XLRE vs. IEF
XLRE (Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund) and IEF (iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XLRE is a REIT fund tracking the Real Estate Select Sector Index, while IEF is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 7-10 Year Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, XLRE returned 7.15%/yr vs 0.59%/yr for IEF. At a 0.17 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XLRE charges 0.13%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for IEF.
Performance
XLRE vs. IEF - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XLRE achieves a 13.17% return, which is significantly higher than IEF's -0.47% return. Over the past 10 years, XLRE has outperformed IEF with an annualized return of 7.15%, while IEF has yielded a comparatively lower 0.59% annualized return.
XLRE
- 1D
- 0.98%
- 1M
- 3.30%
- YTD
- 13.17%
- 6M
- 13.29%
- 1Y
- 12.05%
- 3Y*
- 10.41%
- 5Y*
- 3.32%
- 10Y*
- 7.15%
IEF
- 1D
- -0.17%
- 1M
- 0.25%
- YTD
- -0.47%
- 6M
- -0.18%
- 1Y
- 3.78%
- 3Y*
- 2.86%
- 5Y*
- -1.24%
- 10Y*
- 0.59%
XLRE vs. IEF - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XLRE Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund | 13.17% | 2.63% | 5.09% | 12.36% | -26.25% | 46.10% | -2.18% | 28.68% | -2.39% | 10.69% |
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | -0.47% | 8.03% | -0.63% | 3.64% | -15.15% | -3.33% | 10.01% | 8.03% | 0.99% | 2.55% |
Correlation
The correlation between XLRE and IEF is 0.36, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.36 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.37 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.19 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 8, 2015 | 0.17 |
The correlation between XLRE and IEF shifts across timeframes, from 0.17 (all time) to 0.37 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
XLRE vs. IEF — Risk / Return Rank
XLRE
IEF
XLRE vs. IEF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) and iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF). 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.
| XLRE | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.09 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.07 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.15 | 1.12 | +0.02 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.34 | 0.84 | +0.51 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.69 | 2.35 | +1.35 |
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Drawdowns
XLRE vs. IEF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XLRE drawdown since its inception was -38.83%, which is greater than IEF's maximum drawdown of -23.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XLRE and IEF.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XLRE | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -38.83% | -23.93% | -14.90% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.33% | -4.07% | -4.26% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -16.74% | -7.74% | -9.00% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -34.12% | -21.40% | -12.72% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -38.83% | -23.93% | -14.90% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -11.18% | +11.18% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.58% | -5.35% | -4.23% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.03% | 1.45% | +1.58% |
Volatility
XLRE vs. IEF - Volatility Comparison
Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) has a higher volatility of 4.81% compared to iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF) at 1.62%. This indicates that XLRE's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IEF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XLRE | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.81% | 1.62% | +3.19% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.20% | 3.42% | +6.78% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 13.83% | 4.72% | +9.11% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 19.10% | 7.71% | +11.39% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.42% | 6.63% | +13.79% |
XLRE vs. IEF - Expense Ratio Comparison
XLRE has a 0.13% expense ratio, which is lower than IEF's 0.15% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
XLRE vs. IEF - Dividend Comparison
XLRE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.08%, less than IEF's 3.89% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 3.89% | 3.77% | 3.62% | 2.91% | 1.96% | 0.83% | 1.08% | 2.08% | 2.24% | 1.82% | 1.81% | 1.90% |
XLRE Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund | 3.08% | 3.45% | 3.43% | 3.31% | 3.70% | 2.61% | 3.15% | 3.06% | 3.78% | 3.25% | 4.22% | 1.09% |
Frequently Asked Questions
XLRE and IEF have a correlation of 0.36, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
XLRE has higher volatility (4.81%) compared to IEF (1.62%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XLRE dropped -38.83% vs IEF's -23.93%.
On 10-year performance, XLRE leads with 7.15% vs 0.59% for IEF. On fees, XLRE is cheaper at 0.13% per year. On volatility, IEF has been the lower-risk option at 1.62%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, XLRE has performed better with a 7.15% return vs 0.59%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
XLRE is cheaper with a 0.13% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for IEF.
IEF has the higher dividend yield at 3.89%, compared with 3.08% for XLRE.
XLRE is categorized as REIT, while IEF is Government Bonds. XLRE tracks Real Estate Select Sector Index, while IEF tracks ICE U.S. Treasury 7-10 Year Bond Index. They also come from different issuers: State Street and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.13% for XLRE and 0.15% for IEF.
XLRE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.81 vs 0.72), 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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