Data as of Sep 13, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
IEFA vs XLF: how they differ
IEFA and XLF hold 0% of their weight in the same names, and IEFA returned more over the year.
iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF and State Street(R) Financial Select Sector SPDR(R) ETF.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, IEFA and XLF hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Only in IEFA | Only in XLF |
|---|---|
| ASML HOLDING 2.62% | JPMORGAN CHASE + CO 11.81% |
| HSBC HOLDINGS PLC 1.40% | BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC CL B 11.59% |
| ROCHE PS PAR AG 1.18% | VISA INC CLASS A SHARES 7.60% |
| SHELL PLC 1.09% | MASTERCARD INC A 5.69% |
| MITSUBISHI UFJ FINANCIAL GROUP 1.00% | BANK OF AMERICA CORP 5.09% |
| NOVARTIS AG 0.99% | GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INC 3.75% |
| NESTLE SA 0.97% | WELLS FARGO + CO 3.41% |
| ASTRAZENECA PLC 0.94% | MORGAN STANLEY 3.18% |
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.
| IEFA iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF | XLF State Street(R) Financial Select Sector SPDR(R) ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | iShares | State Street |
| What it is | Core MSCI EAFE | Financials |
| Total return, 1 year | +18.0% | +7.6% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | +0.5 pts | −9.9 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.07% | 0.08% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 0.1% | 100.0% |
| Holdings | 1650 | 79 |
IEFA in plain words
IEFA is an index equity fund tracking the Core MSCI EAFE. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +18.0% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.07% 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 1650 positions, with the top ten at 12.0%.
XLF in plain words
XLF is an index equity fund tracking the Financials. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +7.6% 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 79 positions, with the top ten at 57.3%.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, IEFA or XLF?
- In the year to Sep 13, 2026, with distributions reinvested, IEFA returned +18.0% and XLF returned +7.6%, so IEFA returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, IEFA or XLF?
- IEFA charges 0.07% a year and XLF charges 0.08%, so IEFA is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do IEFA and XLF overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 0% of IEFA and 100% of XLF 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, IEFA against XLF, data as of Sep 13, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/iefa-vs-xlf Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources