Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
IEFA vs XLC: how they differ
IEFA and XLC hold 0% of their weight in the same names, and IEFA returned more over the year.
iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF and State Street(R) Communication Services Select Sector SPDR(R) ETF.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, IEFA and XLC hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Only in IEFA | Only in XLC |
|---|---|
| ASML Holding N.V. 2.23% | Meta Platforms Inc 19.93% |
| HSBC HOLDINGS PLC 1.25% | Alphabet Inc 13.10% |
| ASTRAZENECA PLC 1.17% | Alphabet Inc 10.44% |
| Novartis AG 1.11% | Take-Two Interactive Software Inc 5.26% |
| Nestle S.A. 1.03% | Netflix Inc 4.84% |
| SHELL PLC 1.03% | Comcast Corp 4.71% |
| Siemens Aktiengesellschaft 0.90% | Warner Bros Discovery Inc 4.67% |
| COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA 0.84% | Electronic Arts Inc 4.64% |
Weight overlap is an ETFIQ calculation: for every security both funds hold, the smaller of the two weights, summed. Above 50%, holding both is close to holding one of them twice. Holdings dated Apr 30, 2026 and Jun 30, 2026.
| IEFA iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF | XLC State Street(R) Communication Services Select Sector SPDR(R) ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | State Street |
| What it is | Core MSCI EAFE | Communication services |
| Total return, 1 year | +18.0% | −2.0% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +0.5 pts | −19.5 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.07% | 0.08% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 0.1% | 100.0% |
| Holdings | 2632 | 23 |
IEFA in plain words
IEFA is an index equity fund tracking the Core MSCI EAFE. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +18.0% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.07% a year. By its holdings filed for Apr 30, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 2632 positions, with the top ten at 11.5%.
XLC in plain words
XLC is an index equity fund tracking the Communication services. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned −2.0% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.08% a year. By its holdings filed for Jun 30, 2026, 100% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 23 positions, with the top ten at 76.2%. It sat 5.7% below its high of Jan 30, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, IEFA or XLC?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IEFA returned +18.0% and XLC returned −2.0%, so IEFA returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, IEFA or XLC?
- IEFA charges 0.07% a year and XLC charges 0.08%, so IEFA is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do IEFA and XLC overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 0% of IEFA and 100% of XLC by weight is stocks the S&P 500 already holds. Between the two funds, 0% of their books are the same securities at the same weight.
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Where these figures came from
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, IEFA against XLC, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/IEFA-XLC Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
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