ETF Versus

XLB vs XLRE

State Street Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF vs State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

XLB State Street

State Street Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLB) is an exchange-traded fund issued by State Street that provides exposure to us sector - materials securities. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.09%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.74%. Launched in 1998, the fund has a 28-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.09% Yield: 1.74% Since: 1998-12-22
XLRE State Street

State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLRE) is an exchange-traded fund issued by State Street that provides exposure to us sector - real estate securities. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.09%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.39%. Launched in 2015, the fund has a 11-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.09% Yield: 3.39% Since: 2015-10-08

Quick Verdict

Over the past year, XLB has significantly outperformed with a 15.8% return vs -1.8%. Income investors may prefer XLRE for its higher yield (3.4% vs 1.7%).

Key Metrics

Metric XLB XLRE
Expense Ratio 0.09% 0.09%
Dividend Yield 1.7% 3.4%
Fund Family State Street State Street
Category US Sector - Materials US Sector - Real Estate

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

80 91 102 113 124 135 2021-04 2022-06 2023-10 2024-12 2026-04
XLB +25.2%
XLRE +2.4%

Performance Comparison

Period XLB XLRE Difference
1 Month -3.00% -5.47% +2.47%
3 Months +9.24% +2.30% +6.94%
6 Months +12.23% -0.84% +13.07%
YTD +9.24% +2.30% +6.94%
1 Year +15.80% -1.83% +17.63%
3 Years +24.13% +11.56% +12.57%
5 Years +25.21% +2.43% +22.78%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period XLB Fees XLRE Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $179 $179 $0
$10,000 20 years $771 $771 $0
$10,000 30 years $2,486 $2,486 $0
$50,000 10 years $896 $896 $0
$50,000 30 years $12,428 $12,428 $0
$100,000 30 years $24,855 $24,855 $0

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric XLB XLRE
Annualized Volatility 18.9% 19.1%
Max Drawdown -25.7% -37.9%
Sharpe Ratio 0.10 -0.12

Dividend Comparison

Metric XLB XLRE
Annual Dividend (per share) $0.87 $1.40
Dividend Yield 1.74% 3.39%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose XLB if...

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

Choose XLRE if...

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

Related Comparisons