SPDW vs XLU
State Street SPDR Portfolio Developed World ex-US ETF vs State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF
Last updated: 2026-04-10
State Street SPDR Portfolio Developed World ex-US ETF (SPDW) is an exchange-traded fund issued by SPDR that provides exposure to equities in developed international markets outside the U.S.. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.03%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.04%. Launched in 2007, the fund has a 19-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
SPDW has a slightly lower expense ratio (0.03% vs 0.08%), saving about $99 per $10,000 over 10 years. Over the past year, SPDW has significantly outperformed with a 39.9% return vs 25.8%. Income investors may prefer SPDW for its higher yield (3.0% vs 2.5%).
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)
SPDW Top Holdings
| Name | Weight |
|---|---|
| Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.!lon/SMSN | 2.13% |
| ASML Holding N.V.!ams/ASML | 1.71% |
| SK hynix Inc.!krx/000660 | 1.19% |
| AstraZeneca PLC!lon/AZN | 0.99% |
| HSBC Holdings plc!lon/HSBA | 0.97% |
| Novartis AG!swx/NOVN | 0.93% |
| Roche Holding AG!swx/ROP | 0.87% |
| Shell plc!lon/SHEL | 0.83% |
| Nestlé S.A.!swx/NESN | 0.81% |
| Toyota Motor Corporation!tyo/7203 | 0.81% |
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 SPDW if...
you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.
Choose SPDW if...
recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.
Choose SPDW if...
you prioritize dividend income and want higher regular distributions from your portfolio.