XLB vs. XLU

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLB) and Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU).

XLB and XLU are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. XLB is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the Materials Select Sector Index. It was launched on Dec 16, 1998. XLU is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the Utilities Select Sector Index. It was launched on Dec 16, 1998. Both XLB and XLU are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

XLB vs. XLU - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLB) and Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

XLB vs. XLU - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
XLB Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF	11.76%	9.94%	0.15%	12.46%	-12.30%	27.44%	20.46%	24.13%	-14.88%	24.01%
XLU Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund	8.77%	16.03%	23.31%	-7.18%	1.44%	17.70%	0.51%	25.93%	3.94%	12.05%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XLB achieves a 11.76% return, which is significantly higher than XLU's 8.77% return. Over the past 10 years, XLB has outperformed XLU with an annualized return of 10.55%, while XLU has yielded a comparatively lower 9.79% annualized return.

XLB

• 1D: 0.98%
• 1M: -4.82%
• YTD: 11.76%
• 6M: 14.90%
• 1Y: 19.23%
• 3Y*: 9.89%
• 5Y*: 7.00%
• 10Y*: 10.55%

XLU

• 1D: 0.48%
• 1M: -1.98%
• YTD: 8.77%
• 6M: 6.26%
• 1Y: 19.98%
• 3Y*: 14.30%
• 5Y*: 10.90%
• 10Y*: 9.79%

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

XLB vs. XLU - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both XLB and XLU have an expense ratio of 0.13%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

XLB

Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF

XLU

Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund

Return for Risk

XLB vs. XLU — Risk / Return Rank

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

XLB

XLB Risk / Return Rank: 48
XLB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 49
XLB Sortino Ratio Rank: 51
XLB Omega Ratio Rank: 45
XLB Calmar Ratio Rank: 50
XLB Martin Ratio Rank: 47

XLU

XLU Risk / Return Rank: 66
XLU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 70
XLU Sortino Ratio Rank: 66
XLU Omega Ratio Rank: 62
XLU Calmar Ratio Rank: 79
XLU Martin Ratio Rank: 52

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.

XLB vs. XLU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLB) and Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (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.

	XLB	XLU	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.92	1.27	-0.35
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.42	1.73	-0.31
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.18	1.23	-0.05
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.34	2.21	-0.86
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	4.67	5.31	-0.64
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XLB vs. XLU - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XLB Sharpe Ratio is 0.92, which is comparable to the XLU Sharpe Ratio of 1.27. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XLB and XLU, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	XLB	XLU	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.92	1.27	-0.35
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.37	0.64	-0.27
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.51	0.51	0.00
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.36	0.41	-0.05

Correlation

The correlation between XLB and XLU is 0.41, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.

Dividends

XLB vs. XLU - Dividend Comparison

XLB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.73%, less than XLU's 2.58% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
XLB Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF	1.73%	1.92%	1.92%	2.00%	2.26%	1.62%	1.72%	1.98%	2.20%	1.66%	1.95%	2.24%
XLU Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund	2.58%	2.71%	2.96%	3.39%	2.92%	2.79%	3.14%	2.95%	3.33%	3.33%	3.41%	3.67%

Drawdowns

XLB vs. XLU - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XLB drawdown since its inception was -59.83%, which is greater than XLU's maximum drawdown of -51.98%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XLB and XLU.

Drawdown Indicators

	XLB	XLU	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-59.83%	-51.98%	-7.85%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.64%	-9.18%	-5.46%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-24.72%	-25.26%	+0.54%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-37.27%	-36.07%	-1.20%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.47%	-2.72%	-2.75%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.88%	-10.26%	-0.62%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.21%	3.82%	+0.39%

Volatility

XLB vs. XLU - Volatility Comparison

Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLB) has a higher volatility of 5.95% compared to Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU) at 5.09%. This indicates that XLB'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

	XLB	XLU	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.95%	5.09%	+0.86%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.56%	10.36%	+2.20%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	20.94%	15.79%	+5.15%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.92%	17.18%	+1.74%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	20.61%	19.21%	+1.40%