Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
EEM vs XLB: Differences, Returns & Fees
Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, EEM returned +16.3% to XLB's +18.5%; 0% of their weight is in the same names.
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Net assets on Oct 27, 2026: $29.1bn for iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF and $8.1bn for State Street Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF.
Pair scorecard
XLB costs 0.64 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 2.2 points; EEM is 3.6 times larger.
| Measure | EEM | XLB |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +16.3% | +18.5% |
| Drawdown | ||
| Below its high | 10.8%, high on Jun 22, 2026 | |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | MSCI Emerging Markets Index | Materials Select Sector Index |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.72% | 0.08% |
| Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026 | $29.1bn | $8.1bn |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | 0% | |
| Top ten holdings, share of the fund | 37.2% | 58.5% |
Holdings in common uses holdings dated Oct 27, 2026. Method
What they share
By the books each fund has filed, EEM and XLB hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Holdings dated Oct 27, 2026.
half
0% in common
Only in one fund ↓
Side by side
EEM and XLB on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
EEM
EEM tracks an index of Emerging markets. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +16.3% with distributions reinvested. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.72% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer for Oct 27, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 1,186 positions, with the top ten at 37.2%. It sat 10.8% below its high of Jun 22, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.
XLB
XLB tracks an index of Materials. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +18.5% with distributions reinvested. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.08% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer for Oct 27, 2026, 100% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 25 positions, with the top ten at 58.5%.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, EEM or XLB?
- In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, EEM returned +16.3% and XLB +18.5%.
- Which is cheaper, EEM or XLB?
- XLB is cheaper, by 0.64 percentage points a year. That is about $64 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Links are sources, not endorsements. A comparison is not a recommendation.
How this is computed
Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for each security both funds hold.
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ETFIQ, EEM against XLB, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/eem-vs-xlb
ETFIQ. (Oct 28, 2026). EEM against XLB. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/eem-vs-xlb
[EEM against XLB (ETFIQ, Oct 28, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/eem-vs-xlb)
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