XLV vs. VGLT
XLV (State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF) and VGLT (Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XLV is a Health & Biotech Equities fund tracking the Health Care Select Sector Index, while VGLT is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Long Treasury Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, XLV returned 9.65%/yr vs -1.28%/yr for VGLT. At a correlation of -0.17, they often move in opposite directions. XLV charges 0.08%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VGLT.
Performance
XLV vs. VGLT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XLV achieves a -0.98% return, which is significantly higher than VGLT's -1.16% return. Over the past 10 years, XLV has outperformed VGLT with an annualized return of 9.65%, while VGLT has yielded a comparatively lower -1.28% 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%
VGLT
- 1D
- -0.40%
- 1M
- -1.25%
- YTD
- -1.16%
- 6M
- -1.18%
- 1Y
- 4.15%
- 3Y*
- -0.94%
- 5Y*
- -5.66%
- 10Y*
- -1.28%
XLV vs. VGLT - 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% |
VGLT Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF | -1.16% | 5.35% | -6.28% | 3.27% | -29.34% | -4.98% | 17.57% | 14.30% | -1.54% | 8.64% |
Correlation
The correlation between XLV and VGLT is 0.27, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.02 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 24, 2009 | -0.17 |
The correlation between XLV and VGLT shifts across timeframes, from -0.17 (all time) to 0.27 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
XLV vs. VGLT — Risk / Return Rank
XLV
VGLT
XLV vs. VGLT - 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 Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF (VGLT). 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 | VGLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.57 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.93 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.08 | +0.10 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.50 | 0.60 | +0.90 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.60 | 1.53 | +2.07 |
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 | VGLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.05 | 0.48 | +0.57 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.41 | -0.39 | +0.80 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.58 | -0.09 | +0.68 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.46 | 0.18 | +0.28 |
Drawdowns
XLV vs. VGLT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XLV drawdown since its inception was -39.17%, smaller than the maximum VGLT drawdown of -46.18%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XLV and VGLT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XLV | VGLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -39.17% | -46.18% | +7.01% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.47% | -7.01% | -3.46% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -17.11% | -17.68% | +0.57% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.11% | -40.98% | +23.87% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -28.40% | -46.18% | +17.78% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.32% | -37.30% | +32.98% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.12% | -15.08% | +7.96% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.35% | 2.72% | +1.63% |
Volatility
XLV vs. VGLT - Volatility Comparison
State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) has a higher volatility of 5.02% compared to Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF (VGLT) at 2.50%. This indicates that XLV's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VGLT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XLV | VGLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.02% | 2.50% | +2.52% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.66% | 5.96% | +4.70% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.99% | 8.71% | +6.28% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.76% | 14.57% | +0.19% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.58% | 13.82% | +2.76% |
XLV vs. VGLT - Expense Ratio Comparison
XLV has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is higher than VGLT's 0.03% 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
XLV vs. VGLT - Dividend Comparison
XLV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.64%, less than VGLT's 4.64% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VGLT Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF | 4.64% | 4.44% | 4.33% | 3.33% | 2.84% | 1.82% | 2.15% | 2.46% | 2.71% | 2.55% | 2.69% | 3.21% |
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 VGLT have a correlation of 0.27, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
XLV has higher volatility (5.02%) compared to VGLT (2.50%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XLV dropped -39.17% vs VGLT's -46.18%.
On 10-year performance, XLV leads with 9.65% vs -1.28% for VGLT. On fees, VGLT is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VGLT has been the lower-risk option at 2.50%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, XLV has performed better with a 9.65% return vs -1.28%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VGLT is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.08% for XLV.
VGLT has the higher dividend yield at 4.64%, compared with 1.64% for XLV.
XLV is categorized as Health & Biotech Equities, while VGLT is Government Bonds. XLV tracks Health Care Select Sector Index, while VGLT tracks Bloomberg U.S. Long Treasury Index. They also come from different issuers: State Street and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.08% for XLV and 0.03% for VGLT.
XLV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.05 vs 0.48), 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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