XLB vs XME Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
XLB and XME sit in related but distinct corners of the ETF landscape — XLB centers on concentrated exposure to chemicals, mining, and industrial materials, while XME focuses on equal-weighted exposure to steel, mining, and industrial metals producers. Investors choosing between them should weigh how each fund's strategy lines up with their own goals rather than assuming they're interchangeable.
Choosing between XLB and XME comes down to which specific exposure — concentrated exposure to chemicals, mining, and industrial materials or equal-weighted exposure to steel, mining, and industrial metals producers — better matches the role you want this holding to play in a diversified portfolio.
XLB holds the edge across 5 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. XLB has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+24.74% vs +2.91% for XME).
- want concentrated exposure to chemicals, mining, and industrial materials
- prefer State Street's approach and fund lineup
- value direct exposure to commodity-linked industrial producers
- are comfortable with small sector with a limited number of large constituents
- want equal-weighted exposure to steel, mining, and industrial metals producers
- prefer State Street's approach and fund lineup
- value equal weighting avoids domination by a few large miners
- are comfortable with highly cyclical and commodity-price-sensitive
| Metric | XLB | XME |
|---|---|---|
| ETF scorei | 27.3 | 27.0 |
| Latest closei | $51.95 | $93.45 |
| 1M returni | +6.06% | -10.86% |
| 3M returni | -1.27% | -19.20% |
| 6M returni | +1.54% | -22.63% |
| 1Y returni | +24.74% | +2.91% |
The ETF score weights long-term returns and risk-adjusted performance most heavily, but still rewards low expense ratios, larger fund size, and broader diversification — so it can favor low-cost, broad, mega-cap funds over smaller thematic or actively-managed funds even when the latter have delivered stronger returns.
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | XLB | XME |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $12.7K (+27.0%) started 2025-11-06 | $10.32K (+3.2%) started 2025-11-06 |
| 5Y ago | $14.31K (+43.1%) started 2021-11-08 | $21.88K (+118.8%) started 2021-11-08 |
| 10Y ago | $33.54K (+235.4%) started 2016-11-07 | $45.37K (+353.7%) started 2016-11-07 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | XLB | XME |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratioi | 0.08% | 0.35% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $8.45B | $3.69B |
| Dividend yieldi | 1.64% | 0.35% |
| Trailing P/Ei | 21.60 | 17.13 |
| Betai | 0.90 | 1.37 |
| 52-week change | 24.74% | 2.91% |
| Metric | XLB | XME |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y returni | +24.74% | +2.91% |
| 6M returni | +1.54% | -22.63% |
| 3M returni | -1.27% | -19.20% |
| 1M returni | +6.06% | -10.86% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | 1.07 | 0.15 |
| Betai | 0.90 | 1.37 |
| Dividend yieldi | 1.64% | 0.35% |
| 5Y CAGR | +5.24% | +15.94% |
Over the past year, XLB and XME have moved moderately in the same direction (correlation of 0.63), based on daily returns.
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
| Period | Metric | XLB | XME |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growthi | +24.74% | +2.91% |
| CAGRi | +24.76% | +2.91% | |
| Volatilityi | 18.16% | 37.64% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 1.07 | 0.15 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 1.58 | 0.20 | |
| Max drawdowni | 12.38% | 31.84% | |
| Current drawdowni | 3.62% | 29.55% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 3.24% | 12.20% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 4.22% | 14.61% | |
| Max daily dropi | 2.91% | 7.81% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 6.65% | 12.60% | |
| 5Y | Growthi | +29.04% | +109.27% |
| CAGRi | +5.24% | +15.94% | |
| Volatilityi | 19.17% | 32.98% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.13 | 0.48 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.18 | 0.68 | |
| Max drawdowni | 24.72% | 37.27% | |
| Current drawdowni | 3.62% | 29.55% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 7.00% | 13.55% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 8.57% | 16.18% | |
| Max daily dropi | 6.26% | 7.81% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 13.94% | 16.54% | |
| 10Y | Growthi | +169.15% | +298.53% |
| CAGRi | +10.41% | +14.83% | |
| Volatilityi | 20.74% | 33.00% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.37 | 0.45 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.52 | 0.64 | |
| Max drawdowni | 37.27% | 61.69% | |
| Current drawdowni | 3.62% | 29.55% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 6.43% | 15.73% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 8.44% | 19.64% | |
| Max daily dropi | 11.01% | 14.85% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 20.92% | 28.53% |
| Category | XLB | XME |
|---|---|---|
| Fund name | State Street Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF | State Street SPDR S&P Metals & Mining ETF |
| Type | ETF | ETF |
| Expense ratioi | 0.08% | 0.35% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $8.45B | $3.69B |
| Dividend yieldi | 1.64% | 0.35% |
- Direct exposure to commodity-linked industrial producers
- Deep liquidity among sector SPDR funds
- Can act as an inflation and industrial-cycle hedge
- Equal weighting avoids domination by a few large miners
- Direct exposure to industrial metals and steel-price cycles
- Can benefit from infrastructure spending and reshoring trends
- Small sector with a limited number of large constituents
- Highly cyclical and commodity-price-sensitive
- Global demand shifts (especially from China) drive returns
- Highly cyclical and commodity-price-sensitive
- Small, concentrated industry with volatile earnings
- Global demand shifts, especially from China, drive returns
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