XLEI vs. NBET

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

XLEI (State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF) and NBET (Neuberger Berman Energy Transition & Infrastructure ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XLEI is a Energy Equities fund tracking the S&P Energy Select Sector, while NBET is a Infrastructure Equities fund actively managed by Neuberger Berman. XLEI is passively managed, while NBET is actively managed. Over the past year, XLEI returned 35.36% vs 27.68% for NBET. Their correlation of 0.83 means they have usually moved in the same direction. XLEI charges 0.35%/yr vs 0.65%/yr for NBET.

Performance

XLEI vs. NBET - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF (XLEI) and Neuberger Berman Energy Transition & Infrastructure ETF (NBET). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with XLEI having a 24.56% return and NBET slightly higher at 24.97%.

XLEI

• 1D: 0.78%
• 1M: 10.90%
• 6M: 15.89%
• YTD: 24.56%
• 1Y: 35.36%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 32.17%

NBET

• 1D: 0.93%
• 1M: 3.95%
• 6M: 14.68%
• YTD: 24.97%
• 1Y: 27.68%
• 3Y*: 19.60%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 13.70%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
NBET Neuberger Berman Energy Transition & Infrastructure ETF	$197.04K	$221.77K	$179.90K
XLEI State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF	$1.55M	$1.39M	$1.31M

XLEI vs. NBET - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
XLEI State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF	24.56%	6.17%
NBET Neuberger Berman Energy Transition & Infrastructure ETF	24.97%	1.09%

Correlation

The correlation between XLEI and NBET is 0.83, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.83
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 30, 2025	0.83

The correlation between XLEI and NBET has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.83 to 0.83 - a consistent structural relationship.

XLEI vs. NBET - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	XLEI	NBET
Financial Services	102.5%	-
Energy	100.0%	88.9%
Basic Materials	-	0.9%
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Industrials	-	2.6%
Real Estate	-	-
Technology	-	-
Utilities	-	8.6%

Return for Risk

XLEI vs. NBET — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

XLEI

XLEI Risk / Return Rank: 89
XLEI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 92
XLEI Sortino Ratio Rank: 88
XLEI Omega Ratio Rank: 89
XLEI Calmar Ratio Rank: 91
XLEI Martin Ratio Rank: 86

NBET

NBET Risk / Return Rank: 74
NBET Sharpe Ratio Rank: 77
NBET Sortino Ratio Rank: 74
NBET Omega Ratio Rank: 68
NBET Calmar Ratio Rank: 85
NBET Martin Ratio Rank: 66

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

XLEI vs. NBET - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF (XLEI) and Neuberger Berman Energy Transition & Infrastructure ETF (NBET). 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	XLEI	NBET	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.40	1.77	+0.63
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.00	2.40	+0.59
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.41	1.29	+0.12
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.11	3.30	+0.81
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	12.37	8.03	+4.34

XLEI vs. NBET - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XLEI Sharpe Ratio is 2.40, which is higher than the NBET Sharpe Ratio of 1.77. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XLEI and NBET, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

XLEI vs. NBET - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XLEI drawdown since its inception was -8.19%, smaller than the maximum NBET drawdown of -18.72%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XLEI and NBET.

Drawdown Indicators

	XLEI	NBET	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-8.19%	-18.72%	+10.53%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.19%	-8.00%	-0.19%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-17.38%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-3.76%	+3.76%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.84%	-5.06%	+3.22%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.74%	3.30%	-0.56%

Volatility

XLEI vs. NBET - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF (XLEI) is 3.96%, while Neuberger Berman Energy Transition & Infrastructure ETF (NBET) has a volatility of 5.11%. This indicates that XLEI experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than NBET based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XLEI	NBET	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.96%	5.11%	-1.15%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.26%	11.79%	-0.53%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.03%	14.92%	-0.89%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.02%	19.43%	-5.41%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.02%	19.43%	-5.41%

XLEI vs. NBET - Expense Ratio Comparison

XLEI has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is lower than NBET's 0.65% expense ratio.

Dividends

XLEI vs. NBET - Dividend Comparison

XLEI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 18.37%, more than NBET's 2.41% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022
NBET Neuberger Berman Energy Transition & Infrastructure ETF	2.41%	2.70%	2.43%	1.22%	0.87%
XLEI State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF	18.37%	10.17%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XLEI and NBET in my portfolio?

XLEI and NBET have a correlation of 0.83, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, XLEI or NBET?

NBET has higher volatility (5.11%) compared to XLEI (3.96%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XLEI dropped -8.19% vs NBET's -18.72%.

Which ETF is better, XLEI or NBET?

On 1-year performance, XLEI leads with 35.36% vs 27.68% for NBET. On fees, XLEI is cheaper at 0.35% per year. On volatility, XLEI has been the lower-risk option at 3.96%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, XLEI or NBET?

Over the 1-year period, XLEI has performed better with a 35.36% return vs 27.68%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, XLEI or NBET?

XLEI is cheaper with a 0.35% expense ratio, compared with 0.65% for NBET.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, XLEI or NBET?

XLEI has the higher dividend yield at 18.37%, compared with 2.41% for NBET.

What is the main difference between XLEI and NBET?

XLEI is categorized as Energy Equities, while NBET is Infrastructure Equities. They also come from different issuers: State Street and Neuberger Berman. Their fees differ too: 0.35% for XLEI and 0.65% for NBET.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

XLEI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.40 vs 1.77), 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.