ETF Versus

XLE vs XLF

State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF vs State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-10

XLE SPDR

State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) is an exchange-traded fund issued by SPDR that provides exposure to us sector - energy securities. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.08%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 2.62%. Launched in 1998, the fund has a 28-year track record.

AUM: $40.6B ER: 0.08% Yield: 2.62% Since: Dec 16, 1998
XLF SPDR

State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) is an exchange-traded fund issued by SPDR that provides exposure to us sector - financials securities. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.08%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.56%. Launched in 1998, the fund has a 28-year track record.

AUM: $50.3B ER: 0.08% Yield: 1.56% Since: Dec 16, 1998

Quick Verdict

Over the past year, XLE has significantly outperformed with a 47.9% return vs 10.4%. Income investors may prefer XLE for its higher yield (2.6% vs 1.6%).

Key Metrics

Metric XLE XLF
Expense Ratio 0.08% 0.08%
Dividend Yield 2.6% 1.6%
Fund Family SPDR SPDR
Category US Sector - Energy US Sector - Financials

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

85 120 155 190 225 260 2021-04 2022-07 2023-10 2025-01 2026-04
XLE +138.2%
XLF +43.5%

Performance Comparison

Period XLE XLF Difference
1 Month -0.09% +2.07% -2.16%
3 Months +22.85% -8.36% +31.21%
6 Months +31.81% -3.78% +35.59%
YTD +24.71% -7.76% +32.47%
1 Year +47.91% +10.37% +37.54%
3 Years +31.68% +56.68% -25.00%
5 Years +138.15% +43.54% +94.61%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

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

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric XLE XLF
Annualized Volatility 26.1% 18.7%
Max Drawdown -26.9% -26.9%
Sharpe Ratio 0.63 0.24

Dividend Comparison

Metric XLE XLF
Annual Dividend (per share) $1.49 $0.79
Dividend Yield 2.62% 1.56%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Top Holdings

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

XLE Top Holdings

NameWeight
Exxon Mobil CorporationXOM23.09%
Chevron CorporationCVX17.03%
ConocoPhillipsCOP7.23%
SLB N.V.SLB4.33%
The Williams Companies, Inc.WMB4.30%
EOG Resources, Inc.EOG4.21%
Valero Energy CorporationVLO4.08%
Marathon Petroleum CorporationMPC3.82%
Phillips 66PSX3.78%
Kinder Morgan, Inc.KMI3.60%

XLF Top Holdings

NameWeight
Berkshire Hathaway Inc.BRK.B12.15%
JPMorgan Chase & Co.JPM11.42%
Visa Inc.V7.08%
Mastercard IncorporatedMA5.60%
Bank of America CorporationBAC4.77%
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.GS3.70%
Wells Fargo & CompanyWFC3.63%
Citigroup Inc.C2.98%
Morgan StanleyMS2.93%
American Express CompanyAXP2.32%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose XLE if...

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

Choose XLE if...

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

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