XOP vs VDE Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
XOP and VDE sit in related but distinct corners of the ETF landscape — XOP centers on equal-weighted, pure-play exposure to US oil and gas producers, while VDE focuses on broad, cap-weighted energy sector exposure at low cost. 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 XOP and VDE comes down to which specific exposure — equal-weighted, pure-play exposure to US oil and gas producers or broad, cap-weighted energy sector exposure at low cost — better matches the role you want this holding to play in a diversified portfolio.
VDE holds the edge across 5 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. VDE has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+46.83% vs +46.73% for XOP).
- want equal-weighted, pure-play exposure to US oil and gas producers
- prefer State Street's approach and fund lineup
- value equal weighting avoids domination by a few mega-cap producers
- are comfortable with highly volatile and directly tied to commodity price swings
- want broad, cap-weighted energy sector exposure at low cost
- prefer Vanguard's approach and fund lineup
- value includes integrated majors for more earnings stability than pure E&P funds
- are comfortable with cap-weighting concentrates the fund in a few mega-cap majors
| Metric | XOP | VDE |
|---|---|---|
| ETF scorei | 83.0 | 89.0 |
| Latest closei | $190.61 | $180.31 |
| 1M returni | +2.30% | +0.70% |
| 6M returni | +8.58% | +8.82% |
| 1Y returni | +46.73% | +46.83% |
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 | XOP | VDE |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $15.02K (+50.2%) started 2025-09-18 | $15.11K (+51.1%) started 2025-09-18 |
| 5Y ago | $28.79K (+187.9%) started 2021-09-20 | $38.45K (+284.5%) started 2021-09-20 |
| 10Y ago | $19.69K (+96.9%) started 2016-09-19 | $41.31K (+313.1%) started 2016-09-19 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | XOP | VDE |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratioi | 0.35% | 0.09% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $3.99B | $13.27B |
| Dividend yieldi | 1.72% | 2.24% |
| Trailing P/Ei | 11.02 | 17.58 |
| Betai | 0.64 | 0.51 |
| 52-week change | 46.73% | 46.83% |
| Metric | XOP | VDE |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y returni | +46.73% | +46.83% |
| 6M returni | +8.58% | +8.82% |
| 1M returni | +2.30% | +0.70% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | 1.31 | 1.67 |
| Betai | 0.64 | 0.51 |
| Dividend yieldi | 1.72% | 2.24% |
| 5Y CAGR | +20.49% | +26.08% |
Over the past year, XOP and VDE have moved strongly in the same direction (correlation of 0.92), 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 | XOP | VDE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growthi | +46.73% | +46.83% |
| CAGRi | +46.77% | +46.87% | |
| Volatilityi | 29.17% | 21.79% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 1.31 | 1.67 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 1.87 | 2.45 | |
| Max drawdowni | 18.50% | 15.04% | |
| Current drawdowni | 4.55% | 2.86% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 5.95% | 4.05% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 7.77% | 5.65% | |
| Max daily dropi | 6.24% | 4.02% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 9.38% | 7.16% | |
| 5Y | Growthi | +153.62% | +218.09% |
| CAGRi | +20.49% | +26.08% | |
| Volatilityi | 33.12% | 25.93% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.60 | 0.85 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.83 | 1.20 | |
| Max drawdowni | 34.98% | 26.58% | |
| Current drawdowni | 4.55% | 2.86% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 13.06% | 6.96% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 15.08% | 8.68% | |
| Max daily dropi | 10.68% | 9.07% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 23.06% | 18.78% | |
| 10Y | Growthi | +59.64% | +173.49% |
| CAGRi | +4.79% | +10.59% | |
| Volatilityi | 40.14% | 29.92% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.21 | 0.34 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.30 | 0.47 | |
| Max drawdowni | 82.61% | 69.29% | |
| Current drawdowni | 4.55% | 2.86% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 26.41% | 15.19% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 33.23% | 21.01% | |
| Max daily dropi | 36.87% | 19.83% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 46.97% | 35.20% |
| Category | XOP | VDE |
|---|---|---|
| Fund name | State Street SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF | Vanguard Energy Index Fund ETF Shares |
| Type | ETF | ETF |
| Expense ratioi | 0.35% | 0.09% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $3.99B | $13.27B |
| Dividend yieldi | 1.72% | 2.24% |
- Equal weighting avoids domination by a few mega-cap producers
- Direct, high-beta exposure to crude oil and natural gas prices
- Liquid, widely used vehicle for trading energy-sector sentiment
- Includes integrated majors for more earnings stability than pure E&P funds
- Low expense ratio for sector exposure
- Diversified across the full energy value chain
- Highly volatile and directly tied to commodity price swings
- Excludes integrated majors and midstream/pipeline companies
- Equal weighting increases exposure to smaller, riskier drillers
- Cap-weighting concentrates the fund in a few mega-cap majors
- Still highly sensitive to oil and gas price swings
- Energy sector carries meaningful policy and transition risk
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