FXUvsXLUETF Comparison
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First Trust Utilities AlphaDEX ETF (FXU) and State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU) belong to the same industry segment: US Utilities. FXU's top 3 sector exposures are Utilities and Industrials. In contrast, XLU's top sector exposures are Utilities FXU is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.61%, versus 0.08% for XLU. FXU is up 10.28% year-to-date (YTD) with -$1.01B in YTD flows. XLU performs worse with 8.92% YTD performance, and +$268M in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of FXU and XLU below, and assess how they stack up in performance, liquidity, risk, exposure, holdings, and more, helping you select the best ETF for your investments.
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FXU vs XLU performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 04/24/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | FXU XLU | +1.52%+1.21% | +6.96%+7.09% | +10.28%+8.92% | +23.45%+20.61% | +58.32%+46.48% | +81.02%+63.51% |
| Flows | FXU XLU | +$35M-$730M | -$178M+$206M | -$1.01B+$268M | -$859M+$2.58B | +$254M+$2.70B | +$392M+$6.28B |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | FXU XLU | +15.28%+16.78% | +13.02%+14.12% | +15.77%+16.20% | +16.74%+17.27% |
| Max drawdown | FXU XLU | -5.67%-6.51% | -5.88%-9.19% | -17.58%-17.70% | -21.82%-25.30% |
| Max drawdown duration | FXU XLU | 37d57d | 71d120d | 368d352d | 604d688d |
Trading data
FXU | XLU | |
Last sale 4/28/2026 at 1:30 PM | $49.52 | $46.25 |
| Previous close 04/27/2026 | $49.42 | $46.19 |
| Consolidated volume 04/27/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Replication quality
Data as of March 31, 2026
1-year trailing difference
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FXU | XLU | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
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Main metrics
Last update 4/28/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
FXU | XLU | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $49.52 | $46.25 |
| 1D performance | +0.20% | +0.13% |
| AuM | $891.42 M | $23.75 B |
| E/R | 0.61% | 0.08% |
Characteristics
FXU | XLU | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Passive | Passive |
| Provider | First Trust | State Street Investment Management |
| Benchmark | StrataQuant Utilities Index | S&P Utilities Select Sector Index |
| N° of holdings | 40 | 31 |
| Asset class | Equities | Equities |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | May 8, 2007 | December 16, 1998 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
FXU
USA
99.75%
Other
0.25%
XLU
USA
99.79%
Other
0.21%
Sectors
FXU
Utilities
94.01%
Other
5.99%
XLU
Utilities
99.79%
Other
0.21%
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Diversification
FXU
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
57.19%
XLU
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
72.3%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of March 31, 2026
FXU
EDISON INTERNATIONAL
4.61%
NFG
4.37%
CONSOLIDATED EDISON
4.32%
OGE ENERGY
4.25%
EXELON CORP
4.22%
PG&E
4.16%
ESSENTIAL UTILITIES INC
3.99%
UGI
3.63%
CLEARWAY ENERGY INC
3.61%
PINNACLE WEST
3.45%
AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER
3.44%
EVERGY
3.42%
DUKE ENERGY
3.36%
MDU RESOURCES GROUP
3.24%
EVERSOURCE ENERGY
3.12%
XLU
NEXTERA ENERGY
13.59%
SOUTHERN
7.47%
DUKE ENERGY
7.15%
CONSTELLATION ENERGY CORP
6.11%
AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER
4.98%
SEMPRA ENERGY
4.46%
DOMINION ENERGY
3.71%
ENTERGY
3.57%
EXELON CORP
3.52%
VISTRA CORP
3.36%
XCEL ENERGY
3.30%
CONSOLIDATED EDISON
2.87%
PUBLIC SRVCE ENT
2.84%
PG&E
2.71%
WEC ENERGY GROUP INC
2.65%
Frequently asked questions about FXU and XLU
How have the FXU and XLU ETFs performed in 2026?
As of April 24, 2026, FXU is up 10.28% year-to-date (YTD), while XLU has returned 8.92%. That puts FXU better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: FXU or XLU?
Year-to-date, the FXU ETF saw -$1.01B in flows, compared to +$268M for XLU.
Which ETF is more volatile: FXU or XLU?
Over the past year, FXU had a volatility of 13.02%, while XLU experienced 14.12%.
Which ETF is bigger: FXU or XLU?
As of April 24, 2026, FXU holds $891.42 M in assets under management (AUM), while XLU manages $23.75 B.
What sectors do the FXU and XLU ETFs invest in?
FXU leans toward sectors like Utilities. Meanwhile, XLU focuses on Utilities.
What are the top holdings of the FXU ETF and XLU ETF?
FXU top holdings include EDISON INTERNATIONAL, NFG and CONSOLIDATED EDISON. XLU holds in its top three: NEXTERA ENERGY, SOUTHERN and DUKE ENERGY.
Which ETF is more diversified: FXU or XLU?
FXU holds 40 securities with 57.19% of its assets in the top 15. XLU has 31 securities and a top 15 weight of 72.3%.
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