Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) Performance
XLV total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +17.2% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +24.8% total return
- 5 years
- +8.1% a year
- 10 years
- +11.8% a year
- Since first price
- +8.9% a year since 1998
XLV trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | XLV total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | +6.2% | +6.2% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | +11.5% | +11.1% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +23.6% | +22.6% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +17.2% | +15.8% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +24.8% | +22.8% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +48.1%+14.0%/yr | +40.9% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| 5 years | +47.7%+8.1%/yr | +36.2% | +79.3%+12.4%/yr | +94.0%+14.2%/yr | −0.8%−0.2%/yr |
| 10 years | +204.0%+11.8%/yr | +157.2% | +315.9%+15.3%/yr | +538.9%+20.4%/yr | +14.0%+1.3%/yr |
| 15 years | +595.7%+13.8%/yr | +441.5% | +696.0%+14.8%/yr | +1,299.3%+19.2%/yr | +32.2%+1.9%/yr |
| 20 years | +645.4%+10.6%/yr | +428.1% | +696.9%+10.9%/yr | +1,839.9%+16.0%/yr | +79.6%+3.0%/yr |
| Since inceptionDec 22, 1998 | +978.5%+8.9%/yr | +616.2% | — | — | — |
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: XLV vs SPY
From Dec 22, 1998: XLV grew to $107,854, SPY to $101,831.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
XLV returns by calendar year
21 of 27 full years positive. Best 2013 (+41.4%), worst 2008 (−23.3%). 2026 is year to date.
XLV annual returns table
| Year | XLV | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +17.2% | −10.5% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +14.5% | −13.6% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +2.5% | −13.0% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | +2.1% | −9.2% | +26.2% | +54.9% | +5.7% |
| 2022 | −2.1% | −16.1% | −18.2% | −32.6% | −13.0% |
| 2021 | +26.0% | −8.1% | +28.7% | +27.4% | −1.8% |
| 2020 | +13.3% | −28.4% | +18.3% | +48.6% | +7.5% |
| 2019 | +20.5% | −7.4% | +31.2% | +39.0% | +8.5% |
| 2018 | +6.3% | −15.4% | −4.6% | −0.1% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | +21.8% | −3.8% | +21.7% | +32.7% | +3.6% |
| 2016 | −2.8% | −12.4% | +12.0% | +7.1% | +2.4% |
| 2015 | +6.8% | −16.4% | +1.2% | +9.4% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | +25.1% | −7.8% | +13.5% | +19.2% | +6.0% |
| 2013 | +41.4% | −5.2% | +32.3% | +36.6% | −2.0% |
| 2012 | +17.4% | −6.5% | +16.0% | +18.1% | +3.8% |
| 2011 | +12.4% | −17.3% | +1.9% | +3.4% | +7.7% |
| 2010 | +3.3% | −14.6% | +15.1% | +19.9% | +6.4% |
| 2009 | +19.5% | −20.2% | +26.4% | +54.7% | +3.0% |
| 2008 | −23.3% | −34.5% | −36.8% | −41.7% | +7.9% |
| 2007 | +7.2% | −8.2% | +5.1% | +19.0% | +6.6% |
| 2006 | +7.1% | −9.9% | +15.8% | +7.1% | +3.9% |
| 2005 | +6.4% | −7.8% | +4.8% | +1.6% | +2.3% |
| 2004 | +1.3% | −15.0% | +10.7% | +10.5% | +3.8% |
| 2003 | +14.9% | −10.6% | +28.2% | +49.7% | — |
| 2002 | −0.7% | −27.3% | −21.6% | −37.4% | — |
| 2001 | −0.8% | −28.4% | −11.8% | −33.3% | — |
| 2000 | −11.6% | −19.7% | −9.7% | −36.1% | — |
| 1999 | +19.5% | −15.5% | +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.
XLV largest drawdowns
Now 1.1% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 10, 2007 | −39.2% | Mar 9, 2009 | Apr 26, 2011 | 1.2 years | 3.4 years |
| Jan 10, 2000 | −33.1% | Sep 20, 2001 | Jun 16, 2005 | 1.7 years | 5.4 years |
| Jan 22, 2020 | −28.4% | Mar 23, 2020 | Jul 15, 2020 | 2 months | 6 months |
| May 18, 2011 | −17.3% | Aug 10, 2011 | Jan 18, 2012 | 3 months | 8 months |
| Sep 16, 2024 | −17.1% | May 14, 2025 | Nov 21, 2025 | 8 months | 1.2 years |
| Jul 20, 2015 | −17.1% | Feb 8, 2016 | Mar 1, 2017 | 7 months | 1.6 years |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
XLV risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | 5 years | 10 years | Since 1998 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +11.2% | +7.5% | +10.7% | +8.6% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 14.1% | 14.8% | 14.5% | 14.2% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.51 | 0.32 | 0.61 | — |
| Sortino ratio | 0.78 | 0.49 | 0.99 | — |
| Best month | +9.3% | +9.6% | +12.6% | +12.6% |
| Worst month | −8.1% | −8.1% | −9.4% | −14.5% |
| Best 12 months | +26.8% | +26.8% | +33.9% | +41.4% |
| Worst 12 months | −11.3% | −11.3% | −11.3% | −30.5% |
| Positive months | 61% | 55% | 60% | 60% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.42 | 0.55 | 0.66 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.37 | 0.58 | 0.69 | — |
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.
XLV rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 323 | −30.5% | +8.5% | +41.4% | 77% |
| 3-year (a year) | 299 | −9.4% | +8.1% | +29.7% | 86% |
| 5-year (a year) | 275 | −4.6% | +8.8% | +24.0% | 96% |
| 10-year (a year) | 215 | −0.7% | +10.4% | +17.0% | 99% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 1998. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
XLV performance overview
Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) returned +24.8% over the past year and +11.8% a year over ten years, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 1998 it has returned +8.9% a year, turning $10,000 into about $107,854. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −39.2%, from Dec 10, 2007 to Mar 9, 2009, and it took 2.1 years to get back to the old high. XLV finished 21 of its 27 full calendar years with a gain; the best year was 2013 (+41.4%) and the worst 2008 (−23.3%). Volatility has been 14.2% a year.
Related: XLV chart, XLV holdings, XLV dividends, XLV valuation. See the XLV overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
XLV performance FAQ
What is the XLV return over the past year?
XLV returned +24.8% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 22.8%.
What is the average annual return of XLV?
XLV has returned +8.1% a year over 5 years, +11.8% a year over 10 years, +8.9% a year since December 22, 1998 (total return, distributions reinvested).
How much would $10,000 invested in XLV be worth?
$10,000 invested in XLV at its first recorded close on December 22, 1998 would be worth about $107,854 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for XLV?
The worst calendar year was 2008, with a total return of −23.3%. The best was 2013 at +41.4%.
What is the biggest drawdown of XLV?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −39.2% between December 10, 2007 and March 9, 2009. It recovered to the old high on April 26, 2011, 2.1 years after the bottom.
How volatile is XLV?
Over the past 3 years XLV had an annualized volatility of 14.1% and a Sharpe ratio of 0.51 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).