T vs. XLE
T (AT&T Inc.) is a stock, while XLE (State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF) is Energy Equities fund tracking the Energy Select Sector Index. Over the past 10 years, T returned 2.86%/yr vs 10.02%/yr for XLE. At a 0.31 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
T vs. XLE - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, T achieves a -7.40% return, which is significantly lower than XLE's 31.32% return. Over the past 10 years, T has underperformed XLE with an annualized return of 2.86%, while XLE has yielded a comparatively higher 10.02% annualized return.
T
- 1D
- -1.10%
- 1M
- -10.57%
- YTD
- -7.40%
- 6M
- -7.40%
- 1Y
- -16.38%
- 3Y*
- 18.39%
- 5Y*
- 6.60%
- 10Y*
- 2.86%
XLE
- 1D
- 1.14%
- 1M
- 4.72%
- YTD
- 31.32%
- 6M
- 30.37%
- 1Y
- 44.35%
- 3Y*
- 16.51%
- 5Y*
- 20.33%
- 10Y*
- 10.02%
T vs. XLE - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T AT&T Inc. | -7.40% | 13.97% | 44.08% | -2.74% | 5.76% | -8.09% | -21.37% | 45.55% | -22.25% | -4.01% |
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | 31.32% | 7.88% | 5.56% | -0.63% | 64.32% | 53.28% | -32.67% | 11.74% | -18.22% | -0.89% |
Correlation
The correlation between T and XLE is 0.08, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.08 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 23, 1998 | 0.31 |
Over the past year, the correlation between T and XLE has dropped to 0.08 - well below their long-term average of 0.31, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
T vs. XLE — Risk / Return Rank
T
XLE
T vs. XLE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for AT&T Inc. (T) and State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE). 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.
| T | XLE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.93 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -3.79 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.89 | 1.35 | -0.46 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.75 | 3.70 | -4.45 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.59 | 10.59 | -12.18 |
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
| T | XLE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.75 | 2.18 | -2.93 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.28 | 0.79 | -0.51 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.12 | 0.34 | -0.22 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.38 | 0.31 | +0.07 |
Drawdowns
T vs. XLE - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum T drawdown since its inception was -64.15%, smaller than the maximum XLE drawdown of -71.26%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for T and XLE.
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Drawdown Indicators
| T | XLE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -64.15% | -71.26% | +7.11% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -21.87% | -12.05% | -9.82% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -21.87% | -20.14% | -1.73% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -32.01% | -26.04% | -5.97% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -42.35% | -66.81% | +24.46% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -21.87% | -6.76% | -15.11% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.72% | -17.98% | +2.26% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 10.34% | 4.20% | +6.14% |
Volatility
T vs. XLE - Volatility Comparison
AT&T Inc. (T) has a higher volatility of 7.50% compared to State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) at 7.07%. This indicates that T's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XLE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| T | XLE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.50% | 7.07% | +0.43% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.57% | 16.58% | +0.99% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.98% | 20.48% | +1.50% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 23.97% | 26.03% | -2.06% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 23.71% | 29.58% | -5.87% |
Dividends
T vs. XLE - Dividend Comparison
T's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.93%, more than XLE's 2.56% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T AT&T Inc. | 4.93% | 4.47% | 4.87% | 6.62% | 6.66% | 8.46% | 7.23% | 5.22% | 7.01% | 5.04% | 4.51% | 5.46% |
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | 2.56% | 3.28% | 3.36% | 3.55% | 3.68% | 4.21% | 5.62% | 6.72% | 3.54% | 3.03% | 2.26% | 3.39% |
Frequently Asked Questions
T and XLE have a correlation of 0.08, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
T has higher volatility (7.50%) compared to XLE (7.07%). In terms of maximum drawdown, T dropped -64.15% vs XLE's -71.26%.
XLE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.18 vs -0.75), 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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