ETF Versus

SPTM vs XLU

State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 1500 Composite Stock Market ETF vs State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

SPTM State Street

State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 1500 Composite Stock Market ETF (SPTM) is an exchange-traded fund issued by State Street that provides exposure to the total U.S. stock market across all capitalizations. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.03%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.19%. Launched in 2000, the fund has a 26-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.03% Yield: 1.19% Since: 2000-10-10
XLU State Street

State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU) is an exchange-traded fund issued by State Street that provides exposure to us sector - utilities securities. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.09%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 2.57%. Launched in 1998, the fund has a 28-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.09% Yield: 2.57% Since: 1998-12-22

Quick Verdict

SPTM has a slightly lower expense ratio (0.03% vs 0.09%), saving about $119 per $10,000 over 10 years. Both funds have delivered similar 1-year returns (15.9% vs 16.7%), tracking closely. Income investors may prefer XLU for its higher yield (2.6% vs 1.2%).

Key Metrics

Metric SPTM XLU
Expense Ratio 0.03% 0.09%
Dividend Yield 1.2% 2.6%
Fund Family State Street State Street
Category US Total Market US Sector - Utilities

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

85 102 119 136 153 170 2021-04 2022-06 2023-10 2024-12 2026-04
SPTM +57.9%
XLU +43.3%

Performance Comparison

Period SPTM XLU Difference
1 Month -3.78% -1.55% -2.23%
3 Months -3.69% +7.32% -11.01%
6 Months -2.07% +3.24% -5.31%
YTD -3.69% +7.32% -11.01%
1 Year +15.87% +16.70% -0.83%
3 Years +57.36% +37.86% +19.50%
5 Years +57.92% +43.29% +14.63%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period SPTM Fees XLU 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 SPTM XLU
Annualized Volatility 16.8% 17.1%
Max Drawdown -25.0% -28.1%
Sharpe Ratio 0.36 0.24

Dividend Comparison

Metric SPTM XLU
Annual Dividend (per share) $0.95 $1.19
Dividend Yield 1.19% 2.57%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose SPTM if...

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

Choose XLU if...

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

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