WHD vs. XLE

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

WHD (Cactus, 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 5 years, WHD returned 9.44%/yr vs 20.44%/yr for XLE. A 0.68 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.

Performance

WHD vs. XLE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Cactus, Inc. (WHD) and State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with WHD having a 32.21% return and XLE slightly lower at 32.17%.

WHD

• 1D: 3.59%
• 1M: 9.94%
• YTD: 32.21%
• 6M: 35.90%
• 1Y: 46.59%
• 3Y*: 20.82%
• 5Y*: 9.44%
• 10Y*: —

XLE

• 1D: 1.29%
• 1M: -1.14%
• YTD: 32.17%
• 6M: 29.80%
• 1Y: 45.00%
• 3Y*: 17.46%
• 5Y*: 20.44%
• 10Y*: 10.22%

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

WHD vs. XLE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
WHD Cactus, Inc.	32.21%	-20.76%	29.72%	-8.69%	33.00%	47.83%	-22.85%	25.57%	35.36%
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF	32.17%	7.88%	5.56%	-0.63%	64.32%	53.28%	-32.67%	11.74%	-11.43%

Correlation

The correlation between WHD and XLE is 0.46, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.46
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.61
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.69
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 9, 2018	0.68

Over the past year, the correlation between WHD and XLE has dropped to 0.46 - well below their long-term average of 0.68, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

WHD vs. XLE — Risk / Return Rank

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

WHD

WHD Risk / Return Rank: 70
WHD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 75
WHD Sortino Ratio Rank: 68
WHD Omega Ratio Rank: 68
WHD Calmar Ratio Rank: 70
WHD Martin Ratio Rank: 71

XLE

XLE Risk / Return Rank: 63
XLE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 65
XLE Sortino Ratio Rank: 59
XLE Omega Ratio Rank: 56
XLE Calmar Ratio Rank: 73
XLE Martin Ratio Rank: 60

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.

WHD vs. XLE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Cactus, Inc. (WHD) 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.

	WHD	XLE	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.15	2.21	-1.05
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.68	2.84	-1.16
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.22	1.35	-0.13
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.62	3.75	-2.13
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	4.14	10.92	-6.79
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

WHD vs. XLE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current WHD Sharpe Ratio is 1.15, which is lower than the XLE Sharpe Ratio of 2.21. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of WHD and XLE, 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

	WHD	XLE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.15	2.21	-1.05
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.21	0.79	-0.58
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.35	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.29	0.31	-0.02

Drawdowns

WHD vs. XLE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum WHD drawdown since its inception was -79.10%, which is greater than XLE's maximum drawdown of -71.26%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for WHD and XLE.

Drawdown Indicators

	WHD	XLE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-79.10%	-71.26%	-7.84%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-30.07%	-12.05%	-18.02%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-51.41%	-20.14%	-31.27%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-51.41%	-26.04%	-25.37%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-66.81%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-11.85%	-6.15%	-5.70%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-23.27%	-17.98%	-5.29%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	11.79%	4.14%	+7.65%

Volatility

WHD vs. XLE - Volatility Comparison

Cactus, Inc. (WHD) has a higher volatility of 11.83% compared to State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) at 8.25%. This indicates that WHD'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.

Volatility by Period

	WHD	XLE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	11.83%	8.25%	+3.58%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	28.42%	16.58%	+11.84%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	40.58%	20.53%	+20.05%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	44.75%	26.02%	+18.73%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	52.70%	29.59%	+23.11%

Dividends

WHD vs. XLE - Dividend Comparison

WHD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.93%, less than XLE's 2.54% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
WHD Cactus, Inc.	0.93%	1.18%	0.86%	1.01%	0.88%	1.00%	1.38%	0.26%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF	2.54%	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

Can I hold both WHD and XLE in my portfolio?

WHD and XLE have a correlation of 0.46, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, WHD or XLE?

WHD has higher volatility (11.83%) compared to XLE (8.25%). In terms of maximum drawdown, WHD dropped -79.10% vs XLE's -71.26%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

XLE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.21 vs 1.15), 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.