Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
VGK vs XLB: Differences, Returns & Fees
Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, VGK returned +10.4% to XLB's +18.5%; 0% of their weight is in the same names.
askIQ about this page
askIQ about VGK and XLB
Net assets: $29.6bn on Sep 30, 2026 for Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF, and $8.1bn on Oct 27, 2026 for State Street Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF.
Pair scorecard
VGK costs 0.02 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 8.1 points; VGK is 3.8 times larger.
| Measure | VGK | XLB |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +10.4% | +18.5% |
| Drawdown | ||
| Below its high | 6.1%, high on Aug 25, 2026 | |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | FTSE Developed Europe All Cap Index | Materials Select Sector Index |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.06% | 0.08% |
| Net assets, as of Sep 30, 2026 | $29.6bn | $7.8bn |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | 0% | |
| Top ten holdings, share of the fund | 19.0% | 58.5% |
Holdings in common uses holdings dated Sep 30, 2026 and Oct 27, 2026. Method
What they share
By the books each fund has filed, VGK and XLB hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Holdings dated Sep 30, 2026 and Oct 27, 2026.
half
0% in common
Only in one fund ↓
Side by side
VGK and XLB on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
VGK
VGK tracks an index of European Stock. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +10.4% with distributions reinvested. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.06% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer as of Sep 30, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 1,245 positions, with the top ten at 19.0%. It sat 6.1% below its high of Aug 25, 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, VGK or XLB?
- In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, VGK returned +10.4% and XLB +18.5%.
- Which is cheaper, VGK or XLB?
- VGK is cheaper, by 0.02 percentage points a year. That is about $2 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.
Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown
ETFIQ, VGK against XLB, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/vgk-vs-xlb
ETFIQ. (Oct 28, 2026). VGK against XLB. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/vgk-vs-xlb
[VGK against XLB (ETFIQ, Oct 28, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/vgk-vs-xlb)
Free to use with attribution for data ETFIQ computes; issuer data stays under its owner's terms.