ETF Versus

BIL vs XLC

State Street SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF vs State Street Communication Services Select Sector SPDR ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

BIL State Street

State Street SPDR Bloomberg 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (BIL) is an exchange-traded fund issued by State Street that provides exposure to short-duration U.S. Treasury bonds with low interest rate risk. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.14%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.95%. Launched in 2007, the fund has a 19-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.14% Yield: 3.95% Since: 2007-05-30
XLC State Street

State Street Communication Services Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLC) is an exchange-traded fund issued by State Street that provides exposure to us sector - communication securities. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.09%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.25%. Launched in 2018, the fund has a 8-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.09% Yield: 1.25% Since: 2018-06-19

Quick Verdict

XLC has a slightly lower expense ratio (0.09% vs 0.14%), saving about $99 per $10,000 over 10 years. Over the past year, XLC has significantly outperformed with a 15.0% return vs -0.0%. Income investors may prefer BIL for its higher yield (4.0% vs 1.3%).

Key Metrics

Metric BIL XLC
Expense Ratio 0.14% 0.09%
Dividend Yield 4.0% 1.3%
Fund Family State Street State Street
Category US Short-Term Treasury US Sector - Communication

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

60 80 100 120 140 160 2021-04 2022-06 2023-10 2024-12 2026-04
BIL -0.1%
XLC +46.3%

Performance Comparison

Period BIL XLC Difference
1 Month +0.03% -5.56% +5.59%
3 Months +0.01% -4.70% +4.71%
6 Months -0.09% -4.39% +4.30%
YTD +0.01% -4.70% +4.71%
1 Year -0.01% +15.02% -15.03%
3 Years -0.04% +91.38% -91.42%
5 Years -0.08% +46.29% -46.37%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period BIL Fees XLC Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $278 $179 $99
$10,000 20 years $1,194 $771 $423
$10,000 30 years $3,841 $2,486 $1,355
$50,000 10 years $1,391 $896 $495
$50,000 30 years $19,203 $12,428 $6,775
$100,000 30 years $38,406 $24,855 $13,551

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric BIL XLC
Annualized Volatility 1.1% 20.7%
Max Drawdown -0.7% -47.2%
Sharpe Ratio -4.14 0.26

Dividend Comparison

Metric BIL XLC
Annual Dividend (per share) $3.62 $1.40
Dividend Yield 3.95% 1.25%
Distribution Frequency Monthly Quarterly

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose XLC if...

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

Choose XLC if...

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

Choose BIL if...

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

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