ETF Versus

XLB vs XLY

State Street Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF vs State Street Consumer Discretionary 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
XLY State Street

State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) is an exchange-traded fund issued by State Street that provides exposure to us sector - consumer discretionary securities. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.09%. The fund offers a modest dividend yield of 0.82%. Launched in 1998, the fund has a 28-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.09% Yield: 0.82% Since: 1998-12-22

Quick Verdict

Over the past year, XLB has significantly outperformed with a 15.8% return vs 6.9%. Income investors may prefer XLB for its higher yield (1.7% vs 0.8%).

Key Metrics

Metric XLB XLY
Expense Ratio 0.09% 0.09%
Dividend Yield 1.7% 0.8%
Fund Family State Street State Street
Category US Sector - Materials US Sector - Consumer Discretionary

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

70 85 100 115 130 145 2021-04 2022-06 2023-10 2024-12 2026-04
XLB +25.2%
XLY +25.4%

Performance Comparison

Period XLB XLY Difference
1 Month -3.00% -4.97% +1.97%
3 Months +9.24% -8.17% +17.41%
6 Months +12.23% -9.40% +21.63%
YTD +9.24% -8.17% +17.41%
1 Year +15.80% +6.91% +8.89%
3 Years +24.13% +46.70% -22.57%
5 Years +25.21% +25.45% -0.24%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period XLB Fees XLY 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 XLY
Annualized Volatility 18.9% 23.7%
Max Drawdown -25.7% -40.3%
Sharpe Ratio 0.10 0.12

Dividend Comparison

Metric XLB XLY
Annual Dividend (per share) $0.87 $0.89
Dividend Yield 1.74% 0.82%
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 XLB if...

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

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