Data as of Sep 13, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
SPYD vs XLU: how they differ
SPYD and XLU hold 10% of their weight in the same names, and SPYD returned more over the year.
State Street(R) SPDR(R) Portfolio S&P 500(R) High Dividend ETF and State Street(R) Utilities Select Sector SPDR(R) ETF.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, SPYD and XLU hold 10% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Holding | SPYD | XLU |
|---|---|---|
| EVERGY INC | 1.22% | 1.42% |
| FIRSTENERGY CORP | 1.21% | 1.82% |
| DUKE ENERGY CORP | 1.21% | 7.04% |
| EXELON CORP | 1.20% | 3.36% |
| EVERSOURCE ENERGY | 1.20% | 1.96% |
| DOMINION ENERGY INC | 1.18% | 4.33% |
| EDISON INTERNATIONAL | 0.91% | 1.65% |
| PINNACLE WEST CAPITAL | 1.18% | 0.89% |
| AES CORP | 1.29% | 0.80% |
| SSI US GOV MONEY MARKET CLASS | 0.36% | 0.16% |
| Only in SPYD | Only in XLU |
|---|---|
| HP INC 1.69% | NEXTERA ENERGY INC 13.01% |
| ACCENTURE PLC CL A 1.64% | SOUTHERN CO/THE 7.49% |
| TARGET CORP 1.46% | CONSTELLATION ENERGY 6.92% |
| VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC 1.46% | AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER 5.08% |
| MEDTRONIC PLC 1.45% | SEMPRA 4.16% |
| MOSAIC CO/THE 1.44% | ENTERGY CORP 3.66% |
| PFIZER INC 1.44% | XCEL ENERGY INC 3.56% |
| AT+T INC 1.43% | VISTRA CORP 3.53% |
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.
| SPYD State Street(R) SPDR(R) Portfolio S&P 500(R) High Dividend ETF | XLU State Street(R) Utilities Select Sector SPDR(R) ETF | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | State Street | State Street |
| What it is | SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend | Utilities |
| Total return, 1 year | +12.9% | +2.4% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | −4.6 pts | −15.1 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.07% | 0.08% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Holdings | 81 | 32 |
SPYD in plain words
SPYD is an index equity fund tracking the SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +12.9% 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, 100% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 81 positions, with the top ten at 14.9%. It sat 4.3% below its high of Aug 24, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
XLU in plain words
XLU is an index equity fund tracking the Utilities. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +2.4% 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 32 positions, with the top ten at 58.8%. It sat 10.0% below its high of Feb 27, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, SPYD or XLU?
- In the year to Sep 13, 2026, with distributions reinvested, SPYD returned +12.9% and XLU returned +2.4%, so SPYD returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, SPYD or XLU?
- SPYD charges 0.07% a year and XLU charges 0.08%, so SPYD is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do SPYD and XLU overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 100% of SPYD and 100% of XLU by weight is stocks the S&P 500 already holds. Between the two funds, 10% 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, SPYD against XLU, data as of Sep 13, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/spyd-vs-xlu Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources