XOM vs. XLB
XOM (Exxon Mobil Corporation) is a stock, while XLB (Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF) is Materials fund tracking the Materials Select Sector Index. Over the past 10 years, XOM returned 9.64%/yr vs 10.54%/yr for XLB. A 0.51 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.
Performance
XOM vs. XLB - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XOM achieves a 23.81% return, which is significantly higher than XLB's 15.57% return. Over the past 10 years, XOM has underperformed XLB with an annualized return of 9.64%, while XLB has yielded a comparatively higher 10.54% annualized return.
XOM
- 1D
- 0.28%
- 1M
- -3.12%
- YTD
- 23.81%
- 6M
- 25.40%
- 1Y
- 35.30%
- 3Y*
- 15.15%
- 5Y*
- 23.23%
- 10Y*
- 9.64%
XLB
- 1D
- 1.87%
- 1M
- 0.99%
- YTD
- 15.57%
- 6M
- 16.68%
- 1Y
- 21.77%
- 3Y*
- 10.88%
- 5Y*
- 6.01%
- 10Y*
- 10.54%
XOM vs. XLB - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XOM Exxon Mobil Corporation | 23.81% | 15.98% | 11.26% | -6.26% | 87.41% | 57.58% | -36.21% | 7.23% | -15.09% | -3.81% |
XLB Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF | 15.57% | 9.94% | 0.15% | 12.46% | -12.30% | 27.44% | 20.46% | 24.13% | -14.88% | 24.01% |
Correlation
The correlation between XOM and XLB is 0.08, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.08 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.37 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.46 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 22, 1998 | 0.51 |
Over the past year, the correlation between XOM and XLB has dropped to 0.08 - well below their long-term average of 0.51, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
XOM vs. XLB — Risk / Return Rank
XOM
XLB
XOM vs. XLB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) and Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLB). 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.
| XOM | XLB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.40 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.36 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.26 | 1.20 | +0.06 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.45 | 1.65 | +0.80 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.56 | 5.05 | +1.51 |
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Drawdowns
XOM vs. XLB - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XOM drawdown since its inception was -62.40%, roughly equal to the maximum XLB drawdown of -59.83%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XOM and XLB.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XOM | XLB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -62.40% | -59.83% | -2.57% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -15.69% | -12.38% | -3.31% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -18.92% | -23.17% | +4.25% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -20.51% | -24.72% | +4.21% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -61.34% | -37.27% | -24.07% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -13.68% | -2.25% | -11.43% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.20% | -10.83% | +0.63% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.84% | 4.04% | +1.80% |
Volatility
XOM vs. XLB - Volatility Comparison
Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) has a higher volatility of 9.08% compared to Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLB) at 7.05%. This indicates that XOM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XLB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XOM | XLB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.08% | 7.05% | +2.03% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 20.51% | 13.58% | +6.93% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 24.51% | 17.49% | +7.02% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 26.77% | 19.06% | +7.71% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 28.20% | 20.70% | +7.50% |
Dividends
XOM vs. XLB - Dividend Comparison
XOM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.78%, more than XLB's 1.68% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XLB Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF | 1.68% | 1.92% | 1.92% | 2.00% | 2.26% | 1.62% | 1.72% | 1.98% | 2.20% | 1.66% | 1.95% | 2.24% |
XOM Exxon Mobil Corporation | 2.78% | 3.32% | 3.57% | 3.68% | 3.22% | 5.70% | 8.44% | 4.92% | 4.74% | 3.66% | 3.30% | 3.69% |
Frequently Asked Questions
XOM and XLB have a correlation of 0.08, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
XOM has higher volatility (9.08%) compared to XLB (7.05%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XOM dropped -62.40% vs XLB's -59.83%.
XOM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.57 vs 1.17), 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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