XLF vs. UGA
XLF (State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF) and UGA (United States Gasoline Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - XLF is a Financials Equities fund tracking the Financial Select Sector Index, while UGA is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Unleaded Gasoline. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, XLF returned 13.72%/yr vs 14.31%/yr for UGA. At a 0.22 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XLF charges 0.08%/yr vs 0.75%/yr for UGA.
Performance
XLF vs. UGA - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XLF achieves a -0.77% return, which is significantly lower than UGA's 64.09% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with XLF having a 13.72% annualized return and UGA not far ahead at 14.31%.
XLF
- 1D
- 0.34%
- 1M
- 4.10%
- YTD
- -0.77%
- 6M
- -1.95%
- 1Y
- 7.67%
- 3Y*
- 19.94%
- 5Y*
- 10.00%
- 10Y*
- 13.72%
UGA
- 1D
- -1.12%
- 1M
- -12.11%
- YTD
- 64.09%
- 6M
- 60.42%
- 1Y
- 59.74%
- 3Y*
- 18.95%
- 5Y*
- 22.69%
- 10Y*
- 14.31%
XLF vs. UGA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XLF State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF | -0.77% | 14.90% | 30.56% | 12.03% | -10.59% | 34.80% | -1.74% | 31.88% | -13.06% | 22.00% |
UGA United States Gasoline Fund LP | 64.09% | -2.00% | 3.77% | 1.27% | 46.34% | 68.49% | -24.88% | 41.25% | -28.07% | 1.69% |
Correlation
The correlation between XLF and UGA is -0.20, 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 | -0.20 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.06 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.09 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 28, 2008 | 0.22 |
The correlation between XLF and UGA shifts across timeframes, from -0.20 (1 year) to 0.22 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
XLF vs. UGA — Risk / Return Rank
XLF
UGA
XLF vs. UGA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) and United States Gasoline Fund LP (UGA). 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.
| XLF | UGA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.20 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.44 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.10 | 1.30 | -0.20 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.52 | 3.17 | -2.65 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.33 | 9.39 | -8.06 |
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Drawdowns
XLF vs. UGA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XLF drawdown since its inception was -82.69%, roughly equal to the maximum UGA drawdown of -86.59%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XLF and UGA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XLF | UGA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -82.69% | -86.59% | +3.90% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.79% | -18.96% | +4.17% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -15.54% | -26.68% | +11.14% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.81% | -38.11% | +12.30% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -42.86% | -75.89% | +33.03% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.64% | -18.05% | +14.41% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -19.99% | -36.69% | +16.70% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.79% | 6.43% | -0.64% |
Volatility
XLF vs. UGA - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) is 4.12%, while United States Gasoline Fund LP (UGA) has a volatility of 9.24%. This indicates that XLF experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than UGA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XLF | UGA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.12% | 9.24% | -5.12% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.27% | 30.57% | -19.30% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.62% | 35.22% | -20.60% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.58% | 34.45% | -15.87% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.11% | 37.22% | -15.11% |
XLF vs. UGA - Expense Ratio Comparison
XLF has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is lower than UGA's 0.75% expense ratio.
Dividends
XLF vs. UGA - Dividend Comparison
XLF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.50%, while UGA has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UGA United States Gasoline Fund LP | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
XLF State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF | 1.50% | 1.31% | 1.42% | 1.71% | 2.04% | 1.63% | 2.03% | 1.87% | 2.08% | 1.48% | 21.10% | 1.95% |
Frequently Asked Questions
XLF and UGA have a correlation of -0.20, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
UGA has higher volatility (9.24%) compared to XLF (4.12%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XLF dropped -82.69% vs UGA's -86.59%.
On 10-year performance, UGA leads with 14.31% vs 13.72% for XLF. On fees, XLF is cheaper at 0.08% per year. On volatility, XLF has been the lower-risk option at 4.12%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, UGA has performed better with a 14.31% return vs 13.72%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
XLF is cheaper with a 0.08% expense ratio, compared with 0.75% for UGA.
XLF has the higher dividend yield at 1.50%, compared with 0.00% for UGA.
XLF is categorized as Financials Equities, while UGA is Oil & Gas. XLF tracks Financial Select Sector Index, while UGA tracks Front Month Unleaded Gasoline. They also come from different issuers: State Street and Concierge Technologies. Their fees differ too: 0.08% for XLF and 0.75% for UGA.
UGA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.73 vs 0.53), 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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