XLE vs. IXC
Compare and contrast key facts about State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) and iShares Global Energy ETF (IXC).
XLE and IXC are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. XLE is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the Energy Select Sector Index. It was launched on Dec 16, 1998. IXC is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the S&P Global Energy Sector Index. It was launched on Nov 16, 2001. Both XLE and IXC 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
XLE vs. IXC - Performance Comparison
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XLE vs. IXC - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | 37.91% | 7.88% | 5.56% | -0.63% | 64.32% | 53.28% | -32.67% | 11.74% | -18.22% | -0.89% |
IXC iShares Global Energy ETF | 37.40% | 13.98% | 1.95% | 3.92% | 48.51% | 40.88% | -31.00% | 12.67% | -14.85% | 5.54% |
Returns By Period
The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with XLE having a 37.91% return and IXC slightly lower at 37.40%. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with XLE having a 11.65% annualized return and IXC not far behind at 11.57%.
XLE
- 1D
- -1.13%
- 1M
- 10.27%
- YTD
- 37.91%
- 6M
- 39.21%
- 1Y
- 35.32%
- 3Y*
- 17.71%
- 5Y*
- 23.99%
- 10Y*
- 11.65%
IXC
- 1D
- -0.78%
- 1M
- 11.19%
- YTD
- 37.40%
- 6M
- 40.78%
- 1Y
- 42.12%
- 3Y*
- 19.66%
- 5Y*
- 22.95%
- 10Y*
- 11.57%
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XLE vs. IXC - Expense Ratio Comparison
XLE has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is lower than IXC's 0.46% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
XLE vs. IXC — Risk / Return Rank
XLE
IXC
XLE vs. IXC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) and iShares Global Energy ETF (IXC). 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.
| XLE | IXC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.42 | 1.90 | -0.47 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.84 | 2.35 | -0.52 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.28 | 1.36 | -0.08 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.96 | 2.39 | -0.44 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.16 | 7.98 | -2.82 |
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
| XLE | IXC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.42 | 1.90 | -0.47 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.93 | 0.98 | -0.06 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.40 | 0.43 | -0.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.32 | 0.33 | -0.01 |
Correlation
The correlation between XLE and IXC is 0.93, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
XLE vs. IXC - Dividend Comparison
XLE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.44%, less than IXC's 2.68% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | 2.44% | 3.28% | 3.36% | 3.55% | 3.68% | 4.21% | 5.62% | 6.72% | 3.54% | 3.03% | 2.26% | 3.39% |
IXC iShares Global Energy ETF | 2.68% | 3.68% | 4.56% | 3.45% | 4.76% | 3.98% | 4.86% | 7.00% | 3.51% | 3.05% | 2.86% | 3.77% |
Drawdowns
XLE vs. IXC - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XLE drawdown since its inception was -71.26%, roughly equal to the maximum IXC drawdown of -67.88%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XLE and IXC.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XLE | IXC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -71.26% | -67.88% | -3.38% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -18.79% | -18.03% | -0.76% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.04% | -24.93% | -1.11% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -66.81% | -64.16% | -2.65% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.08% | -1.12% | -0.96% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -18.05% | -17.57% | -0.48% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.14% | 5.41% | +1.73% |
Volatility
XLE vs. IXC - Volatility Comparison
State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) has a higher volatility of 5.05% compared to iShares Global Energy ETF (IXC) at 4.41%. This indicates that XLE's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IXC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XLE | IXC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.05% | 4.41% | +0.64% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.94% | 12.78% | +1.16% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 24.93% | 22.29% | +2.64% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 26.06% | 23.46% | +2.60% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 29.48% | 26.78% | +2.70% |