XLK vs. IYR
XLK (State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF) and IYR (iShares U.S. Real Estate 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 IYR is a REIT fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, XLK returned 25.19%/yr vs 5.97%/yr for IYR. At a 0.47 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XLK charges 0.08%/yr vs 0.42%/yr for IYR.
Performance
XLK vs. IYR - 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 IYR's 11.47% return. Over the past 10 years, XLK has outperformed IYR with an annualized return of 25.19%, while IYR has yielded a comparatively lower 5.97% annualized 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%
IYR
- 1D
- 0.89%
- 1M
- 3.00%
- YTD
- 11.47%
- 6M
- 11.46%
- 1Y
- 12.40%
- 3Y*
- 9.71%
- 5Y*
- 2.47%
- 10Y*
- 5.97%
XLK vs. IYR - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XLK State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF | 28.52% | 24.61% | 21.63% | 56.02% | -27.73% | 34.74% | 43.62% | 49.86% | -1.68% | 34.26% |
IYR iShares U.S. Real Estate ETF | 11.47% | 3.38% | 4.41% | 11.89% | -25.51% | 38.74% | -5.23% | 28.21% | -4.33% | 9.31% |
Correlation
The correlation between XLK and IYR is 0.04, 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 | 0.04 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.41 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.42 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 19, 2000 | 0.47 |
Over the past year, the correlation between XLK and IYR has dropped to 0.04 - well below their long-term average of 0.47, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
XLK vs. IYR — Risk / Return Rank
XLK
IYR
XLK vs. IYR - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) and iShares U.S. Real Estate ETF (IYR). 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 | IYR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.53 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.68 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.39 | 1.15 | +0.24 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.36 | 1.34 | +2.02 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.85 | 4.19 | +6.66 |
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Drawdowns
XLK vs. IYR - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XLK drawdown since its inception was -82.05%, which is greater than IYR's maximum drawdown of -74.13%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XLK and IYR.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XLK | IYR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -82.05% | -74.13% | -7.92% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -15.92% | -8.54% | -7.38% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -25.66% | -17.52% | -8.14% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -33.56% | -33.75% | +0.19% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -33.56% | -42.32% | +8.76% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.77% | 0.00% | -6.77% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -34.93% | -12.89% | -22.04% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.92% | 2.73% | +2.19% |
Volatility
XLK vs. IYR - Volatility Comparison
State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) has a higher volatility of 10.86% compared to iShares U.S. Real Estate ETF (IYR) at 4.80%. This indicates that XLK's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IYR based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XLK | IYR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 10.86% | 4.80% | +6.06% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 18.92% | 9.87% | +9.05% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 22.55% | 13.58% | +8.97% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 25.18% | 18.76% | +6.42% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 24.64% | 20.34% | +4.30% |
XLK vs. IYR - Expense Ratio Comparison
XLK has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is lower than IYR's 0.42% expense ratio.
Dividends
XLK vs. IYR - Dividend Comparison
XLK's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.41%, less than IYR's 2.15% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IYR iShares U.S. Real Estate ETF | 2.15% | 2.48% | 2.57% | 2.75% | 2.92% | 2.06% | 2.58% | 3.05% | 3.53% | 3.73% | 4.41% | 3.92% |
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 IYR have a correlation of 0.04, 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 IYR (4.80%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XLK dropped -82.05% vs IYR's -74.13%.
On 10-year performance, XLK leads with 25.19% vs 5.97% for IYR. On fees, XLK is cheaper at 0.08% per year. On volatility, IYR has been the lower-risk option at 4.80%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, XLK has performed better with a 25.19% return vs 5.97%. 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 0.42% for IYR.
IYR has the higher dividend yield at 2.15%, compared with 0.41% for XLK.
XLK is categorized as Technology Equities, while IYR is REIT. XLK tracks S&P Technology Select Sector Daily Capped 35/20 Index, while IYR tracks Dow Jones U.S. Real Estate Index. They also come from different issuers: State Street and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.08% for XLK and 0.42% for IYR.
XLK currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.37 vs 0.84), 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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