ETF Versus

SPSM vs XLV

State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap ETF vs State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

SPSM State Street

State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 600 Small Cap ETF (SPSM) is an exchange-traded fund issued by State Street that provides exposure to small-cap U.S. equities with higher growth potential and volatility. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.03%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.58%. Launched in 2013, the fund has a 13-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.03% Yield: 1.58% Since: 2013-07-09
XLV State Street

State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) is an exchange-traded fund issued by State Street that provides exposure to us sector - healthcare securities. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.09%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.70%. Launched in 1998, the fund has a 28-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.09% Yield: 1.70% Since: 1998-12-22

Quick Verdict

SPSM has a slightly lower expense ratio (0.03% vs 0.09%), saving about $119 per $10,000 over 10 years. Over the past year, SPSM has significantly outperformed with a 17.2% return vs 2.2%.

Key Metrics

Metric SPSM XLV
Expense Ratio 0.03% 0.09%
Dividend Yield 1.6% 1.7%
Fund Family State Street State Street
Category US Small Cap US Sector - Healthcare

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

80 92 104 116 128 140 2021-04 2022-06 2023-10 2024-12 2026-04
SPSM +12.9%
XLV +25.8%

Performance Comparison

Period SPSM XLV Difference
1 Month -3.44% -5.92% +2.48%
3 Months +2.81% -5.18% +7.99%
6 Months +4.13% +2.32% +1.81%
YTD +2.81% -5.18% +7.99%
1 Year +17.18% +2.19% +14.99%
3 Years +28.75% +12.64% +16.11%
5 Years +12.94% +25.82% -12.88%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period SPSM Fees XLV Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $60 $179 $119
$10,000 20 years $258 $771 $512
$10,000 30 years $835 $2,486 $1,650
$50,000 10 years $299 $896 $597
$50,000 30 years $4,176 $12,428 $8,252
$100,000 30 years $8,352 $24,855 $16,503

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric SPSM XLV
Annualized Volatility 21.5% 14.6%
Max Drawdown -28.7% -18.1%
Sharpe Ratio 0.01 0.08

Dividend Comparison

Metric SPSM XLV
Annual Dividend (per share) $0.77 $2.51
Dividend Yield 1.58% 1.70%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose SPSM if...

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

Choose SPSM if...

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

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