Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
VPU vs XLB: how they differ
VPU and XLB hold 0% of their weight in the same names, and XLB returned more over the year.
Vanguard Utilities Index Fund and State Street(R) Materials Select Sector SPDR(R) ETF.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, VPU and XLB hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Only in VPU | Only in XLB |
|---|---|
| NextEra Energy Inc 11.84% | Linde PLC 14.08% |
| Southern Co/The 6.70% | Newmont Corp 5.85% |
| Duke Energy Corp 6.31% | Freeport-McMoRan Inc 5.31% |
| Constellation Energy Corp 5.86% | Corteva Inc 4.97% |
| American Electric Power Co Inc 4.47% | Sherwin-Williams Co/The 4.95% |
| Sempra 3.85% | Ecolab Inc 4.73% |
| Dominion Energy Inc 3.78% | Vulcan Materials Co 4.72% |
| Vistra Corp 3.59% | CRH PLC 4.67% |
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 and May 31, 2026.
| VPU Vanguard Utilities Index Fund | XLB State Street(R) Materials Select Sector SPDR(R) ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | Vanguard | State Street |
| What it is | Utilities | Materials |
| Total return, 1 year | +2.1% | +12.0% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | −15.4 pts | −5.5 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.09% | 0.08% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 90.1% | 100.0% |
| Holdings | 66 | 26 |
VPU in plain words
VPU is an index equity fund tracking the Utilities. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +2.1% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.09% a year. By its holdings filed for May 31, 2026, 90% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 66 positions, with the top ten at 52.7%. It sat 9.8% below its high of Feb 27, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
XLB in plain words
XLB is an index equity fund tracking the Materials. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +12.0% 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 26 positions, with the top ten at 58.5%. It sat 5.1% below its high of Aug 26, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, VPU or XLB?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, VPU returned +2.1% and XLB returned +12.0%, so XLB returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, VPU or XLB?
- VPU charges 0.09% a year and XLB charges 0.08%, so XLB is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do VPU and XLB overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 90% of VPU and 100% of XLB 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, VPU against XLB, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/VPU-XLB Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources