ETF Versus

XLRE vs XLU

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

Last updated: 2026-04-02

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
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

Over the past year, XLU has significantly outperformed with a 16.7% return vs -1.8%. Income investors may prefer XLRE for its higher yield (3.4% vs 2.6%).

Key Metrics

Metric XLRE XLU
Expense Ratio 0.09% 0.09%
Dividend Yield 3.4% 2.6%
Fund Family State Street State Street
Category US Sector - Real Estate US Sector - Utilities

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

80 94 108 122 136 150 2021-04 2022-06 2023-10 2024-12 2026-04
XLRE +2.4%
XLU +43.3%

Performance Comparison

Period XLRE XLU Difference
1 Month -5.47% -1.55% -3.92%
3 Months +2.30% +7.32% -5.02%
6 Months -0.84% +3.24% -4.08%
YTD +2.30% +7.32% -5.02%
1 Year -1.83% +16.70% -18.53%
3 Years +11.56% +37.86% -26.30%
5 Years +2.43% +43.29% -40.86%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period XLRE Fees XLU 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 XLRE XLU
Annualized Volatility 19.1% 17.1%
Max Drawdown -37.9% -28.1%
Sharpe Ratio -0.12 0.24

Dividend Comparison

Metric XLRE XLU
Annual Dividend (per share) $1.40 $1.19
Dividend Yield 3.39% 2.57%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose XLU 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.

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