ETF Versus

MDY vs XLB

State Street SPDR S&P MIDCAP 400 ETF Trust vs State Street Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-10

MDY SPDR

State Street SPDR S&P MIDCAP 400 ETF Trust (MDY) is an exchange-traded fund issued by SPDR that provides exposure to mid-cap U.S. companies balancing growth potential and stability. It charges a moderate expense ratio of 0.24%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.11%. Launched in 1995, the fund has a 31-year track record.

AUM: $25.2B ER: 0.24% Yield: 1.11% Since: May 4, 1995
XLB SPDR

State Street Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLB) is an exchange-traded fund issued by SPDR that provides exposure to us sector - materials securities. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.08%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.68%. Launched in 1998, the fund has a 28-year track record.

AUM: $7.0B ER: 0.08% Yield: 1.68% Since: Dec 16, 1998

Quick Verdict

XLB is significantly cheaper at 0.08% vs 0.24% expense ratio, saving you approximately $316 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. XLB has edged ahead over the past year (32.9% vs 31.1%). Income investors may prefer XLB for its higher yield (1.7% vs 1.1%).

Key Metrics

Metric MDY XLB
Expense Ratio 0.24% 0.08%
Dividend Yield 1.1% 1.7%
Fund Family SPDR SPDR
Category US Mid Cap US Sector - Materials

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

80 91 102 113 124 135 2021-04 2022-07 2023-10 2025-01 2026-04
MDY +31.8%
XLB +29.3%

Performance Comparison

Period MDY XLB Difference
1 Month +3.01% +4.22% -1.21%
3 Months +1.74% +7.06% -5.32%
6 Months +9.24% +17.75% -8.51%
YTD +5.23% +12.63% -7.40%
1 Year +31.12% +32.89% -1.77%
3 Years +40.99% +28.85% +12.14%
5 Years +31.81% +29.33% +2.48%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period MDY Fees XLB Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $475 $159 $316
$10,000 20 years $2,028 $686 $1,343
$10,000 30 years $6,497 $2,212 $4,284
$50,000 10 years $2,375 $797 $1,578
$50,000 30 years $32,483 $11,061 $21,422
$100,000 30 years $64,967 $22,123 $42,844

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric MDY XLB
Annualized Volatility 19.8% 18.9%
Max Drawdown -24.5% -25.7%
Sharpe Ratio 0.15 0.13

Dividend Comparison

Metric MDY XLB
Annual Dividend (per share) $7.12 $0.87
Dividend Yield 1.11% 1.68%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Top Holdings

0 of top 10 holdings overlap (0% overlap in top holdings)

MDY Top Holdings

NameWeight
TechnipFMC plcFTI0.86%
U.S. DollarCASH_USD0.85%
Casey's General Stores, Inc.CASY0.84%
Flex Ltd.FLEX0.80%
Curtiss-Wright CorporationCW0.80%
United Therapeutics CorporationUTHR0.75%
XPO, Inc.XPO0.74%
Woodward, Inc.WWD0.70%
FabrinetFN0.65%
Royal Gold, Inc.RGLD0.65%

XLB Top Holdings

NameWeight
Linde plcLIN14.06%
Newmont CorporationNEM7.76%
Freeport-McMoRan Inc.FCX5.63%
CRH plcCRH4.72%
Vulcan Materials CompanyVMC4.68%
The Sherwin-Williams CompanySHW4.66%
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.APD4.60%
Corteva, Inc.CTVA4.60%
Nucor CorporationNUE4.57%
Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.MLM4.50%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose XLB if...

you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.

Choose XLB if...

you prioritize dividend income and want higher regular distributions from your portfolio.

Related Comparisons