Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
VBR vs XLE: how they differ
VBR and XLE hold 1% of their weight in the same names, and XLE returned more over the year.
Vanguard Small-Cap Value Index Fund and State Street(R) Energy Select Sector SPDR(R) ETF.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, VBR and XLE hold 1% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Holding | VBR | XLE |
|---|---|---|
| Expand Energy Corp | 0.47% | 1.31% |
| APA Corp | 0.25% | 0.69% |
| EQT Corp | 0.18% | 2.00% |
| Only in VBR | Only in XLE |
|---|---|
| Jabil Inc 0.87% | Exxon Mobil Corp 22.71% |
| NRG Energy Inc 0.66% | Chevron Corp 16.12% |
| Tapestry Inc 0.64% | ConocoPhillips 6.58% |
| Atmos Energy Corp 0.62% | Williams Cos Inc/The 5.04% |
| Williams-Sonoma Inc 0.59% | Valero Energy Corp 4.65% |
| Moderna Inc 0.54% | Marathon Petroleum Corp 4.49% |
| Smurfit Westrock PLC 0.52% | EOG Resources Inc 4.15% |
| F5 Inc 0.50% | SLB Ltd 4.10% |
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 Jun 30, 2026.
| VBR Vanguard Small-Cap Value Index Fund | XLE State Street(R) Energy Select Sector SPDR(R) ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | Vanguard | State Street |
| What it is | Small-Cap Value | Energy |
| Total return, 1 year | +16.3% | +50.7% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | −1.2 pts | +33.2 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.05% | 0.08% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 30.5% | 100.0% |
| Holdings | 840 | 21 |
VBR in plain words
VBR is an index equity fund tracking the Small-Cap Value. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +16.3% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.05% a year. By its holdings filed for Jun 30, 2026, 30% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 840 positions, with the top ten at 5.9%. It sat 3.8% below its high of Aug 14, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
XLE in plain words
XLE is an index equity fund tracking the Energy. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +50.7% 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 21 positions, with the top ten at 75.7%.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, VBR or XLE?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, VBR returned +16.3% and XLE returned +50.7%, so XLE returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, VBR or XLE?
- VBR charges 0.05% a year and XLE charges 0.08%, so VBR is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do VBR and XLE overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 30% of VBR and 100% of XLE by weight is stocks the S&P 500 already holds. Between the two funds, 1% 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, VBR against XLE, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/VBR-XLE Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources