XLI vs. NVDA

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

XLI (Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund) is Industrials Equities fund tracking the Industrial Select Sector Index, while NVDA (NVIDIA Corporation) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, XLI returned 13.86%/yr vs 68.47%/yr for NVDA. At a 0.43 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

XLI vs. NVDA - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLI) and NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with XLI having a 12.25% return and NVDA slightly lower at 12.01%. Over the past 10 years, XLI has underperformed NVDA with an annualized return of 13.86%, while NVDA has yielded a comparatively higher 68.47% annualized return.

XLI

• 1D: -0.32%
• 1M: 0.25%
• YTD: 12.25%
• 6M: 13.16%
• 1Y: 21.42%
• 3Y*: 21.04%
• 5Y*: 12.54%
• 10Y*: 13.86%

NVDA

• 1D: 1.73%
• 1M: -2.94%
• YTD: 12.01%
• 6M: 12.58%
• 1Y: 47.43%
• 3Y*: 75.35%
• 5Y*: 64.54%
• 10Y*: 68.47%

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

XLI vs. NVDA - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
XLI Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund	12.25%	19.35%	17.31%	18.13%	-5.57%	21.08%	10.91%	29.08%	-13.25%	23.98%
NVDA NVIDIA Corporation	12.01%	38.92%	171.25%	239.02%	-50.26%	125.48%	122.30%	76.94%	-30.82%	81.99%

Correlation

The correlation between XLI and NVDA is 0.27, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.27
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.33
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.44
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.42
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 22, 1999	0.43

The correlation between XLI and NVDA shifts across timeframes, from 0.27 (1 year) to 0.44 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

XLI vs. NVDA — Risk / Return Rank

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

XLI

XLI Risk / Return Rank: 43
XLI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 44
XLI Sortino Ratio Rank: 46
XLI Omega Ratio Rank: 40
XLI Calmar Ratio Rank: 39
XLI Martin Ratio Rank: 46

NVDA

NVDA Risk / Return Rank: 77
NVDA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 80
NVDA Sortino Ratio Rank: 75
NVDA Omega Ratio Rank: 73
NVDA Calmar Ratio Rank: 79
NVDA Martin Ratio Rank: 79

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.

XLI vs. NVDA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLI) and NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA). 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.

	XLI	NVDA	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.39	1.37	+0.02
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.06	1.94	+0.11
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.24	1.24	+0.01
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.76	2.36	-0.60
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	6.97	5.73	+1.24
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XLI vs. NVDA - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XLI Sharpe Ratio is 1.39, which is comparable to the NVDA Sharpe Ratio of 1.37. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XLI and NVDA, 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

	XLI	NVDA	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.39	1.37	+0.02
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.72	1.25	-0.53
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.70	1.38	-0.68
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.45	0.63	-0.17

Drawdowns

XLI vs. NVDA - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XLI drawdown since its inception was -62.26%, smaller than the maximum NVDA drawdown of -89.72%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XLI and NVDA.

Drawdown Indicators

	XLI	NVDA	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-62.26%	-89.72%	+27.46%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.21%	-20.21%	+8.00%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.49%	-36.88%	+18.39%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-21.64%	-66.34%	+44.70%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-42.33%	-66.34%	+24.01%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.67%	-11.39%	+8.72%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.20%	-36.20%	+27.00%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.08%	8.30%	-5.22%

Volatility

XLI vs. NVDA - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLI) is 3.98%, while NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) has a volatility of 13.14%. This indicates that XLI experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than NVDA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XLI	NVDA	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.98%	13.14%	-9.16%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.84%	26.37%	-13.53%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.47%	34.81%	-19.34%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.43%	51.75%	-34.32%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.99%	49.85%	-29.86%

Dividends

XLI vs. NVDA - Dividend Comparison

XLI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.18%, more than NVDA's 0.14% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
NVDA NVIDIA Corporation	0.14%	0.02%	0.03%	0.03%	0.11%	0.05%	0.12%	0.27%	0.46%	0.29%	0.45%	1.20%
XLI Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund	1.18%	1.29%	1.44%	1.63%	1.63%	1.25%	1.55%	1.94%	2.15%	1.77%	2.07%	2.15%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XLI and NVDA in my portfolio?

XLI and NVDA have a correlation of 0.27, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, XLI or NVDA?

NVDA has higher volatility (13.14%) compared to XLI (3.98%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XLI dropped -62.26% vs NVDA's -89.72%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

XLI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.39 vs 1.37), 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.