XLV vs. AZN
XLV (State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF) is Health & Biotech Equities fund tracking the Health Care Select Sector Index, while AZN (AstraZeneca PLC) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, XLV returned 9.65%/yr vs 15.85%/yr for AZN. At a 0.45 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
XLV vs. AZN - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XLV achieves a -0.98% return, which is significantly lower than AZN's 0.81% return. Over the past 10 years, XLV has underperformed AZN with an annualized return of 9.65%, while AZN has yielded a comparatively higher 15.85% annualized return.
XLV
- 1D
- -0.24%
- 1M
- 6.38%
- YTD
- -0.98%
- 6M
- 1.65%
- 1Y
- 15.62%
- 3Y*
- 7.16%
- 5Y*
- 6.05%
- 10Y*
- 9.65%
AZN
- 1D
- -2.37%
- 1M
- -0.71%
- YTD
- 0.81%
- 6M
- 1.53%
- 1Y
- 28.04%
- 3Y*
- 9.54%
- 5Y*
- 12.08%
- 10Y*
- 15.85%
XLV vs. AZN - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XLV State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF | -0.98% | 14.50% | 2.47% | 2.07% | -2.08% | 26.04% | 13.30% | 20.45% | 6.28% | 21.77% |
AZN AstraZeneca PLC | 0.81% | 43.30% | -0.62% | 1.44% | 19.14% | 19.66% | 3.12% | 35.68% | 13.86% | 33.10% |
Correlation
The correlation between XLV and AZN is 0.55, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.55 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.50 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.51 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.48 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 23, 1998 | 0.45 |
The correlation between XLV and AZN shifts across timeframes, from 0.45 (all time) to 0.55 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
XLV vs. AZN — Risk / Return Rank
XLV
AZN
XLV vs. AZN - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) and AstraZeneca PLC (AZN). 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.
| XLV | AZN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.06 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.16 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.21 | -0.02 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.50 | 1.83 | -0.34 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.60 | 4.90 | -1.30 |
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
| XLV | AZN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.05 | 1.11 | -0.06 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.41 | 0.51 | -0.09 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.58 | 0.64 | -0.05 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.46 | 0.49 | -0.03 |
Drawdowns
XLV vs. AZN - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XLV drawdown since its inception was -39.17%, smaller than the maximum AZN drawdown of -48.94%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XLV and AZN.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XLV | AZN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -39.17% | -48.94% | +9.77% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.47% | -15.43% | +4.96% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -17.11% | -27.87% | +10.76% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.11% | -27.87% | +10.76% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -28.40% | -27.87% | -0.53% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.32% | -12.90% | +8.58% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.12% | -11.37% | +4.25% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.35% | 5.75% | -1.40% |
Volatility
XLV vs. AZN - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) is 5.02%, while AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) has a volatility of 7.42%. This indicates that XLV experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than AZN based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XLV | AZN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.02% | 7.42% | -2.40% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.66% | 17.47% | -6.81% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.99% | 25.55% | -10.56% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.76% | 24.02% | -9.26% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.58% | 24.94% | -8.36% |
Dividends
XLV vs. AZN - Dividend Comparison
XLV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.64%, less than AZN's 2.93% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AZN AstraZeneca PLC | 2.93% | 1.70% | 2.27% | 2.15% | 2.12% | 2.35% | 2.80% | 2.81% | 3.69% | 3.95% | 5.01% | 4.06% |
XLV State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF | 1.64% | 1.60% | 1.67% | 1.59% | 1.47% | 1.33% | 1.49% | 2.17% | 1.57% | 1.47% | 1.60% | 1.43% |
Frequently Asked Questions
XLV and AZN have a correlation of 0.55, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
AZN has higher volatility (7.42%) compared to XLV (5.02%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XLV dropped -39.17% vs AZN's -48.94%.
AZN currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.11 vs 1.05), 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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