L) has a volatility of 3.31%. This indicates that SMEA.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XS6R.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SMEA.L	XS6R.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.93%	3.31%	-0.38%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.23%	12.85%	-2.62%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.09%	15.02%	-2.93%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.16%	18.40%	-0.24%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.01%	18.96%	-1.95%

SMEA.L vs. XS6R.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

SMEA.L has a 0.12% expense ratio, which is lower than XS6R.L's 0.20% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

SMEA.L vs. XS6R.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither SMEA.L nor XS6R.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SMEA.L and XS6R.L in my portfolio?

SMEA.L and XS6R.L have a correlation of 0.40, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, SMEA.L or XS6R.L?

On fees, SMEA.L is cheaper at 0.12% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, SMEA.L or XS6R.L?

SMEA.L is cheaper with a 0.12% expense ratio, compared with 0.20% for XS6R.L.

What is the main difference between SMEA.L and XS6R.L?

SMEA.L is categorized as Europe Equities, while XS6R.L is Utilities Equities. SMEA.L tracks MSCI Europe NR EUR, while XS6R.L tracks MSCI World/Utilities NR USD. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Xtrackers. Their fees differ too: 0.12% for SMEA.L and 0.20% for XS6R.L.