SPTS vs. XLU
SPTS (SPDR Portfolio Short Term Treasury ETF) and XLU (State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SPTS is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 1-3 Year Index, while XLU is a Utilities Equities fund tracking the Utilities Select Sector Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SPTS returned 1.67%/yr vs 9.15%/yr for XLU. At a 0.11 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SPTS charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.08%/yr for XLU.
Performance
SPTS vs. XLU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SPTS achieves a 0.45% return, which is significantly lower than XLU's 3.11% return. Over the past 10 years, SPTS has underperformed XLU with an annualized return of 1.67%, while XLU has yielded a comparatively higher 9.15% annualized return.
SPTS
- 1D
- -0.07%
- 1M
- 0.05%
- YTD
- 0.45%
- 6M
- 0.77%
- 1Y
- 3.45%
- 3Y*
- 4.18%
- 5Y*
- 1.81%
- 10Y*
- 1.67%
XLU
- 1D
- -0.43%
- 1M
- -5.74%
- YTD
- 3.11%
- 6M
- 1.25%
- 1Y
- 9.11%
- 3Y*
- 13.74%
- 5Y*
- 9.25%
- 10Y*
- 9.15%
SPTS vs. XLU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPTS SPDR Portfolio Short Term Treasury ETF | 0.45% | 5.05% | 4.20% | 4.27% | -3.86% | -0.72% | 3.23% | 3.56% | 1.08% | 0.59% |
XLU State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF | 3.11% | 16.03% | 23.31% | -7.18% | 1.44% | 17.70% | 0.51% | 25.93% | 3.94% | 12.05% |
Correlation
The correlation between SPTS and XLU is 0.15, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.15 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.12 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.15 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 2, 2011 | 0.11 |
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Return for Risk
SPTS vs. XLU — Risk / Return Rank
SPTS
XLU
SPTS vs. XLU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR Portfolio Short Term Treasury ETF (SPTS) 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.
| SPTS | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +2.00 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +3.52 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.55 | 1.12 | +0.43 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.13 | 1.00 | +3.13 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 16.52 | 2.24 | +14.29 |
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
| SPTS | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.63 | 0.63 | +2.00 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.92 | 0.54 | +0.38 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.98 | 0.48 | +0.50 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.49 | 0.40 | +0.09 |
Drawdowns
SPTS vs. XLU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SPTS drawdown since its inception was -5.83%, smaller than the maximum XLU drawdown of -51.98%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SPTS and XLU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SPTS | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -5.83% | -51.98% | +46.15% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.84% | -9.18% | +8.34% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.96% | -17.26% | +16.30% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -5.71% | -25.26% | +19.55% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -5.71% | -36.07% | +30.36% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.28% | -7.78% | +7.50% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -1.72% | -10.22% | +8.50% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.21% | 4.09% | -3.88% |
Volatility
SPTS vs. XLU - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for SPDR Portfolio Short Term Treasury ETF (SPTS) is 0.34%, while State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU) has a volatility of 5.41%. This indicates that SPTS 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
| SPTS | XLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.34% | 5.41% | -5.07% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.86% | 11.53% | -10.67% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.32% | 14.57% | -13.25% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 1.98% | 17.32% | -15.34% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 1.72% | 19.26% | -17.54% |
SPTS vs. XLU - Expense Ratio Comparison
SPTS has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than XLU's 0.08% 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
SPTS vs. XLU - Dividend Comparison
SPTS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.91%, more than XLU's 2.72% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPTS SPDR Portfolio Short Term Treasury ETF | 3.91% | 3.99% | 4.25% | 3.61% | 1.27% | 0.19% | 0.70% | 2.21% | 2.04% | 1.20% | 0.95% | 0.83% |
XLU State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF | 2.72% | 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
SPTS and XLU have a correlation of 0.15, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
XLU has higher volatility (5.41%) compared to SPTS (0.34%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SPTS dropped -5.83% vs XLU's -51.98%.
On 10-year performance, XLU leads with 9.15% vs 1.67% for SPTS. On fees, SPTS is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, SPTS has been the lower-risk option at 0.34%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, XLU has performed better with a 9.15% return vs 1.67%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SPTS is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.08% for XLU.
SPTS has the higher dividend yield at 3.91%, compared with 2.72% for XLU.
SPTS is categorized as Government Bonds, while XLU is Utilities Equities. SPTS tracks Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 1-3 Year Index, while XLU tracks Utilities Select Sector Index. Their fees differ too: 0.03% for SPTS and 0.08% for XLU.
SPTS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.63 vs 0.63), 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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