Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
VGK vs XLU: Differences, Returns & Fees
Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, VGK returned +10.4% to XLU's −3.0%; 0% of their weight is in the same names.
askIQ about this page
askIQ about VGK and XLU
Net assets: $29.6bn on Sep 30, 2026 for Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF, and $23.9bn on Oct 27, 2026 for State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF.
Pair scorecard
VGK costs 0.02 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 13.4 points; VGK is 1.4 times larger.
| Measure | VGK | XLU |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +10.4% | −3.0% |
| Drawdown | ||
| Below its high | 6.1%, high on Aug 25, 2026 | 9.1%, high on Feb 27, 2026 |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | FTSE Developed Europe All Cap Index | Utilities Select Sector Index |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.06% | 0.08% |
| Net assets, as of Sep 30, 2026 | $29.6bn | $21.3bn |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | 0% | |
| Top ten holdings, share of the fund | 19.0% | 58.7% |
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 XLU 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 XLU 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.
XLU
XLU tracks an index of Utilities. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned −3.0% 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 32 positions, with the top ten at 58.7%. It sat 9.1% below its high of Feb 27, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, VGK or XLU?
- In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, VGK returned +10.4% and XLU −3.0%.
- Which is cheaper, VGK or XLU?
- 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 XLU, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/vgk-vs-xlu
ETFIQ. (Oct 28, 2026). VGK against XLU. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/vgk-vs-xlu
[VGK against XLU (ETFIQ, Oct 28, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/vgk-vs-xlu)
Free to use with attribution for data ETFIQ computes; issuer data stays under its owner's terms.