ETF Versus

SPLG vs XLB

State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF vs State Street Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-10

SPLG SPDR

State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF (SPLG) is an exchange-traded fund issued by SPDR that provides exposure to large-cap U.S. equities across growth and value styles. Launched in 2009, the fund has a 17-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: N/A Yield: N/A Since: 2009-01-02
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

SPLG has a slightly lower expense ratio (0.00% vs 0.08%), saving about $159 per $10,000 over 10 years. XLB has edged ahead over the past year (32.9% vs 29.7%).

Key Metrics

Metric SPLG XLB
Expense Ratio N/A 0.08%
Dividend Yield N/A 1.7%
Fund Family SPDR SPDR
Category US Large Cap Blend US Sector - Materials

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

80 98 116 134 152 170 2021-04 2022-07 2023-10 2024-12 2026-04
SPLG +65.4%
XLB +29.3%

Performance Comparison

Period SPLG XLB Difference
1 Month +0.54% +4.22% -3.68%
3 Months -2.18% +7.06% -9.24%
6 Months +2.59% +17.75% -15.16%
YTD -0.46% +12.63% -13.09%
1 Year +29.69% +32.89% -3.20%
3 Years +66.15% +28.85% +37.30%
5 Years +65.40% +29.33% +36.07%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period SPLG Fees XLB Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $0 $159 $159
$10,000 20 years $0 $686 $686
$10,000 30 years $0 $2,212 $2,212
$50,000 10 years $0 $797 $797
$50,000 30 years $0 $11,061 $11,061
$100,000 30 years $0 $22,123 $22,123

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric SPLG XLB
Annualized Volatility 16.9% 18.9%
Max Drawdown -25.4% -25.7%
Sharpe Ratio 0.42 0.13

Dividend Comparison

Metric SPLG XLB
Annual Dividend (per share) $0.88 $0.87
Dividend Yield 1.10% 1.68%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Top Holdings

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 SPLG 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...

recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.

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