XLU vs VPU: ETF comparison
Utilities Select Sector SPDR® Fund and Vanguard Utilities Index Fund ETF Shares side by side: cost, yield, returns, risk and holdings, from end-of-day data (to 23 Oct 2026) and SEC filings. Educational, not advice.
XLU and VPU at a glance
| XLU | VPU | |
|---|---|---|
| Fund | Utilities Select Sector SPDR® Fund | Vanguard Utilities Index Fund ETF Shares |
| Issuer (by our rules) | State Street (SPDR) | Vanguard |
| Category (by our rules) | Utilities | Utilities |
| Price | $42.56 | $184.01 |
| Expense ratio | 0.08% | 0.09% |
| Yield (last 12 months) | 2.85% | 2.83% |
| Distributions | Quarterly | Quarterly |
| Holdings | 36 | 72 |
| Net assets (fund, SEC) | $23.1B | $10.6B |
| Top 10 holdings share | 57.5% | 52.5% |
| 1-year total return | −3.1% | −3.3% |
| 3 years a year | +17.4% | +17.4% |
| 5 years a year | +8.0% | +7.8% |
| Volatility (1 year) | 15.7% | 15.4% |
| Largest drop in our data | −52.3% | −46.3% |
What differs
XLU charges 0.08% a year against 0.09% for VPU: on $10,000 that is $1 a year less in fund costs.
Over 5 years the annualised total return was +8.0% for XLU and +7.8% for VPU. Past returns do not predict future ones.
Top holdings
NextEra Energy Inc12.89%
Southern Co/The7.60%
Duke Energy Corp6.95%
Constellation Energy Corp5.59%
American Electric Power Co Inc5.24%
Sempra4.27%
Dominion Energy Inc4.23%
Entergy Corp3.70%
As of 30 Jun 2026 (SEC Form N-PORT).
NextEra Energy Inc11.79%
Southern Co/The6.67%
Duke Energy Corp6.28%
Constellation Energy Corp5.83%
American Electric Power Co Inc4.45%
Sempra3.83%
Dominion Energy Inc3.76%
Vistra Corp3.57%
As of 31 May 2026 (SEC Form N-PORT).
Go further
For a deeper overlap check between two funds, use the overlap checker on ETFWinner. Fund pages: XLU, VPU.
Educational information, not financial advice or a recommendation to choose either fund. Funds can lose value, and past performance does not guarantee future results.