Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
SPY vs XLC: Differences, Returns & Fees
Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, SPY returned +13.6% to XLC's −10.4%; 9% of their weight is in the same names.
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Net assets on Oct 27, 2026: $814.8bn for SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust and $22.1bn for State Street Communication Services Select Sector SPDR ETF.
Pair scorecard
XLC costs 0.01 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 24.0 points; SPY is far larger, $814.8bn against $22.1bn.
| Measure | SPY | XLC |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +13.6% | −10.4% |
| Drawdown | ||
| Below its high | 13.3%, high on Jan 30, 2026 | |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | S&P 500 Index | Communication Services Select Sector Index |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.09% | 0.08% |
| Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026 | $814.8bn | $22.1bn |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | 9% | |
| Top ten holdings, share of the fund | 38.1% | 75.3% |
Holdings in common uses holdings dated Oct 27, 2026. Method
What they share
By the books each fund has filed, SPY and XLC hold 9% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Holdings dated Oct 27, 2026.
half
9% in common
Only in one fund ↓
Side by side
SPY and XLC on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
SPY and XLC do different jobs. What does each one do in a portfolio?
- What each follows. SPY follows S&P 500 Index and XLC follows Communication Services Select Sector Index.
- Holdings in common. 9% of the weight is in the same securities (holdings dated Oct 27, 2026).
- One-year total return. Over 1 year to Oct 28, 2026 SPY returned +13.6% and XLC −10.4% with distributions reinvested, a gap of 24.0 points.
Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
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SPY
SPY tracks the S&P 500. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +13.6% with distributions reinvested, against +13.7% for its benchmark, the S&P 500 Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.09% 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 504 positions, with the top ten at 38.1%.
XLC
XLC tracks an index of Communication services. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned −10.4% 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 23 positions, with the top ten at 75.3%. It sat 13.3% below its high of Jan 30, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, SPY or XLC?
- In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, SPY returned +13.6% and XLC −10.4%.
- Which is cheaper, SPY or XLC?
- XLC is cheaper, by 0.01 percentage points a year. That is about $1 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
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How this is computed
Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for each security both funds hold.
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ETFIQ, SPY against XLC, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/spy-vs-xlc
ETFIQ. (Oct 28, 2026). SPY against XLC. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/spy-vs-xlc
[SPY against XLC (ETFIQ, Oct 28, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/spy-vs-xlc)
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