XLK vs. HARD
XLK (State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF) and HARD (Simplify Commodities Strategy No K-1 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XLK is a Technology Equities fund tracking the S&P Technology Select Sector Daily Capped 35/20 Index, while HARD is a Commodities fund actively managed by Simplify. XLK is passively managed, while HARD is actively managed. Over the past 3 years, XLK returned 30.28%/yr vs 11.25%/yr for HARD. At a 0.03 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XLK charges 0.08%/yr vs 0.75%/yr for HARD.
Performance
XLK vs. HARD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XLK achieves a 28.52% return, which is significantly higher than HARD's 8.63% return.
XLK
- 1D
- 0.87%
- 1M
- 2.95%
- YTD
- 28.52%
- 6M
- 28.96%
- 1Y
- 55.42%
- 3Y*
- 30.28%
- 5Y*
- 22.02%
- 10Y*
- 25.19%
HARD
- 1D
- -1.27%
- 1M
- -11.36%
- YTD
- 8.63%
- 6M
- 9.40%
- 1Y
- 11.32%
- 3Y*
- 11.25%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
XLK vs. HARD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
XLK State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF | 28.52% | 24.61% | 21.63% | 33.76% |
HARD Simplify Commodities Strategy No K-1 ETF | 8.63% | 12.19% | 20.48% | -5.04% |
Correlation
The correlation between XLK and HARD is -0.06, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.06 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.04 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 28, 2023 | 0.03 |
The correlation between XLK and HARD shifts across timeframes, from -0.06 (1 year) to 0.04 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
XLK vs. HARD — Risk / Return Rank
XLK
HARD
XLK vs. HARD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) and Simplify Commodities Strategy No K-1 ETF (HARD). 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.
| XLK | HARD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +2.00 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.27 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.39 | 1.08 | +0.31 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.36 | 0.65 | +2.71 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.85 | 1.69 | +9.16 |
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Drawdowns
XLK vs. HARD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XLK drawdown since its inception was -82.05%, which is greater than HARD's maximum drawdown of -15.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XLK and HARD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XLK | HARD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -82.05% | -15.20% | -66.85% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -15.92% | -15.20% | -0.72% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -25.66% | -15.20% | -10.46% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -33.56% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -33.56% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.77% | -15.20% | +8.43% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -34.93% | -5.53% | -29.40% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.92% | 5.84% | -0.92% |
Volatility
XLK vs. HARD - Volatility Comparison
State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) has a higher volatility of 10.86% compared to Simplify Commodities Strategy No K-1 ETF (HARD) at 6.44%. This indicates that XLK's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than HARD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XLK | HARD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 10.86% | 6.44% | +4.42% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 18.92% | 21.87% | -2.95% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 22.55% | 26.48% | -3.93% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 25.18% | 19.08% | +6.10% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 24.64% | 19.08% | +5.56% |
XLK vs. HARD - Expense Ratio Comparison
XLK has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is lower than HARD's 0.75% expense ratio.
Dividends
XLK vs. HARD - Dividend Comparison
XLK's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.41%, less than HARD's 2.76% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HARD Simplify Commodities Strategy No K-1 ETF | 2.76% | 2.36% | 3.51% | 1.95% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
XLK State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF | 0.41% | 0.54% | 0.66% | 0.76% | 1.04% | 0.65% | 0.92% | 1.16% | 1.60% | 1.37% | 1.74% | 1.79% |
Frequently Asked Questions
XLK and HARD have a correlation of -0.06, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
XLK has higher volatility (10.86%) compared to HARD (6.44%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XLK dropped -82.05% vs HARD's -15.20%.
On 3-year performance, XLK leads with 30.28% vs 11.25% for HARD. On fees, XLK is cheaper at 0.08% per year. On volatility, HARD has been the lower-risk option at 6.44%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, XLK has performed better with a 30.28% return vs 11.25%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
XLK is cheaper with a 0.08% expense ratio, compared with 0.75% for HARD.
HARD has the higher dividend yield at 2.76%, compared with 0.41% for XLK.
XLK is categorized as Technology Equities, while HARD is Commodities. They also come from different issuers: State Street and Simplify. Their fees differ too: 0.08% for XLK and 0.75% for HARD.
XLK currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.37 vs 0.37), 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.
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