XLU vs. GLDM
Compare and contrast key facts about Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU) and SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust (GLDM).
XLU and GLDM 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. GLDM is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the LBMA Gold PM Price. It was launched on Jun 25, 2018. Both XLU and GLDM 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. GLDM - Performance Comparison
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XLU vs. GLDM - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XLU Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund | 8.25% | 16.03% | 23.31% | -7.18% | 1.44% | 17.70% | 0.51% | 25.93% | 4.26% |
GLDM SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust | 8.57% | 64.20% | 27.08% | 13.04% | -0.47% | -4.01% | 25.10% | 18.10% | 1.84% |
Returns By Period
The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with XLU having a 8.25% return and GLDM slightly higher at 8.57%.
XLU
- 1D
- -0.07%
- 1M
- -3.18%
- YTD
- 8.25%
- 6M
- 6.77%
- 1Y
- 19.71%
- 3Y*
- 14.12%
- 5Y*
- 10.80%
- 10Y*
- 9.74%
GLDM
- 1D
- 3.77%
- 1M
- -10.99%
- YTD
- 8.57%
- 6M
- 21.24%
- 1Y
- 49.77%
- 3Y*
- 33.33%
- 5Y*
- 21.91%
- 10Y*
- —
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XLU vs. GLDM - Expense Ratio Comparison
XLU has a 0.13% expense ratio, which is higher than GLDM's 0.10% 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%.
Return for Risk
XLU vs. GLDM — Risk / Return Rank
XLU
GLDM
XLU vs. GLDM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU) and SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust (GLDM). 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 | GLDM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.25 | 1.82 | -0.56 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.71 | 2.25 | -0.54 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.23 | 1.33 | -0.10 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.29 | 2.71 | -0.42 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.51 | 10.04 | -4.53 |
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 | GLDM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.25 | 1.82 | -0.56 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.63 | 1.25 | -0.62 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.51 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.41 | 1.09 | -0.68 |
Correlation
The correlation between XLU and GLDM is 0.16, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.
Dividends
XLU vs. GLDM - Dividend Comparison
XLU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.59%, while GLDM has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XLU Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund | 2.59% | 2.71% | 2.96% | 3.39% | 2.92% | 2.79% | 3.14% | 2.95% | 3.33% | 3.33% | 3.41% | 3.67% |
GLDM SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Drawdowns
XLU vs. GLDM - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XLU drawdown since its inception was -51.98%, which is greater than GLDM's maximum drawdown of -21.63%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XLU and GLDM.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XLU | GLDM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -51.98% | -21.63% | -30.35% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.18% | -19.14% | +9.96% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.26% | -20.92% | -4.34% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -36.07% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.18% | -13.19% | +10.01% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.26% | -6.04% | -4.22% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.82% | 5.16% | -1.34% |
Volatility
XLU vs. GLDM - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU) is 5.09%, while SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust (GLDM) has a volatility of 11.01%. This indicates that XLU experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GLDM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XLU | GLDM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.09% | 11.01% | -5.92% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.35% | 24.07% | -13.72% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.82% | 27.57% | -11.75% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.18% | 17.65% | -0.47% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.21% | 16.77% | +2.44% |