XLE vs IXC

Portfolio characteristics

Net assets are for the ETF share class on different dates (XLE $40.55B; IXC $2.73B), so they are not matched. Figures that were not available are left out rather than estimated.

Top ten sums: XLE 78.9% · IXC 60.8%. 6 shared top-ten stocks. Weights change.

The sector mirror

Same funds, different lenses

Company size

Both hold energy companies. XLE holds 21 stocks and IXC holds 50.

What you actually own

The first rows are market price total returns computed on the same dates for both funds (to Nov 9, 2026), so they compare like for like. The 10-year figure runs from the December 2016 monthly price (about 9.9 years). The issuer NAV rows are dated separately (XLE to Sep 30, 2026, IXC to Sep 30, 2026) and include the since-inception figures. “Since inception” starts in different years (XLE 1998, IXC 2001). Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Growth of a hypothetical $10,000 · Market price total return, both to Nov 9, 2026

Both funds derived from annualized market price total returns on matched dates (compounded). Distributions reinvested; fund expenses are already in the price. Illustration, not a forecast.

Paid per share, last 12 months vs the 12 months before

Payouts are listed by ex-dividend date. Energy funds pay uneven distributions, so the like-for-like comparison is the total paid over the last 12 months against the 12 months before (cards above: XLE $1.523 per share, IXC $1.572 per share). Payouts move with oil and gas profits and not only with price. See yield vs total return.

Rank by rank, the ten largest positions of each fund. Top five: XLE 59.1%, IXC 46.4%. Top ten: XLE 78.9%, IXC 60.8%.

Large funds like these usually trade with small spreads, but check the live spread before you trade. A spread of 0.01% is about $10 between the buy and sell price on $100,000, so check the live quote. Energy shares can swing sharply when oil prices move, so spreads can widen on volatile days. Use limit orders for large trades and avoid the first and last minutes of the session. See creation, redemption and trading for how NAV, premiums and spreads arise.

Expense ratio is taken from fund assets, not billed. It excludes the bid/ask spread, any premium or discount to NAV, brokerage commissions, and taxes.

Exact eligibility rules, caps and rebalance dates sit in each prospectus and index methodology; read them before relying on this summary.

The two funds follow different indexes. The Energy Select Sector Index weights the energy companies of the S&P 500 by market value with caps on the largest names, so Exxon and Chevron make up over a third of the fund. The S&P Global 1200 Energy Index is a global energy index, so it holds U.S. giants plus Shell, TotalEnergies, BP, Equinor, Enbridge and other foreign companies.

XLE follows the Energy Select Sector Index and IXC follows the S&P Global 1200 Energy Index. Because each index sets its own rules, the funds hold different numbers of stocks (21 against 50) and different mixes of businesses such as integrated majors, producers, refiners, pipelines and oilfield services. Over any window the results can diverge in either direction, and the gap comes mostly from what each index holds and when it rebalances, not from fees.

Start with what separates them: The two funds follow different indexes. The Energy Select Sector Index weights the energy companies of the S&P 500 by market value with caps on the largest names, so Exxon and Chevron make up over a third of the fund.

The S&P Global 1200 Energy Index is a global energy index, so it holds U.S. giants plus Shell, TotalEnergies, BP, Equinor, Enbridge and other foreign companies. Then check what you already own: the funds overlap by 60.8%, so holding both is a real decision about how much of each market you want.

• Step 1 · Market: XLE holds the energy stocks inside the S&P 500, about two dozen companies; IXC holds the largest energy companies in the world, including Shell, TotalEnergies and BP, from the S&P Global 1200 Energy Index.
• Step 2 · Cost: XLE 0.08% vs IXC 0.37%.
• Step 3 · Concentration: ten largest positions 78.9% vs 60.8%.
• Step 4 · Overlap: use the Diversification Calculator against what you own.

Size the position against your whole portfolio, including any U.S. stock fund you hold, because broad stock funds already hold Exxon and Chevron.

XLE and IXC are U.S.-listed and trade in U.S. dollars, so buying them from a Canadian account usually involves converting Canadian dollars, which adds a cost on both entry and exit. Because the funds hold U.S. companies, a move in the U.S. dollar also changes your return in Canadian dollars.

U.S. dividends paid to Canadian residents are generally subject to U.S. withholding tax under the tax treaty; the treaty exemption usually applies inside an RRSP, while a TFSA is not exempt. Rules depend on the fund and the account, so confirm them with a tax professional. This is general education, not tax advice.

Both funds invest in energy companies. Most dividends from U.S. energy companies can be qualified dividends, but the share depends on the fund and on how long you hold it. Check each fund’s tax documents for the split. Funds that hold foreign companies such as IXC can pass through foreign tax credits or withholding.

For Canadian account types and withholding tax, see the Canadian section above. Confirm the rules for your account with a tax professional, and read how to build an ETF portfolio.

Investors comparing XLE and IXC often also look at the other energy funds in this group: XLE, VDE, IYE, IXC, FENY and RSPG. See the other energy ETFs comparisons and the ETF research hub.

Is XLE or IXC better?

In the XLE vs IXC question, neither is better for everyone. XLE and IXC differ in what they hold and what they charge. The two funds follow different indexes. The Energy Select Sector Index weights the energy companies of the S&P 500 by market value with caps on the largest names, so Exxon and Chevron make up over a third of the fund.

The S&P Global 1200 Energy Index is a global energy index, so it holds U.S. giants plus Shell, TotalEnergies, BP, Equinor, Enbridge and other foreign companies. Expense ratios are 0.08% and 0.37%. Market price total returns, annualized (both to Nov 9, 2026): 1 year 42.30% vs 39.40%; 3 years 18.18% vs 18.25%; 5 years 20.13% vs 18.80%; 10 years 9.46% vs 9.39%. Neither is better for everyone; the choice turns on cost, which markets you want, and what you already own.

XLE vs IXC, what are the expense ratios?

XLE charges 0.08% and IXC charges 0.37%, which is $8 and $37 a year per $10,000.

XLE vs IXC, how much do the funds overlap?

About 60.8% of the weight is held by both funds, matched by ticker in full holdings files dated Nov 9, 2026. 6 stocks appear in both top-ten lists.

XLE vs IXC, what does each ETF track?

XLE tracks the Energy Select Sector Index. IXC tracks the S&P Global 1200 Energy Index.

XLE vs IXC, what are the top holdings?

XLE (Nov 9, 2026): ExxonMobil 24.202%, Chevron 18.54%, ConocoPhillips 7.192%, Marathon Petroleum 4.608%, Phillips 66 4.58%. IXC (Nov 9, 2026): ExxonMobil 18.26%, Chevron 11.22%, Shell 7.73%, TotalEnergies 4.83%, ConocoPhillips 4.35%.

XLE vs IXC, which has performed better?

Market price total returns, annualized (both to Nov 9, 2026): 1 year 42.30% vs 39.40%; 3 years 18.18% vs 18.25%; 5 years 20.13% vs 18.80%; 10 years 9.46% vs 9.39%. Returns depend on what each fund holds, and past performance does not guarantee future results.

XLE vs IXC, can I own both?

On XLE vs IXC, you can, but they overlap by about 60.8%. 6 top-ten stocks are shared. Holding both repeats more than half of the same exposure, so the second fund mostly adds weight to what you already own.

XLE vs IXC, how often do the funds pay dividends?

XLE pays quarterly and IXC pays semi-annual. Trailing yields are 2.46% trailing and 2.56%; check each issuer page for the schedule.

XLE vs IXC, are they suitable for Canadian investors?

On XLE vs IXC, both are U.S.-listed and trade in U.S. dollars, so Canadians face currency conversion costs and U.S. withholding tax on dividends. Treatment differs across TFSA, RRSP and taxable accounts. This is general education, not tax advice.

XLE vs IXC, how do the funds differ by sector?

XLE (Nov 9, 2026): integrated oil and gas 42.8%, exploration and production 22.3%, refining and marketing 13.5%. IXC (Nov 9, 2026): integrated oil and gas 56.9%, exploration and production 16.6%, midstream 12.2%.

Third-party sources

StockAnalysis XLE · StockAnalysis IXC.

Methodology and limits

• XLE figures come from State Street fund pages and IXC figures from iShares fund pages.
• Dates are shown beside each figure; the issuer documents are linked below.
• Holdings overlap is the sum of the smaller weight of each ticker held by both funds, using each issuer’s full holdings file. Holdings dates are Nov 9, 2026. Cash, futures and unmatched tickers are excluded and dates differ for some pairs, so treat it as an estimate. IXC holds non-U.S. companies such as Shell, TotalEnergies, BP and Equinor that the U.S.-only funds do not hold, which lowers its overlap with them. Shares listed under different tickers on two exchanges are matched to the U.S. ticker where one exists.
• State Street figures come from the XLE holdings file and fact sheet; iShares figures from the IYE and IXC holdings files, fact sheets and summary prospectuses; Fidelity figures from the FENY holdings list, fact sheet and summary prospectus; Invesco figures from the RSPG holdings file, fact sheet and prospectus; Vanguard figures from the VDE fact sheet and summary prospectus; market data (shares, beta, range) from StockAnalysis, dated Nov 9, 2026.
• Sector groups on this page use one business-type scheme applied to every fund: each stock is placed in a group such as integrated oil and gas, exploration and production, refining and marketing, midstream pipelines, equipment and services, or coal, uranium and other, and the weights are added up from the full holdings. This lets the funds be compared on the same labels, but it will not match each issuer’s own sector table exactly.
• Figures that were unavailable are left out, and nothing was filled from memory or from another fund.
• Growth of $10,000 is derived from annualized market price total returns on matched dates; dollar values are approximate.
• Returns are computed from daily adjusted closing prices (distributions reinvested) so both funds share the same dates (the 10-year figure runs from the December 2016 monthly price, about 9.9 years); issuer NAV returns, where captured, are shown beside them with their dates. Standard deviation is computed from 36 monthly total returns, Nov 2023 to Oct 2026, the same way for every fund.

Pathways, not rankings or recommendations.