MDY vs XLU
State Street SPDR S&P MIDCAP 400 ETF Trust vs State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF
Last updated: 2026-04-10
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.
State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU) is an exchange-traded fund issued by SPDR that provides exposure to us sector - utilities securities. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.08%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 2.51%. Launched in 1998, the fund has a 28-year track record.
Quick Verdict
XLU is significantly cheaper at 0.08% vs 0.24% expense ratio, saving you approximately $316 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Over the past year, MDY has significantly outperformed with a 31.1% return vs 25.8%. Income investors may prefer XLU for its higher yield (2.5% vs 1.1%).
Key Metrics
Performance Chart
Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)
Performance Comparison
Fee Impact Over Time
Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns
Risk Metrics
Based on 5 years of daily returns
Dividend Comparison
Top Holdings
0 of top 10 holdings overlap (0% overlap in top holdings)
MDY Top Holdings
| Name | Weight |
|---|---|
| TechnipFMC plcFTI | 0.86% |
| U.S. DollarCASH_USD | 0.85% |
| Casey's General Stores, Inc.CASY | 0.84% |
| Flex Ltd.FLEX | 0.80% |
| Curtiss-Wright CorporationCW | 0.80% |
| United Therapeutics CorporationUTHR | 0.75% |
| XPO, Inc.XPO | 0.74% |
| Woodward, Inc.WWD | 0.70% |
| FabrinetFN | 0.65% |
| Royal Gold, Inc.RGLD | 0.65% |
XLU Top Holdings
| Name | Weight |
|---|---|
| NextEra Energy, Inc.NEE | 13.52% |
| The Southern CompanySO | 7.38% |
| Duke Energy CorporationDUK | 7.06% |
| Constellation Energy CorporationCEG | 6.11% |
| American Electric Power Company, Inc.AEP | 5.02% |
| SempraSRE | 4.45% |
| Dominion Energy, Inc.D | 3.72% |
| Entergy CorporationETR | 3.57% |
| Exelon CorporationEXC | 3.47% |
| Vistra Corp.VST | 3.42% |
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose XLU if...
you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.
Choose MDY if...
recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.
Choose XLU if...
you prioritize dividend income and want higher regular distributions from your portfolio.