VPU vs XLU
Vanguard Utilities Index Fund ETF Shares vs State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF
Last updated: 2026-04-02
Vanguard Utilities Index Fund ETF Shares (VPU) is an exchange-traded fund that provides exposure to us sector - utilities securities. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.09%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 2.56%. Launched in 2004, the fund has a 22-year track record.
State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU) is an exchange-traded fund that provides exposure to us sector - utilities securities. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.08%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 2.58%. Launched in 1998, the fund has a 28-year track record.
Quick Verdict
Both funds have nearly identical expense ratios (0.08% vs 0.09%), so fees are not a differentiator here. Both funds have delivered similar 1-year returns (16.1% vs 16.7%), tracking closely.
Key Metrics
Performance Chart
Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)
Performance Comparison
Fee Impact Over Time
Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns
Risk Metrics
Based on 5 years of daily returns
Dividend Comparison
Top Holdings
9 of top 10 holdings overlap (90% overlap in top holdings)
VPU Top Holdings
| Name | Weight |
|---|---|
| NextEra Energy, Inc.NEE | 11.89% |
| The Southern CompanySO | 6.35% |
| Duke Energy CorporationDUK | 6.26% |
| Constellation Energy CorporationCEG | 6.26% |
| American Electric Power Company, Inc.AEP | 4.40% |
| SempraSRE | 3.87% |
| Vistra Corp.VST | 3.63% |
| Dominion Energy, Inc.D | 3.32% |
| Xcel Energy Inc.XEL | 3.04% |
| Entergy CorporationETR | 2.95% |
XLU Top Holdings
| Name | Weight |
|---|---|
| NextEra Energy, Inc.NEE | 13.59% |
| The Southern CompanySO | 7.47% |
| Duke Energy CorporationDUK | 7.15% |
| Constellation Energy CorporationCEG | 6.11% |
| American Electric Power Company, Inc.AEP | 4.98% |
| SempraSRE | 4.46% |
| Dominion Energy, Inc.D | 3.71% |
| Entergy CorporationETR | 3.57% |
| Exelon CorporationEXC | 3.52% |
| Vistra Corp.VST | 3.36% |
Which One Should You Choose?
Either works if...
you just need broad us sector - utilities exposure. Both are solid options — pick whichever your brokerage offers commission-free.