SPHQ vs. XLK

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

SPHQ (Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF) and XLK (State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SPHQ is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Quality Index, while XLK is a Technology Equities fund tracking the S&P Technology Select Sector Daily Capped 35/20 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SPHQ returned 14.91%/yr vs 25.04%/yr for XLK. A 0.80 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. SPHQ charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.08%/yr for XLK.

Performance

SPHQ vs. XLK - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF (SPHQ) and State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SPHQ achieves a 14.28% return, which is significantly lower than XLK's 28.09% return. Over the past 10 years, SPHQ has underperformed XLK with an annualized return of 14.91%, while XLK has yielded a comparatively higher 25.04% annualized return.

SPHQ

• 1D: 0.58%
• 1M: 3.64%
• YTD: 14.28%
• 6M: 15.48%
• 1Y: 21.15%
• 3Y*: 22.07%
• 5Y*: 14.25%
• 10Y*: 14.91%

XLK

• 1D: 2.15%
• 1M: 4.93%
• YTD: 28.09%
• 6M: 25.10%
• 1Y: 55.42%
• 3Y*: 31.33%
• 5Y*: 22.26%
• 10Y*: 25.04%

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

SPHQ vs. XLK - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SPHQ Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF	14.28%	13.25%	25.44%	24.83%	-15.76%	28.03%	17.36%	33.64%	-7.10%	19.10%
XLK State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF	28.09%	24.61%	21.63%	56.02%	-27.73%	34.74%	43.62%	49.86%	-1.68%	34.26%

Correlation

The correlation between SPHQ and XLK is 0.61, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.61
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.76
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.82
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.84
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 6, 2005	0.80

The correlation between SPHQ and XLK shifts across timeframes, from 0.61 (1 year) to 0.84 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

SPHQ vs. XLK - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	SPHQ	XLK
Technology	28.1%	99.7%
Industrials	24.3%	0.1%
Consumer Defensive	15.4%	-
Financial Services	13.3%	-
Healthcare	8.4%	-
Consumer Cyclical	4.6%	-
Basic Materials	2.2%	-
Communication Services	2.0%	-
Utilities	1.0%	-
Energy	0.7%	0.2%
Real Estate	-	-

Return for Risk

SPHQ vs. XLK — Risk / Return Rank

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

SPHQ

SPHQ Risk / Return Rank: 55
SPHQ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 54
SPHQ Sortino Ratio Rank: 55
SPHQ Omega Ratio Rank: 51
SPHQ Calmar Ratio Rank: 53
SPHQ Martin Ratio Rank: 62

XLK

XLK Risk / Return Rank: 77
XLK Sharpe Ratio Rank: 86
XLK Sortino Ratio Rank: 76
XLK Omega Ratio Rank: 79
XLK Calmar Ratio Rank: 76
XLK Martin Ratio Rank: 69

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.

SPHQ vs. XLK - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF (SPHQ) and State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK). 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.

	SPHQ	XLK	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.66	2.53	-0.87
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.39	3.06	-0.66
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.28	1.42	-0.13
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.39	3.50	-1.11
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.19	11.58	-1.39
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SPHQ vs. XLK - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SPHQ Sharpe Ratio is 1.66, which is lower than the XLK Sharpe Ratio of 2.53. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SPHQ and XLK, 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

	SPHQ	XLK	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.66	2.53	-0.87
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.87	0.89	-0.02
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.84	1.02	-0.18
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.53	0.41	+0.12

Drawdowns

SPHQ vs. XLK - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SPHQ drawdown since its inception was -57.83%, smaller than the maximum XLK drawdown of -82.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SPHQ and XLK.

Drawdown Indicators

	SPHQ	XLK	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-57.83%	-82.05%	+24.22%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.90%	-15.92%	+7.02%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-16.57%	-25.66%	+9.09%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-25.04%	-33.56%	+8.52%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-31.60%	-33.56%	+1.96%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.62%	-7.08%	+5.46%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.70%	-34.95%	+24.25%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.09%	4.80%	-2.71%

Volatility

SPHQ vs. XLK - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF (SPHQ) is 3.90%, while State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) has a volatility of 10.42%. This indicates that SPHQ experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XLK based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SPHQ	XLK	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.90%	10.42%	-6.52%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.45%	18.32%	-7.87%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.83%	22.08%	-9.25%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.48%	25.10%	-8.62%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.88%	24.60%	-6.72%

SPHQ vs. XLK - Expense Ratio Comparison

SPHQ has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is higher than XLK'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

SPHQ vs. XLK - Dividend Comparison

SPHQ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.05%, more than XLK's 0.41% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SPHQ Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF	1.05%	1.09%	1.15%	1.42%	1.85%	1.19%	1.55%	1.51%	1.85%	1.57%	1.67%	2.29%
XLK State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF	0.41%	0.54%	0.66%	0.76%	1.04%	0.65%	0.92%	1.16%	1.60%	1.37%	1.74%	1.79%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SPHQ and XLK in my portfolio?

SPHQ and XLK have a correlation of 0.61, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, SPHQ or XLK?

XLK has higher volatility (10.42%) compared to SPHQ (3.90%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SPHQ dropped -57.83% vs XLK's -82.05%.

Which ETF is better, SPHQ or XLK?

On 10-year performance, XLK leads with 25.04% vs 14.91% for SPHQ. On fees, XLK is cheaper at 0.08% per year. On volatility, SPHQ has been the lower-risk option at 3.90%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, SPHQ or XLK?

Over the 10-year period, XLK has performed better with a 25.04% return vs 14.91%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, SPHQ or XLK?

XLK is cheaper with a 0.08% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for SPHQ.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, SPHQ or XLK?

SPHQ has the higher dividend yield at 1.05%, compared with 0.41% for XLK.

What is the main difference between SPHQ and XLK?

SPHQ is categorized as S&P 500, while XLK is Technology Equities. SPHQ tracks S&P 500 Quality Index, while XLK tracks S&P Technology Select Sector Daily Capped 35/20 Index. They also come from different issuers: Invesco and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for SPHQ and 0.08% for XLK.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

XLK currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.53 vs 1.66), 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.