UTG vs. XLU

Last updated Jun 23, 2026

UTG (Reaves Utility Income Trust) is a stock, while XLU (State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF) is Utilities Equities fund tracking the Utilities Select Sector Index. Over the past 10 years, UTG returned 10.70%/yr vs 9.26%/yr for XLU. A 0.58 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.

Performance

UTG vs. XLU - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Reaves Utility Income Trust (UTG) and State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, UTG achieves a 19.18% return, which is significantly higher than XLU's 6.16% return. Over the past 10 years, UTG has outperformed XLU with an annualized return of 10.70%, while XLU has yielded a comparatively lower 9.26% annualized return.

UTG

• 1D: 1.09%
• 1M: 0.50%
• YTD: 19.18%
• 6M: 21.56%
• 1Y: 30.08%
• 3Y*: 25.12%
• 5Y*: 12.27%
• 10Y*: 10.70%

XLU

• 1D: 0.55%
• 1M: -0.76%
• YTD: 6.16%
• 6M: 6.71%
• 1Y: 14.60%
• 3Y*: 14.60%
• 5Y*: 10.41%
• 10Y*: 9.26%

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

UTG vs. XLU - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
UTG Reaves Utility Income Trust	19.18%	23.24%	28.10%	2.84%	-13.38%	14.26%	-5.25%	33.65%	1.84%	6.74%
XLU State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF	6.16%	16.03%	23.31%	-7.18%	1.44%	17.70%	0.51%	25.93%	3.94%	12.05%

Correlation

The correlation between UTG and XLU is 0.62, 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	0.62
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.68
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.71
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.64
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 25, 2004	0.58

The correlation between UTG and XLU shifts across timeframes, from 0.58 (all time) to 0.71 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

UTG vs. XLU — Risk / Return Rank

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

UTG

UTG Risk / Return Rank: 81
UTG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 86
UTG Sortino Ratio Rank: 80
UTG Omega Ratio Rank: 80
UTG Calmar Ratio Rank: 81
UTG Martin Ratio Rank: 79

XLU

XLU Risk / Return Rank: 28
XLU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 29
XLU Sortino Ratio Rank: 26
XLU Omega Ratio Rank: 26
XLU Calmar Ratio Rank: 33
XLU Martin Ratio Rank: 26

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.

UTG vs. XLU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Reaves Utility Income Trust (UTG) 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.

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.

	UTG	XLU	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.75	1.00	+0.75
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.26	1.41	+0.84
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.30	1.18	+0.12
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.61	1.60	+1.01
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	5.66	3.39	+2.26

UTG vs. XLU - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current UTG Sharpe Ratio is 1.75, which is higher than the XLU Sharpe Ratio of 1.00. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of UTG and XLU, 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

UTG vs. XLU - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum UTG drawdown since its inception was -67.77%, which is greater than XLU's maximum drawdown of -51.98%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UTG and XLU.

Drawdown Indicators

	UTG	XLU	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-67.77%	-51.98%	-15.79%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.59%	-9.18%	-2.41%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-15.03%	-17.26%	+2.23%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-26.54%	-25.26%	-1.28%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-47.91%	-36.07%	-11.84%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.59%	-5.05%	+3.46%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.73%	-10.22%	+1.49%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.33%	4.31%	+1.02%

Volatility

UTG vs. XLU - Volatility Comparison

Reaves Utility Income Trust (UTG) has a higher volatility of 6.10% compared to State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU) at 5.26%. This indicates that UTG's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XLU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	UTG	XLU	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.10%	5.26%	+0.84%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	13.30%	11.72%	+1.58%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.32%	14.70%	+2.62%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.95%	17.31%	-0.36%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.64%	19.28%	+2.36%

Dividends

UTG vs. XLU - Dividend Comparison

UTG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.64%, more than XLU's 3.30% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
UTG Reaves Utility Income Trust	5.64%	6.42%	7.19%	8.53%	8.07%	6.35%	6.59%	5.69%	6.86%	6.21%	9.02%	6.86%
XLU State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF	2.67%	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

Can I hold both UTG and XLU in my portfolio?

UTG and XLU have a correlation of 0.62, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, UTG or XLU?

UTG has higher volatility (6.10%) compared to XLU (5.26%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UTG dropped -67.77% vs XLU's -51.98%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

UTG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.75 vs 1.00), 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.