ETF Versus

XLF vs XLY

State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF vs State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

XLF State Street

State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) is an exchange-traded fund issued by State Street that provides exposure to us sector - financials securities. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.09%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.60%. Launched in 1998, the fund has a 28-year track record.

AUM: N/A ER: 0.09% Yield: 1.60% 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, XLY has significantly outperformed with a 6.9% return vs -1.3%. Income investors may prefer XLF for its higher yield (1.6% vs 0.8%).

Key Metrics

Metric XLF XLY
Expense Ratio 0.09% 0.09%
Dividend Yield 1.6% 0.8%
Fund Family State Street State Street
Category US Sector - Financials US Sector - Consumer Discretionary

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

70 89 108 127 146 165 2021-04 2022-06 2023-10 2024-12 2026-04
XLF +42.5%
XLY +25.4%

Performance Comparison

Period XLF XLY Difference
1 Month -3.34% -4.97% +1.63%
3 Months -9.89% -8.17% -1.72%
6 Months -7.82% -9.40% +1.58%
YTD -9.89% -8.17% -1.72%
1 Year -1.32% +6.91% -8.23%
3 Years +53.68% +46.70% +6.98%
5 Years +42.49% +25.45% +17.04%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period XLF 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 XLF XLY
Annualized Volatility 18.7% 23.7%
Max Drawdown -26.9% -40.3%
Sharpe Ratio 0.23 0.12

Dividend Comparison

Metric XLF XLY
Annual Dividend (per share) $0.79 $0.89
Dividend Yield 1.60% 0.82%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose XLY if...

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

Choose XLF if...

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

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