XRT vs. IYC

Last updated Aug 4, 2026

XRT (SPDR S&P Retail ETF) and IYC (iShares U.S. Consumer Discretionary ETF) are both Consumer Discretionary Equities funds - XRT tracks the S&P Retail Select Industry Index while IYC tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Consumer Services Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, XRT returned 9.00%/yr vs 11.46%/yr for IYC. Their correlation of 0.82 means they have usually moved in the same direction. XRT charges 0.35%/yr vs 0.38%/yr for IYC.

Performance

XRT vs. IYC - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) and iShares U.S. Consumer Discretionary ETF (IYC). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XRT achieves a 7.76% return, which is significantly higher than IYC's -0.23% return. Over the past 10 years, XRT has underperformed IYC with an annualized return of 9.00%, while IYC has yielded a comparatively higher 11.46% annualized return.

XRT

• 1D: 1.87%
• 1M: 3.86%
• 6M: 4.50%
• YTD: 7.76%
• 1Y: 18.43%
• 3Y*: 12.43%
• 5Y*: 1.12%
• 10Y*: 9.00%
• ALL TIME*: 9.68%

IYC

• 1D: 1.46%
• 1M: 0.54%
• 6M: -1.73%
• YTD: -0.23%
• 1Y: 5.11%
• 3Y*: 13.35%
• 5Y*: 6.39%
• 10Y*: 11.46%
• ALL TIME*: 8.48%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
IYC iShares U.S. Consumer Discretionary ETF	$10.99M	$10.43M	$12.08M
XRT SPDR S&P Retail ETF	$433.01M	$377.95M	$454.29M

XRT vs. IYC - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
XRT SPDR S&P Retail ETF	7.76%	8.07%	11.78%	21.53%	-31.64%	42.60%	41.91%	14.12%	-8.04%	4.22%
IYC iShares U.S. Consumer Discretionary ETF	-0.23%	7.85%	27.54%	34.03%	-31.78%	19.65%	24.58%	27.36%	1.76%	19.87%

Correlation

The correlation between XRT and IYC is 0.75, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.75
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.76
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.81
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.77
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 22, 2006	0.82

The correlation between XRT and IYC has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.75 to 0.82 - a consistent structural relationship.

XRT vs. IYC - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	XRT	IYC
Consumer Cyclical	75.2%	66.8%
Consumer Defensive	18.7%	11.5%
Technology	2.7%	7.0%
Communication Services	1.8%	10.6%
Healthcare	1.6%	-
Energy	1.3%	0.1%
Basic Materials	-	-
Financial Services	-	-
Industrials	-	3.9%
Real Estate	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

XRT vs. IYC — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

XRT

XRT Risk / Return Rank: 35
XRT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 35
XRT Sortino Ratio Rank: 37
XRT Omega Ratio Rank: 33
XRT Calmar Ratio Rank: 38
XRT Martin Ratio Rank: 33

IYC

IYC Risk / Return Rank: 18
IYC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 19
IYC Sortino Ratio Rank: 18
IYC Omega Ratio Rank: 17
IYC Calmar Ratio Rank: 18
IYC Martin Ratio Rank: 19

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

XRT vs. IYC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) and iShares U.S. Consumer Discretionary ETF (IYC). 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.

	XRT	IYC	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.89	0.34	+0.55
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.43	0.59	+0.85
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.16	1.07	+0.09
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.37	0.43	+0.94
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.09	1.10	+1.99

XRT vs. IYC - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XRT Sharpe Ratio is 0.89, which is higher than the IYC Sharpe Ratio of 0.34. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XRT and IYC, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

XRT vs. IYC - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XRT drawdown since its inception was -65.81%, which is greater than IYC's maximum drawdown of -53.10%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XRT and IYC.

Drawdown Indicators

	XRT	IYC	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-65.81%	-53.10%	-12.71%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.53%	-11.97%	-1.56%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-25.62%	-21.62%	-4.00%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-44.57%	-35.90%	-8.67%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-47.02%	-35.90%	-11.12%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.26%	-4.00%	-1.26%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-14.95%	-9.93%	-5.02%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.97%	4.65%	+1.32%

Volatility

XRT vs. IYC - Volatility Comparison

SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) has a higher volatility of 6.29% compared to iShares U.S. Consumer Discretionary ETF (IYC) at 5.39%. This indicates that XRT's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IYC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XRT	IYC	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.29%	5.39%	+0.90%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	15.03%	12.01%	+3.02%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	20.91%	15.25%	+5.66%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	26.91%	20.89%	+6.02%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	27.20%	19.96%	+7.24%

XRT vs. IYC - Expense Ratio Comparison

XRT has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is lower than IYC's 0.38% expense ratio.

Dividends

XRT vs. IYC - Dividend Comparison

XRT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.74%, more than IYC's 0.50% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
IYC iShares U.S. Consumer Discretionary ETF	0.50%	0.51%	0.47%	0.68%	0.68%	0.39%	0.65%	0.89%	0.90%	0.92%	1.10%	1.03%
XRT SPDR S&P Retail ETF	0.74%	0.77%	1.52%	1.40%	2.15%	1.55%	1.01%	1.57%	1.51%	1.52%	1.36%	1.30%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XRT and IYC in my portfolio?

XRT and IYC have a correlation of 0.75, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, XRT or IYC?

XRT has higher volatility (6.29%) compared to IYC (5.39%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XRT dropped -65.81% vs IYC's -53.10%.

Which ETF is better, XRT or IYC?

On 10-year performance, IYC leads with 11.46% vs 9.00% for XRT. On fees, XRT is cheaper at 0.35% per year. On volatility, IYC has been the lower-risk option at 5.39%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, XRT or IYC?

Over the 10-year period, IYC has performed better with a 11.46% return vs 9.00%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, XRT or IYC?

XRT is cheaper with a 0.35% expense ratio, compared with 0.38% for IYC.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, XRT or IYC?

XRT has the higher dividend yield at 0.74%, compared with 0.50% for IYC.

What is the main difference between XRT and IYC?

XRT tracks S&P Retail Select Industry Index, while IYC tracks Dow Jones U.S. Consumer Services Index. They also come from different issuers: State Street and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.35% for XRT and 0.38% for IYC.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

XRT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.89 vs 0.34), 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.