XLC vs. BIL
XLC (Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund) and BIL (SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XLC is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the S&P Communication Services Select Sector Index, while BIL is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg 1-3 Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, XLC returned 8.28%/yr vs 3.41%/yr for BIL. At a correlation of -0.02, they often move in opposite directions. XLC charges 0.13%/yr vs 0.14%/yr for BIL.
Performance
XLC vs. BIL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XLC achieves a -4.49% return, which is significantly lower than BIL's 1.49% return.
XLC
- 1D
- -1.31%
- 1M
- -3.46%
- YTD
- -4.49%
- 6M
- -2.02%
- 1Y
- 11.67%
- 3Y*
- 22.40%
- 5Y*
- 8.28%
- 10Y*
- —
BIL
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- 0.28%
- YTD
- 1.49%
- 6M
- 1.77%
- 1Y
- 3.87%
- 3Y*
- 4.64%
- 5Y*
- 3.41%
- 10Y*
- 2.18%
XLC vs. BIL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XLC Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund | -4.49% | 23.08% | 34.71% | 52.82% | -37.63% | 15.96% | 26.90% | 31.05% | -16.88% |
BIL SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF | 1.49% | 4.15% | 5.19% | 4.94% | 1.40% | -0.10% | 0.40% | 2.03% | 1.05% |
Correlation
The correlation between XLC and BIL is -0.13, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.13 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.05 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.00 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 20, 2018 | -0.02 |
The correlation between XLC and BIL shifts across timeframes, from -0.13 (1 year) to 0.00 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
XLC vs. BIL — Risk / Return Rank
XLC
BIL
XLC vs. BIL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLC) and SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL). 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.
| XLC | BIL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -18.82 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -172.81 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.15 | 87.91 | -86.75 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.11 | 355.35 | -354.25 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.72 | 2,817.77 | -2,814.05 |
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
| XLC | BIL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.88 | 19.71 | -18.82 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.40 | 13.16 | -12.76 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 8.52 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.53 | 2.78 | -2.25 |
Drawdowns
XLC vs. BIL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XLC drawdown since its inception was -46.65%, which is greater than BIL's maximum drawdown of -0.78%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XLC and BIL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XLC | BIL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -46.65% | -0.78% | -45.87% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.57% | -0.01% | -10.56% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -17.97% | -0.01% | -17.96% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -46.65% | -0.10% | -46.55% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -0.21% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.36% | 0.00% | -6.36% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.60% | -0.26% | -10.34% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.14% | 0.00% | +3.14% |
Volatility
XLC vs. BIL - Volatility Comparison
Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLC) has a higher volatility of 3.67% compared to SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL) at 0.05%. This indicates that XLC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BIL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XLC | BIL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.67% | 0.05% | +3.62% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.57% | 0.13% | +9.44% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 13.26% | 0.20% | +13.06% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.68% | 0.26% | +20.42% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.20% | 0.26% | +21.94% |
XLC vs. BIL - Expense Ratio Comparison
XLC has a 0.13% expense ratio, which is lower than BIL's 0.14% 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
XLC vs. BIL - Dividend Comparison
XLC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.25%, less than BIL's 3.86% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BIL SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF | 3.86% | 4.13% | 5.03% | 4.92% | 1.35% | 0.00% | 0.30% | 2.05% | 1.66% | 0.68% | 0.07% |
XLC Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund | 1.25% | 1.13% | 0.99% | 0.82% | 1.10% | 0.74% | 0.68% | 0.82% | 0.64% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
XLC and BIL have a correlation of -0.13, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
XLC has higher volatility (3.67%) compared to BIL (0.05%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XLC dropped -46.65% vs BIL's -0.78%.
On 5-year performance, XLC leads with 8.28% vs 3.41% for BIL. On fees, XLC is cheaper at 0.13% per year. On volatility, BIL has been the lower-risk option at 0.05%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, XLC has performed better with a 8.28% return vs 3.41%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
XLC is cheaper with a 0.13% expense ratio, compared with 0.14% for BIL.
BIL has the higher dividend yield at 3.86%, compared with 1.25% for XLC.
XLC is categorized as Large Cap Growth Equities, while BIL is Government Bonds. XLC tracks S&P Communication Services Select Sector Index, while BIL tracks Bloomberg 1-3 Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index. Their fees differ too: 0.13% for XLC and 0.14% for BIL.
BIL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (19.71 vs 0.88), 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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