XLU vs. FXU
Compare and contrast key facts about Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU) and First Trust Utilities AlphaDEX Fund (FXU).
XLU and FXU are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. XLU is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the Utilities Select Sector Index. It was launched on Dec 16, 1998. FXU is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the StrataQuant Utilities Index. It was launched on May 8, 2007. Both XLU and FXU are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
XLU vs. FXU - Performance Comparison
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XLU vs. FXU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XLU Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund | 8.77% | 16.03% | 23.31% | -7.18% | 1.44% | 17.70% | 0.51% | 25.93% | 3.94% | 12.05% |
FXU First Trust Utilities AlphaDEX Fund | 11.27% | 21.86% | 22.50% | -2.12% | 3.68% | 17.67% | 1.53% | 11.67% | 5.43% | 0.98% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XLU achieves a 8.77% return, which is significantly lower than FXU's 11.27% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with XLU having a 9.79% annualized return and FXU not far behind at 9.62%.
XLU
- 1D
- 0.48%
- 1M
- -1.98%
- YTD
- 8.77%
- 6M
- 6.26%
- 1Y
- 19.98%
- 3Y*
- 14.30%
- 5Y*
- 10.90%
- 10Y*
- 9.79%
FXU
- 1D
- 0.52%
- 1M
- -1.21%
- YTD
- 11.27%
- 6M
- 10.34%
- 1Y
- 23.84%
- 3Y*
- 17.86%
- 5Y*
- 13.51%
- 10Y*
- 9.62%
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XLU vs. FXU - Expense Ratio Comparison
XLU has a 0.13% expense ratio, which is lower than FXU's 0.62% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
XLU vs. FXU — Risk / Return Rank
XLU
FXU
XLU vs. FXU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU) and First Trust Utilities AlphaDEX Fund (FXU). 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.
| XLU | FXU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.27 | 1.60 | -0.33 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.73 | 2.11 | -0.38 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.23 | 1.30 | -0.06 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.21 | 2.85 | -0.64 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.31 | 9.41 | -4.10 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| XLU | FXU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.27 | 1.60 | -0.33 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.64 | 0.82 | -0.19 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.51 | 0.53 | -0.02 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.41 | 0.43 | -0.02 |
Correlation
The correlation between XLU and FXU is 0.86, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
XLU vs. FXU - Dividend Comparison
XLU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.58%, more than FXU's 2.10% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XLU Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund | 2.58% | 2.71% | 2.96% | 3.39% | 2.92% | 2.79% | 3.14% | 2.95% | 3.33% | 3.33% | 3.41% | 3.67% |
FXU First Trust Utilities AlphaDEX Fund | 2.10% | 2.29% | 2.41% | 2.52% | 2.03% | 2.00% | 3.97% | 2.34% | 2.40% | 3.81% | 2.62% | 3.90% |
Drawdowns
XLU vs. FXU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XLU drawdown since its inception was -51.98%, which is greater than FXU's maximum drawdown of -49.00%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XLU and FXU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XLU | FXU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -51.98% | -49.00% | -2.98% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.18% | -8.57% | -0.61% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.26% | -21.87% | -3.39% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -36.07% | -34.81% | -1.26% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.72% | -1.80% | -0.92% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.26% | -7.66% | -2.60% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.82% | 2.60% | +1.22% |
Volatility
XLU vs. FXU - Volatility Comparison
Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU) has a higher volatility of 5.09% compared to First Trust Utilities AlphaDEX Fund (FXU) at 4.53%. This indicates that XLU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FXU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XLU | FXU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.09% | 4.53% | +0.56% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.36% | 9.08% | +1.28% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.79% | 14.98% | +0.81% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.18% | 16.49% | +0.69% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.21% | 18.29% | +0.92% |