XLV vs. GSK
XLV (State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF) is Health & Biotech Equities fund tracking the Health Care Select Sector Index, while GSK (GlaxoSmithKline plc) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, XLV returned 9.81%/yr vs 5.35%/yr for GSK. At a 0.48 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
XLV vs. GSK - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XLV achieves a -0.23% return, which is significantly lower than GSK's 9.89% return. Over the past 10 years, XLV has outperformed GSK with an annualized return of 9.81%, while GSK has yielded a comparatively lower 5.35% annualized return.
XLV
- 1D
- -0.18%
- 1M
- 4.90%
- YTD
- -0.23%
- 6M
- 0.67%
- 1Y
- 15.00%
- 3Y*
- 7.12%
- 5Y*
- 6.00%
- 10Y*
- 9.81%
GSK
- 1D
- 0.34%
- 1M
- 6.78%
- YTD
- 9.89%
- 6M
- 10.40%
- 1Y
- 34.50%
- 3Y*
- 19.84%
- 5Y*
- 5.34%
- 10Y*
- 5.35%
XLV vs. GSK - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XLV State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF | -0.23% | 14.50% | 2.47% | 2.07% | -2.08% | 26.04% | 13.30% | 20.45% | 6.28% | 21.77% |
GSK GlaxoSmithKline plc | 9.89% | 51.23% | -5.14% | 9.71% | -33.41% | 26.74% | -17.72% | 29.24% | 13.79% | -2.97% |
Correlation
The correlation between XLV and GSK is 0.62, 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 | 0.62 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.55 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.53 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.53 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 22, 1998 | 0.48 |
The correlation between XLV and GSK shifts across timeframes, from 0.48 (all time) to 0.62 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
XLV vs. GSK — Risk / Return Rank
XLV
GSK
XLV vs. GSK - 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 GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK). 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.
| XLV | GSK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.13 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.11 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.17 | 1.20 | -0.03 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.38 | 1.58 | -0.20 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.31 | 3.92 | -0.61 |
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Drawdowns
XLV vs. GSK - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XLV drawdown since its inception was -39.17%, smaller than the maximum GSK drawdown of -55.70%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XLV and GSK.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XLV | GSK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -39.17% | -55.70% | +16.53% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.47% | -18.63% | +8.16% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -17.11% | -28.46% | +11.35% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.11% | -50.10% | +32.99% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -28.40% | -50.10% | +21.70% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.59% | -11.92% | +8.33% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.12% | -18.87% | +11.75% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.37% | 8.28% | -3.91% |
Volatility
XLV vs. GSK - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) is 4.90%, while GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) has a volatility of 6.81%. This indicates that XLV experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GSK based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XLV | GSK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.90% | 6.81% | -1.91% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.60% | 18.49% | -7.89% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.03% | 27.06% | -12.03% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.75% | 25.08% | -10.33% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.58% | 22.89% | -6.31% |
Dividends
XLV vs. GSK - Dividend Comparison
XLV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.63%, less than GSK's 3.26% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GSK GlaxoSmithKline plc | 3.26% | 3.42% | 4.60% | 3.75% | 5.47% | 4.99% | 5.59% | 4.35% | 5.65% | 5.83% | 6.86% | 5.93% |
XLV State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF | 1.63% | 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 GSK have a correlation of 0.62, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
GSK has higher volatility (6.81%) compared to XLV (4.90%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XLV dropped -39.17% vs GSK's -55.70%.
GSK currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.09 vs 0.97), 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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