Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
VGK vs XLE: Differences, Returns & Fees
Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, VGK returned +10.4% to XLE's +61.2%; 0% of their weight is in the same names.
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Net assets: $29.6bn on Sep 30, 2026 for Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF, and $45.2bn on Oct 27, 2026 for State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF.
Pair scorecard
VGK costs 0.02 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 50.8 points; XLE is 1.3 times larger.
| Measure | VGK | XLE |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +10.4% | +61.2% |
| Drawdown | ||
| Below its high | 6.1%, high on Aug 25, 2026 | |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | FTSE Developed Europe All Cap Index | Energy Select Sector Index |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.06% | 0.08% |
| Net assets, as of Sep 30, 2026 | $29.6bn | $39.1bn |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | 0% | |
| Top ten holdings, share of the fund | 19.0% | 78.1% |
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 XLE 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 XLE 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.
XLE
XLE tracks an index of Energy. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +61.2% 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 22 positions, with the top ten at 78.1%.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, VGK or XLE?
- In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, VGK returned +10.4% and XLE +61.2%.
- Which is cheaper, VGK or XLE?
- 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.
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ETFIQ, VGK against XLE, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/vgk-vs-xle
ETFIQ. (Oct 28, 2026). VGK against XLE. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/vgk-vs-xle
[VGK against XLE (ETFIQ, Oct 28, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/vgk-vs-xle)
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