XLRE vs. SPYM
XLRE (Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund) and SPYM (State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XLRE is a REIT fund tracking the Real Estate Select Sector Index, while SPYM is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, XLRE returned 6.92%/yr vs 15.61%/yr for SPYM. A 0.54 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. XLRE charges 0.13%/yr vs 0.02%/yr for SPYM.
Performance
XLRE vs. SPYM - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XLRE achieves a 12.35% return, which is significantly higher than SPYM's 8.21% return. Over the past 10 years, XLRE has underperformed SPYM with an annualized return of 6.92%, while SPYM has yielded a comparatively higher 15.61% annualized return.
XLRE
- 1D
- 1.41%
- 1M
- 1.06%
- YTD
- 12.35%
- 6M
- 12.83%
- 1Y
- 9.79%
- 3Y*
- 11.31%
- 5Y*
- 3.53%
- 10Y*
- 6.92%
SPYM
- 1D
- -1.44%
- 1M
- -1.32%
- YTD
- 8.21%
- 6M
- 7.24%
- 1Y
- 23.73%
- 3Y*
- 20.77%
- 5Y*
- 13.13%
- 10Y*
- 15.61%
XLRE vs. SPYM - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XLRE Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund | 12.35% | 2.63% | 5.09% | 12.36% | -26.25% | 46.10% | -2.18% | 28.68% | -2.39% | 10.69% |
SPYM State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF | 8.21% | 17.79% | 25.00% | 26.24% | -18.09% | 28.78% | 18.49% | 31.99% | -4.78% | 21.30% |
Correlation
The correlation between XLRE and SPYM is 0.24, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.43 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.56 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.54 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 8, 2015 | 0.54 |
Over the past year, the correlation between XLRE and SPYM has dropped to 0.24 - well below their long-term average of 0.54, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
XLRE vs. SPYM — Risk / Return Rank
XLRE
SPYM
XLRE vs. SPYM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) and State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF (SPYM). 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 | SPYM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.22 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.58 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.13 | 1.35 | -0.22 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.18 | 2.68 | -1.50 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.23 | 11.98 | -8.75 |
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Drawdowns
XLRE vs. SPYM - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XLRE drawdown since its inception was -38.83%, smaller than the maximum SPYM drawdown of -54.46%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XLRE and SPYM.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XLRE | SPYM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -38.83% | -54.46% | +15.63% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.33% | -8.90% | +0.57% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -16.74% | -18.72% | +1.98% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -34.12% | -24.48% | -9.64% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -38.83% | -33.87% | -4.96% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.72% | -3.14% | +2.42% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.56% | -7.14% | -2.42% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.04% | 1.99% | +1.05% |
Volatility
XLRE vs. SPYM - Volatility Comparison
Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) has a higher volatility of 5.35% compared to State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF (SPYM) at 4.83%. This indicates that XLRE's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPYM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XLRE | SPYM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.35% | 4.83% | +0.52% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.63% | 9.83% | +0.80% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.17% | 12.46% | +1.71% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 19.13% | 16.90% | +2.23% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.45% | 18.03% | +2.42% |
XLRE vs. SPYM - Expense Ratio Comparison
XLRE has a 0.13% expense ratio, which is higher than SPYM's 0.02% expense ratio. However, 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. SPYM - Dividend Comparison
XLRE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.15%, more than SPYM's 1.30% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPYM State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF | 1.30% | 1.13% | 1.28% | 1.44% | 1.69% | 1.25% | 1.54% | 1.79% | 2.23% | 1.75% | 1.97% | 1.98% |
XLRE Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund | 3.15% | 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 SPYM have a correlation of 0.24, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
XLRE has higher volatility (5.35%) compared to SPYM (4.83%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XLRE dropped -38.83% vs SPYM's -54.46%.
On 10-year performance, SPYM leads with 15.61% vs 6.92% for XLRE. On fees, SPYM is cheaper at 0.02% per year. On volatility, SPYM has been the lower-risk option at 4.83%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, SPYM has performed better with a 15.61% return vs 6.92%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SPYM is cheaper with a 0.02% expense ratio, compared with 0.13% for XLRE.
XLRE has the higher dividend yield at 3.15%, compared with 1.30% for SPYM.
XLRE is categorized as REIT, while SPYM is S&P 500. XLRE tracks Real Estate Select Sector Index, while SPYM tracks S&P 500 Index. Their fees differ too: 0.13% for XLRE and 0.02% for SPYM.
SPYM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.92 vs 0.70), 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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