Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLB) Performance
XLB total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +14.6% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +16.9% total return
- 5 years
- +6.0% a year
- 10 years
- +10.3% a year
- Since first price
- +8.5% a year since 1998
XLB trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | XLB total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | +2.0% | +2.0% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | +2.5% | +2.0% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | −0.1% | −1.0% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +14.6% | +13.1% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +16.9% | +14.8% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +46.0%+13.4%/yr | +37.8% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| 5 years | +33.6%+6.0%/yr | +21.0% | +79.3%+12.4%/yr | +94.0%+14.2%/yr | −0.8%−0.2%/yr |
| 10 years | +166.1%+10.3%/yr | +118.1% | +315.9%+15.3%/yr | +538.9%+20.4%/yr | +14.0%+1.3%/yr |
| 15 years | +318.0%+10.0%/yr | +207.5% | +696.0%+14.8%/yr | +1,299.3%+19.2%/yr | +32.2%+1.9%/yr |
| 20 years | +381.2%+8.2%/yr | +212.0% | +696.9%+10.9%/yr | +1,839.9%+16.0%/yr | +79.6%+3.0%/yr |
| Since inceptionDec 22, 1998 | +872.2%+8.5%/yr | +392.7% | — | — | — |
Total return from adjusted closes (distributions reinvested, before tax). Periods of 3 years or more are also shown annualized. Price only excludes distributions.
Growth of $10,000: XLB vs SPY
From Dec 22, 1998: XLB grew to $97,220, SPY to $101,831.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
XLB returns by calendar year
20 of 27 full years positive. Best 2009 (+48.2%), worst 2008 (−44.1%). 2026 is year to date.
XLB annual returns table
| Year | XLB | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +14.6% | −12.4% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +9.9% | −18.0% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +0.2% | −13.7% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | +12.5% | −12.7% | +26.2% | +54.9% | +5.7% |
| 2022 | −12.3% | −24.7% | −18.2% | −32.6% | −13.0% |
| 2021 | +27.4% | −10.1% | +28.7% | +27.4% | −1.8% |
| 2020 | +20.5% | −36.9% | +18.3% | +48.6% | +7.5% |
| 2019 | +24.1% | −9.2% | +31.2% | +39.0% | +8.5% |
| 2018 | −14.9% | −24.7% | −4.6% | −0.1% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | +24.0% | −4.2% | +21.7% | +32.7% | +3.6% |
| 2016 | +16.8% | −12.8% | +12.0% | +7.1% | +2.4% |
| 2015 | −8.7% | −24.2% | +1.2% | +9.4% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | +7.2% | −11.0% | +13.5% | +19.2% | +6.0% |
| 2013 | +26.0% | −6.9% | +32.3% | +36.6% | −2.0% |
| 2012 | +14.7% | −13.2% | +16.0% | +18.1% | +3.8% |
| 2011 | −10.9% | −29.5% | +1.9% | +3.4% | +7.7% |
| 2010 | +20.6% | −19.9% | +15.1% | +19.9% | +6.4% |
| 2009 | +48.2% | −25.1% | +26.4% | +54.7% | +3.0% |
| 2008 | −44.1% | −56.4% | −36.8% | −41.7% | +7.9% |
| 2007 | +22.2% | −15.8% | +5.1% | +19.0% | +6.6% |
| 2006 | +19.0% | −15.5% | +15.8% | +7.1% | +3.9% |
| 2005 | +4.1% | −16.8% | +4.8% | +1.6% | +2.3% |
| 2004 | +13.5% | −12.2% | +10.7% | +10.5% | +3.8% |
| 2003 | +37.4% | −16.5% | +28.2% | +49.7% | — |
| 2002 | −5.3% | −31.2% | −21.6% | −37.4% | — |
| 2001 | +2.1% | −27.5% | −11.8% | −33.3% | — |
| 2000 | −11.2% | −36.6% | −9.7% | −36.1% | — |
| 1999 | +23.8% | −18.4% | +20.4% | — | — |
Largest drop = deepest fall from a high within that calendar year.
Calendar-year return vs largest drop within the year
Most years include a sizable fall at some point even when the year ends higher.
XLB largest drawdowns
Now 4.0% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 2008 | −59.8% | Mar 2, 2009 | May 8, 2013 | 9 months | 5.0 years |
| Jan 26, 2018 | −37.3% | Mar 23, 2020 | Jul 17, 2020 | 2.2 years | 2.5 years |
| May 7, 1999 | −37.1% | Sep 27, 2000 | Oct 30, 2003 | 1.4 years | 4.5 years |
| Feb 24, 2015 | −26.9% | Jan 25, 2016 | Dec 5, 2016 | 11 months | 1.8 years |
| Apr 20, 2022 | −24.7% | Sep 26, 2022 | Feb 29, 2024 | 5 months | 1.9 years |
| Oct 18, 2024 | −23.2% | Apr 8, 2025 | Jan 9, 2026 | 6 months | 1.2 years |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
XLB risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | 5 years | 10 years | Since 1998 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +9.5% | +6.3% | +9.5% | +8.1% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 16.2% | 19.5% | 18.7% | 21.0% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.37 | 0.23 | 0.46 | — |
| Sortino ratio | 0.56 | 0.34 | 0.70 | — |
| Best month | +8.6% | +11.7% | +15.2% | +24.7% |
| Worst month | −10.8% | −13.9% | −14.0% | −22.4% |
| Best 12 months | +25.2% | +25.2% | +78.4% | +78.4% |
| Worst 12 months | −6.4% | −12.3% | −16.9% | −51.4% |
| Positive months | 53% | 48% | 59% | 57% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.68 | 0.92 | 0.99 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.52 | 0.74 | 0.81 | — |
From monthly total returns. Sharpe and Sortino use 1–3 month T-bills (BIL) as the risk-free rate, so they need history from 2007 on.
XLB rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 323 | −51.4% | +11.4% | +78.4% | 72% |
| 3-year (a year) | 299 | −12.2% | +9.0% | +27.3% | 88% |
| 5-year (a year) | 275 | −4.0% | +9.2% | +22.4% | 97% |
| 10-year (a year) | 215 | +2.0% | +8.6% | +13.5% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 1998. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
XLB performance overview
Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLB) returned +16.9% over the past year and +10.3% a year over ten years, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 1998 it has returned +8.5% a year, turning $10,000 into about $97,220. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −59.8%, from May 20, 2008 to Mar 2, 2009, and it took 4.2 years to get back to the old high. XLB finished 20 of its 27 full calendar years with a gain; the best year was 2009 (+48.2%) and the worst 2008 (−44.1%). Volatility has been 21.0% a year.
Related: XLB chart, XLB holdings, XLB dividends, XLB valuation. See the XLB overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
XLB performance FAQ
What is the XLB return over the past year?
XLB returned +16.9% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 14.8%.
What is the average annual return of XLB?
XLB has returned +6.0% a year over 5 years, +10.3% a year over 10 years, +8.5% a year since December 22, 1998 (total return, distributions reinvested).
How much would $10,000 invested in XLB be worth?
$10,000 invested in XLB at its first recorded close on December 22, 1998 would be worth about $97,220 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for XLB?
The worst calendar year was 2008, with a total return of −44.1%. The best was 2009 at +48.2%.
What is the biggest drawdown of XLB?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −59.8% between May 20, 2008 and March 2, 2009. It recovered to the old high on May 8, 2013, 4.2 years after the bottom.
How volatile is XLB?
Over the past 3 years XLB had an annualized volatility of 16.2% and a Sharpe ratio of 0.37 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).