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Should You Invest in the Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU)?
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Launched on 12/16/1998, the Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU - Free Report) is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to provide a broad exposure to the Utilities - Broad segment of the equity market.
Retail and institutional investors increasingly turn to passively managed ETFs because they offer low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency; these kind of funds are also excellent vehicles for long term investors.
Sector ETFs are also funds of convenience, offering many ways to gain low risk and diversified exposure to a broad group of companies in particular sectors. Utilities - Broad is one of the 16 broad Zacks sectors within the Zacks Industry classification. It is currently ranked 9, placing it in bottom 44%.
Index Details
The fund is sponsored by State Street Global Advisors. It has amassed assets over $13.71 billion, making it the largest ETF attempting to match the performance of the Utilities - Broad segment of the equity market. XLU seeks to match the performance of the Utilities Select Sector Index before fees and expenses.
The Utilities Select Sector Index seeks to provide an effective representation of the Utilities sector of the S&P 500 Index.
Costs
Cost is an important factor in selecting the right ETF, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts if all other fundamentals are the same.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.09%, making it one of the least expensive products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 3.04%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
ETFs offer a diversified exposure and thus minimize single stock risk but it is still important to delve into a fund's holdings before investing. Most ETFs are very transparent products and many disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
This ETF has heaviest allocation in the Utilities sector--about 100% of the portfolio.
Looking at individual holdings, Nextera Energy Inc (NEE - Free Report) accounts for about 13.48% of total assets, followed by Southern Co/the (SO - Free Report) and Duke Energy Corp (DUK - Free Report) .
The top 10 holdings account for about 59.78% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
Year-to-date, the Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF has added roughly 13.64% so far, and was up about 12.52% over the last 12 months (as of 06/06/2024). XLU has traded between $56.19 and $72.87 in this past 52-week period.
The ETF has a beta of 0.58 and standard deviation of 18.08% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 32 holdings, it has more concentrated exposure than peers.
Alternatives
Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Thus, XLU is a good option for those seeking exposure to the Utilities/Infrastructure ETFs area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.
Fidelity MSCI Utilities Index ETF (FUTY - Free Report) tracks MSCI USA IMI Utilities Index and the Vanguard Utilities ETF (VPU - Free Report) tracks MSCI US Investable Market Utilities 25/50 Index. Fidelity MSCI Utilities Index ETF has $1.24 billion in assets, Vanguard Utilities ETF has $5.60 billion. FUTY has an expense ratio of 0.08% and VPU charges 0.10%.
Bottom Line
To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.
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Should You Invest in the Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU)?
Launched on 12/16/1998, the Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU - Free Report) is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to provide a broad exposure to the Utilities - Broad segment of the equity market.
Retail and institutional investors increasingly turn to passively managed ETFs because they offer low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency; these kind of funds are also excellent vehicles for long term investors.
Sector ETFs are also funds of convenience, offering many ways to gain low risk and diversified exposure to a broad group of companies in particular sectors. Utilities - Broad is one of the 16 broad Zacks sectors within the Zacks Industry classification. It is currently ranked 9, placing it in bottom 44%.
Index Details
The fund is sponsored by State Street Global Advisors. It has amassed assets over $13.71 billion, making it the largest ETF attempting to match the performance of the Utilities - Broad segment of the equity market. XLU seeks to match the performance of the Utilities Select Sector Index before fees and expenses.
The Utilities Select Sector Index seeks to provide an effective representation of the Utilities sector of the S&P 500 Index.
Costs
Cost is an important factor in selecting the right ETF, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts if all other fundamentals are the same.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.09%, making it one of the least expensive products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 3.04%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
ETFs offer a diversified exposure and thus minimize single stock risk but it is still important to delve into a fund's holdings before investing. Most ETFs are very transparent products and many disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
This ETF has heaviest allocation in the Utilities sector--about 100% of the portfolio.
Looking at individual holdings, Nextera Energy Inc (NEE - Free Report) accounts for about 13.48% of total assets, followed by Southern Co/the (SO - Free Report) and Duke Energy Corp (DUK - Free Report) .
The top 10 holdings account for about 59.78% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
Year-to-date, the Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF has added roughly 13.64% so far, and was up about 12.52% over the last 12 months (as of 06/06/2024). XLU has traded between $56.19 and $72.87 in this past 52-week period.
The ETF has a beta of 0.58 and standard deviation of 18.08% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 32 holdings, it has more concentrated exposure than peers.
Alternatives
Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Thus, XLU is a good option for those seeking exposure to the Utilities/Infrastructure ETFs area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.
Fidelity MSCI Utilities Index ETF (FUTY - Free Report) tracks MSCI USA IMI Utilities Index and the Vanguard Utilities ETF (VPU - Free Report) tracks MSCI US Investable Market Utilities 25/50 Index. Fidelity MSCI Utilities Index ETF has $1.24 billion in assets, Vanguard Utilities ETF has $5.60 billion. FUTY has an expense ratio of 0.08% and VPU charges 0.10%.
Bottom Line
To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.