XLFI vs. FXO

Last updated Jul 10, 2026

XLFI (State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF) and FXO (First Trust Financials AlphaDEX Fund) are both exchange-traded funds - XLFI is a Derivative Income fund actively managed by State Street, while FXO is a Financials Equities fund tracking the StrataQuant Financials Index. XLFI is actively managed, while FXO is passively managed. Their correlation of 0.86 suggests significant overlap in exposure. XLFI charges 0.35%/yr vs 0.62%/yr for FXO.

Performance

XLFI vs. FXO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF (XLFI) and First Trust Financials AlphaDEX Fund (FXO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XLFI achieves a 1.11% return, which is significantly lower than FXO's 7.19% return.

XLFI

• 1D: 0.73%
• 1M: 3.97%
• 6M: -0.23%
• YTD: 1.11%
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

FXO

• 1D: 0.58%
• 1M: 6.85%
• 6M: 4.37%
• YTD: 7.19%
• 1Y: 15.02%
• 3Y*: 21.67%
• 5Y*: 10.63%
• 10Y*: 13.20%

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

XLFI vs. FXO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
XLFI State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF	1.11%	5.40%
FXO First Trust Financials AlphaDEX Fund	7.19%	5.66%

Correlation

The correlation between XLFI and FXO is 0.86, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 30, 2025	0.86

XLFI vs. FXO - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	XLFI	FXO
Financial Services	99.9%	94.5%
Basic Materials	-	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Industrials	-	-
Real Estate	-	5.0%
Technology	-	0.6%
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

XLFI vs. FXO — Risk / Return Rank

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

XLFI

Risk / return metrics aren't available yet — we need at least 12 months of trading data to calculate them.

FXO

FXO Risk / Return Rank: 31
FXO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 32
FXO Sortino Ratio Rank: 30
FXO Omega Ratio Rank: 29
FXO Calmar Ratio Rank: 31
FXO Martin Ratio Rank: 32

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.

XLFI vs. FXO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF (XLFI) and First Trust Financials AlphaDEX Fund (FXO). 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.

	XLFI	FXO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	—	0.96	—
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	—	1.38	—
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	—	1.17	—
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	—	1.29	—
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	—	3.83	—

Drawdowns

XLFI vs. FXO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XLFI drawdown since its inception was -11.89%, smaller than the maximum FXO drawdown of -71.30%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XLFI and FXO.

Drawdown Indicators

	XLFI	FXO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-11.89%	-71.30%	+59.41%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	—	-11.72%	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-21.35%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-28.80%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-48.55%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.61%	-1.14%	+0.53%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.20%	-13.05%	+9.85%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	—	3.93%	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	XLFI	FXO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	—	3.79%	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	—	11.12%	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.06%	15.73%	-3.67%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	12.06%	21.79%	-9.73%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	12.06%	24.04%	-11.98%

XLFI vs. FXO - Expense Ratio Comparison

XLFI has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is lower than FXO's 0.62% expense ratio.

Dividends

XLFI vs. FXO - Dividend Comparison

XLFI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 11.52%, more than FXO's 2.05% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
FXO First Trust Financials AlphaDEX Fund	2.05%	1.78%	1.97%	2.98%	2.49%	1.91%	2.60%	1.72%	2.60%	1.62%	1.35%	1.51%
XLFI State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF	11.52%	5.57%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XLFI and FXO in my portfolio?

XLFI and FXO have a correlation of 0.86, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, XLFI or FXO?

On fees, XLFI is cheaper at 0.35% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, XLFI or FXO?

XLFI is cheaper with a 0.35% expense ratio, compared with 0.62% for FXO.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, XLFI or FXO?

XLFI has the higher dividend yield at 11.52%, compared with 2.05% for FXO.

What is the main difference between XLFI and FXO?

XLFI is categorized as Derivative Income, while FXO is Financials Equities. They also come from different issuers: State Street and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.35% for XLFI and 0.62% for FXO.