Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
VPU vs XLE: how they differ
VPU and XLE hold 0% of their weight in the same names, and XLE returned more over the year.
Vanguard Utilities Index Fund and State Street(R) Energy Select Sector SPDR(R) ETF.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, VPU and XLE hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Only in VPU | Only in XLE |
|---|---|
| NextEra Energy Inc 11.84% | Exxon Mobil Corp 22.71% |
| Southern Co/The 6.70% | Chevron Corp 16.12% |
| Duke Energy Corp 6.31% | ConocoPhillips 6.58% |
| Constellation Energy Corp 5.86% | Williams Cos Inc/The 5.04% |
| American Electric Power Co Inc 4.47% | Valero Energy Corp 4.65% |
| Sempra 3.85% | Marathon Petroleum Corp 4.49% |
| Dominion Energy Inc 3.78% | EOG Resources Inc 4.15% |
| Vistra Corp 3.59% | 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 and May 31, 2026.
| VPU Vanguard Utilities 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 | Utilities | Energy |
| Total return, 1 year | +2.1% | +50.7% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | −15.4 pts | +33.2 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.09% | 0.08% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 90.1% | 100.0% |
| Holdings | 66 | 21 |
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.
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, VPU or XLE?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, VPU returned +2.1% and XLE returned +50.7%, so XLE returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, VPU or XLE?
- VPU charges 0.09% a year and XLE charges 0.08%, so XLE is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do VPU and XLE overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 90% of VPU and 100% of XLE 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.
Other comparisons
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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 XLE, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/VPU-XLE Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources