XLE vs. WTI

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

XLE (State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF) is Energy Equities fund tracking the Energy Select Sector Index, while WTI (W&T Offshore, Inc.) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, XLE returned 9.99%/yr vs 7.31%/yr for WTI. A 0.68 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.

Performance

XLE vs. WTI - Performance Comparison

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

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XLE achieves a 32.26% return, which is significantly lower than WTI's 152.94% return. Over the past 10 years, XLE has outperformed WTI with an annualized return of 9.99%, while WTI has yielded a comparatively lower 7.31% annualized return.

XLE

• 1D: 0.07%
• 1M: -1.18%
• YTD: 32.26%
• 6M: 29.34%
• 1Y: 47.98%
• 3Y*: 17.74%
• 5Y*: 20.45%
• 10Y*: 9.99%

WTI

• 1D: 2.24%
• 1M: -2.39%
• YTD: 152.94%
• 6M: 129.05%
• 1Y: 160.54%
• 3Y*: 2.54%
• 5Y*: -1.06%
• 10Y*: 7.31%

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

XLE vs. WTI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF	32.26%	7.88%	5.56%	-0.63%	64.32%	53.28%	-32.67%	11.74%	-18.22%	-0.89%
WTI W&T Offshore, Inc.	152.94%	0.62%	-48.17%	-41.41%	72.76%	48.85%	-60.97%	34.95%	24.47%	19.49%

Correlation

The correlation between XLE and WTI is 0.60, 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	0.60
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.63
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.71
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.68
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 31, 2005	0.68

The correlation between XLE and WTI shifts across timeframes, from 0.60 (1 year) to 0.71 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

XLE vs. WTI — Risk / Return Rank

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

XLE

XLE Risk / Return Rank: 70
XLE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 74
XLE Sortino Ratio Rank: 67
XLE Omega Ratio Rank: 64
XLE Calmar Ratio Rank: 79
XLE Martin Ratio Rank: 65

WTI

WTI Risk / Return Rank: 84
WTI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 87
WTI Sortino Ratio Rank: 84
WTI Omega Ratio Rank: 81
WTI Calmar Ratio Rank: 88
WTI Martin Ratio Rank: 83

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.

XLE vs. WTI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) and W&T Offshore, Inc. (WTI). 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	WTI	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.36	1.92	+0.45
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.01	2.60	+0.42
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.38	1.31	+0.07
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.00	4.02	-0.02
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	11.60	7.72	+3.88
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XLE vs. WTI - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XLE Sharpe Ratio is 2.36, which is comparable to the WTI Sharpe Ratio of 1.92. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XLE and WTI, 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

	XLE	WTI	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.36	1.92	+0.45
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.79	-0.02	+0.81
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.34	0.10	+0.24
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.31	-0.08	+0.39

Drawdowns

XLE vs. WTI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XLE drawdown since its inception was -71.26%, smaller than the maximum WTI drawdown of -97.59%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XLE and WTI.

Drawdown Indicators

	XLE	WTI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-71.26%	-97.59%	+26.33%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.05%	-40.17%	+28.12%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-20.14%	-74.31%	+54.17%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-26.04%	-87.31%	+61.27%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-66.81%	-88.92%	+22.11%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-6.09%	-90.45%	+84.36%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-17.98%	-74.07%	+56.09%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.15%	20.88%	-16.73%

Volatility

XLE vs. WTI - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) is 8.25%, while W&T Offshore, Inc. (WTI) has a volatility of 23.86%. This indicates that XLE experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than WTI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XLE	WTI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	8.25%	23.86%	-15.61%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	16.51%	66.08%	-49.57%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	20.50%	84.25%	-63.75%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	26.01%	68.88%	-42.87%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	29.58%	73.15%	-43.57%

Dividends

XLE vs. WTI - Dividend Comparison

XLE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.54%, more than WTI's 0.98% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
WTI W&T Offshore, Inc.	0.98%	2.45%	2.41%	0.31%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	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 XLE and WTI in my portfolio?

XLE and WTI have a correlation of 0.60, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, XLE or WTI?

WTI has higher volatility (23.86%) compared to XLE (8.25%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XLE dropped -71.26% vs WTI's -97.59%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

XLE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.36 vs 1.92), 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.