SCHD vs XLSI
Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF vs State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF
Which is better, SCHD or XLSI?
Large Cap Value against Large Cap Blend.
SCHD has a lower expense ratio. SCHD led over 1Y and the full window.
MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | SCHD | XLSI |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.06%Best | 0.35% |
| AUM | $112.1B | $7M |
| Dividend Yield | 3.00% | 12.75% |
| Holdings | 103 | 4 |
| YTD Return | +25.07%Best | +5.62% |
| 1Y Return | +27.61%Best | +4.66% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +15.74% | - |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +9.89% | - |
| Volatility (annualized) | 13.0% | 10.5%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -4.6%Best | -7.9% |
| $10,000 over 1.1 years | $13,123Best | $10,496 |
| Fund Family | Charles Schwab Asset Management | State Street Investment Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Value | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Oct 20, 2011 | Jul 29, 2025 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.1 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Jul 30, 2025 to Sep 11, 2026 (1.1 years).
SCHD vs XLSI growth
Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view covers the 1.1 years both funds cover.
SCHD vs XLSI Performance
Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) is an ETF from Charles Schwab Asset Management and State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Premium Income ETF (XLSI) is an ETF from State Street Investment Management. Over the past year SCHD returned +27.61% while XLSI returned +4.66%. Year to date, SCHD is up 25.07% versus a gain of 5.62% for XLSI.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
SCHD has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 13.0% compared with 10.5% for XLSI. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.
The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -4.6% for SCHD and -7.9% for XLSI. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.83. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
SCHD charges 0.06% per year while XLSI charges 0.35%. On a $10,000 position that is $6 vs $35 annually, a gap of $29 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SCHD currently yields 3.00% against 12.75% for XLSI.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.1% of SCHD's money is in holdings XLSI also owns.
Stated as a floor: for XLSI, our book for it covers 101.9% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
1 positions in common, counted across the 100 positions we hold weights for in SCHD and 2 in XLSI, against full books of 103 and 4.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in SCHD | Weight in XLSI | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| GVMXXSsi Us Gov Money Market Class | 0.06% | 0.88% | 0.82% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of SCHD and XLSI you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, SCHD or XLSI?
SCHD has an expense ratio of 0.06% while XLSI charges 0.35%. SCHD is the cheaper option, by $29 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, SCHD or XLSI?
Over the past year SCHD returned +27.61% vs +4.66% for XLSI, so SCHD leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), SCHD annualized +28.03% vs +4.50% for XLSI. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, SCHD or XLSI?
SCHD has been the more volatile fund at 13.0% annualized versus 10.5% for XLSI. Worst drawdown: SCHD -4.6% vs XLSI -7.9%.
Should I hold both SCHD and XLSI?
SCHD and XLSI have a monthly-return correlation of 0.83, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, SCHD or XLSI?
SCHD yields 3.00% while XLSI yields 12.75%, so XLSI currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is XLSI better than SCHD?
SCHD has a lower expense ratio. SCHD led over 1Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.