Data as of Sep 13, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
EFA vs XLB: how they differ
EFA and XLB hold 0% of their weight in the same names, and EFA returned more over the year.
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF and State Street(R) Materials Select Sector SPDR(R) ETF.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, EFA and XLB hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Only in EFA | Only in XLB |
|---|---|
| ASML HOLDING 3.01% | LINDE PLC 12.91% |
| HSBC HOLDINGS PLC 1.61% | NEWMONT CORP 8.14% |
| ROCHE PS PAR AG 1.36% | FREEPORT MCMORAN INC 6.19% |
| SHELL PLC 1.25% | CORTEVA INC 5.11% |
| MITSUBISHI UFJ FINANCIAL GROUP 1.15% | AIR PRODUCTS + CHEMICALS INC 4.78% |
| NOVARTIS AG 1.15% | ECOLAB INC 4.75% |
| NESTLE SA 1.12% | SHERWIN WILLIAMS CO/THE 4.70% |
| ASTRAZENECA PLC 1.09% | NUCOR CORP 4.59% |
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 Sep 10, 2026.
| EFA iShares MSCI EAFE ETF | XLB State Street(R) Materials Select Sector SPDR(R) ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | State Street |
| What it is | Developed markets ex US | Materials |
| Total return, 1 year | +18.2% | +12.0% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +0.7 pts | −5.5 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.32% | 0.08% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 0.0% | 100.0% |
| Holdings | 670 | 27 |
EFA in plain words
EFA is an index equity fund tracking the Developed markets ex US. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +18.2% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.32% a year. By its holdings filed for Sep 10, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 670 positions, with the top ten at 13.8%.
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 Sep 10, 2026, 100% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 27 positions, with the top ten at 59.4%. 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, EFA or XLB?
- In the year to Sep 13, 2026, with distributions reinvested, EFA returned +18.2% and XLB returned +12.0%, so EFA returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, EFA or XLB?
- EFA charges 0.32% a year and XLB charges 0.08%, so XLB is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do EFA and XLB overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 0% of EFA 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.
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, EFA against XLB, data as of Sep 13, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/efa-vs-xlb Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources