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XLE vs SPY

Total return with dividends reinvested · 5Y

Open chart
XLEState Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETFSPYState Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust
0%+33%+66%+99%+132%+165%10-25’2108-23’2206-22’2304-19’2402-19’2512-16XLE +176.5%SPY +81.5%lopjlb.com
XLE
SPY

Return and risk 5Y

Ticker$10K becameTotalPer yearVolatilityWorst dropOff high nowBest yearWorst yearYears upCorr. with XLE
XLE$27,649+176.49%+22.61%25.5%-26.09%-0.12%+59.32% 2022+3.00% 2023100%—
SPY$18,151+81.51%+12.69%17.2%-24.49%-0.77%+26.73% 2023-18.64% 202275%0.38
XLE
$10K became
$27,649
Total
+176.49%
Per year
+22.61%
Volatility
25.5%
Worst drop
-26.09%
Off high now
-0.12%
Best year
+59.32% 2022
Worst year
+3.00% 2023
SPY
$10K became
$18,151
Total
+81.51%
Per year
+12.69%
Volatility
17.2%
Worst drop
-24.49%
Off high now
-0.77%
Best year
+26.73% 2023
Worst year
-18.64% 2022

Per year is the compound annual growth rate and needs a year of history. Volatility is the yearly spread of daily returns. Best and worst years count full calendar years only.

Drawdown from peak 5Y

0%-15%-30%
2021-102026-10

Correlation of daily returns

XLESPYXLE1.000.38SPY0.381.00

1 moves together, 0 unrelated, negative moves opposite. Lower correlation means more diversification.

Trailing returns up to 5 years

Ticker1Y2Y3Y5Y
XLE————
SPY————

Calendar-year returns best each year in bold

YearXLESPY
No full years in this range yet.

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About this comparison

State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) total return over 5Y: XLE +176.49%, SPY +81.51%. As of Oct 21, 2026. Research only.

Desk note, written 2026-10-20. Its figures are as of that date; the tables above are live.

The State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) closed at $67.97 (0.25%) as of 2026‑10‑20. A BUY signal with a score of 5 places it in a BULL regime (9‑day stretch). Over the past five years the fund’s total‑return, including dividends and splits, rose +182.3%. Its quality score sits at 41.00 and the archetype is Balanced – see the XLE page for full overlay detail. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) finished at $769.0 (0.34%) as of 2026‑10‑20, also flagged BUY (score ‑1) within a BULL market (79‑day stretch). Its five‑year total‑return stands at +81.3% on a dividend‑adjusted basis. Quality is higher at 54.20 and the archetype is Balanced – see the SPY page for full overlay detail. While both ETFs sit in a bullish backdrop, XLE’s energy focus has delivered more than double the five‑year return of the broad‑market SPY, reflecting sector‑specific momentum versus the steadier, diversified exposure of the S&P 500.

What does the XLE vs SPY overlay show?

LOPJLB overlays XLE vs SPY as total return (dividends and splits) from the first adjusted close in the selected 5Y window. Each path starts at 0% so you can read relative holding performance, not raw tape price.

Is this holding return or tape close?

Holding return. The series uses split- and dividend-adjusted close (Yahoo-style backward adjustment) when dividend coverage is sufficient, otherwise it falls back to tape close. Candles and technical overlays on /chart stay tape.

Which windows are public?

Public visitors can share 1M, 3M, 6M, YTD, 1Y, and 5Y. MAX is Research+. Direction and regime in the table follow the desk ladder: SPY25 on Free, full book on Essential+.

How do I read the drawdown, period, and annual tables?

Drawdowns are current and worst peak-to-trough on the visible range. Periods are calendar lookbacks (1Y / 2Y / 3Y / 5Y, plus 10Y on MAX) from the last bar. Annual is calendar-year holding return, with the latest year labeled YTD.

How has XLE vs SPY performed on a normalized basis?

XLE vs SPY holding-return overlay: 5Y XLE +176.49% · SPY +81.51%; worst drawdown XLE -26.09% · SPY -24.49%; YTD XLE +52.29% · SPY +14.05%. Numbers update from the live compare-series book.

Is ticker compare investment advice?

No. The overlay is research context only — not a recommendation to buy or sell any security.

Related: XLE, SPY, methodology, chart