XSKR.L vs. ICSU.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

XSKR.L (Xtrackers MSCI Europe Communication Services ESG Screened UCITS ETF 1C) and ICSU.L (iShares S&P 500 Consumer Staples Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc)) are both exchange-traded funds - XSKR.L is a Communications Equities fund tracking the MSCI World/Comm Services NR USD, while ICSU.L is a Consumer Staples Equities fund tracking the S&P 500 Capped 35/20 Consumer Staples Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, XSKR.L returned 5.91%/yr vs 7.91%/yr for ICSU.L. At a 0.36 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XSKR.L charges 0.20%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for ICSU.L.

Performance

XSKR.L vs. ICSU.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in Xtrackers MSCI Europe Communication Services ESG Screened UCITS ETF 1C (XSKR.L) and iShares S&P 500 Consumer Staples Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (ICSU.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XSKR.L achieves a 4.33% return, which is significantly lower than ICSU.L's 6.60% return.

XSKR.L

• 1D: 0.08%
• 1M: 2.97%
• YTD: 4.33%
• 6M: 5.35%
• 1Y: -6.83%
• 3Y*: 9.94%
• 5Y*: 5.91%
• 10Y*: 2.84%

ICSU.L

• 1D: 0.03%
• 1M: -1.75%
• YTD: 6.60%
• 6M: 5.01%
• 1Y: 4.82%
• 3Y*: 5.52%
• 5Y*: 7.91%
• 10Y*: —

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

XSKR.L vs. ICSU.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
XSKR.L Xtrackers MSCI Europe Communication Services ESG Screened UCITS ETF 1C	4.33%	9.54%	11.64%	14.09%	-6.11%	7.74%	-7.30%	-1.29%	-7.60%	0.23%
ICSU.L iShares S&P 500 Consumer Staples Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc)	6.60%	-3.20%	16.26%	-5.83%	11.78%	19.63%	5.64%	22.78%	-3.96%	-2.26%

Correlation

The correlation between XSKR.L and ICSU.L is 0.16, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.16
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.23
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.25
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 23, 2017	0.36

Over the past year, the correlation between XSKR.L and ICSU.L has dropped to 0.16 - well below their long-term average of 0.36, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

XSKR.L vs. ICSU.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	XSKR.L	ICSU.L
Communication Services	90.0%	-
Real Estate	10.1%	-
Basic Materials	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	1.0%
Consumer Defensive	-	99.0%
Energy	-	-
Financial Services	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Industrials	-	-
Technology	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

XSKR.L vs. ICSU.L — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

XSKR.L

XSKR.L Risk / Return Rank: 5
XSKR.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 5
XSKR.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 5
XSKR.L Omega Ratio Rank: 5
XSKR.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 5
XSKR.L Martin Ratio Rank: 5

ICSU.L

ICSU.L Risk / Return Rank: 13
ICSU.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 12
ICSU.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 12
ICSU.L Omega Ratio Rank: 12
ICSU.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 13
ICSU.L Martin Ratio Rank: 13

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

XSKR.L vs. ICSU.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Xtrackers MSCI Europe Communication Services ESG Screened UCITS ETF 1C (XSKR.L) and iShares S&P 500 Consumer Staples Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (ICSU.L). 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.

	XSKR.L	ICSU.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.42	0.22	-0.64
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-0.49	0.43	-0.92
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.94	1.05	-0.11
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.43	0.34	-0.77
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.88	0.82	-1.70
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XSKR.L vs. ICSU.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XSKR.L Sharpe Ratio is -0.42, which is lower than the ICSU.L Sharpe Ratio of 0.22. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XSKR.L and ICSU.L, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	XSKR.L	ICSU.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.42	0.22	-0.64
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.43	0.59	-0.15
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.18	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.34	0.48	-0.14

Drawdowns

XSKR.L vs. ICSU.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XSKR.L drawdown since its inception was -36.21%, which is greater than ICSU.L's maximum drawdown of -18.54%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XSKR.L and ICSU.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	XSKR.L	ICSU.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-36.21%	-18.54%	-17.67%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.35%	-9.24%	-5.11%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-14.35%	-11.59%	-2.76%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-17.88%	-13.70%	-4.18%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-36.21%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-8.12%	-7.40%	-0.72%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.33%	-4.93%	-4.40%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.97%	3.87%	+3.10%

Volatility

XSKR.L vs. ICSU.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Xtrackers MSCI Europe Communication Services ESG Screened UCITS ETF 1C (XSKR.L) is 4.93%, while iShares S&P 500 Consumer Staples Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (ICSU.L) has a volatility of 6.57%. This indicates that XSKR.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ICSU.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XSKR.L	ICSU.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.93%	6.57%	-1.64%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.18%	11.97%	+0.21%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.73%	14.37%	+0.36%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.60%	13.45%	+0.15%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.78%	14.31%	+1.47%

XSKR.L vs. ICSU.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

XSKR.L has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is higher than ICSU.L's 0.15% 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

XSKR.L vs. ICSU.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither XSKR.L nor ICSU.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XSKR.L and ICSU.L in my portfolio?

XSKR.L and ICSU.L have a correlation of 0.16, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, XSKR.L or ICSU.L?

On fees, ICSU.L is cheaper at 0.15% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, XSKR.L or ICSU.L?

ICSU.L is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.20% for XSKR.L.

What is the main difference between XSKR.L and ICSU.L?

XSKR.L is categorized as Communications Equities, while ICSU.L is Consumer Staples Equities. XSKR.L tracks MSCI World/Comm Services NR USD, while ICSU.L tracks S&P 500 Capped 35/20 Consumer Staples Index. They also come from different issuers: Xtrackers and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.20% for XSKR.L and 0.15% for ICSU.L.