XLV ETF — State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF

State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV)

Updated October 16, 2026.

XLV is a low-cost ETF that tracks the Health Care Select Sector Index. its distribution rate is 1.45%, its trailing-12-month yield is 1.44%, its expense ratio is 0.08%. Dividend Vision Distribution Safety Score™ is 100/100 (Safe). Total return is 963.1% over the past 27.8 years, 40.4 points ahead of SPY at 922.7%.

State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF tracks the Health Care Select Sector Index through a replication strategy, holding at least 95% of its assets in companies across pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, health care equipment and supplies, providers and services, life sciences tools, and health care technology. The fund distributes quarterly income at a modest current rate and carries a very low expense ratio of 0.08%. It appeals to investors seeking broad exposure to the health care sector with minimal fees.

XLV performance versus SPY

Price and return data through 2026-10-16.

Total return is 963.1% over the past 27.8 years, 40.4 points ahead of SPY at 922.7%. Over the past year its total return — price change plus distributions reinvested — is 26.2%. Its deepest 1-year drawdown was 10.5%.

XLV key facts

Distribution Safety Score™

100 · Safe

Safety-Adjusted Yield

1.45%

Issuer

State Street

Asset type

ETF

Asset class

Equity

Inception date

12/16/1998

Expense ratio

0.08%

Distribution rate

1.45%

Distribution frequency

Quarterly

Trailing yield

1.44%

Last close

$176.71 (stale; as of 2026-10-16)

AUM

$44,310,235,301

Market cap

$28,321,159,168

Average volume

8547700.0

Dividend

$0.642

Ex-dividend date

09/21/2026

Payment date

09/23/2026

Beta

0.52

How Dividend Vision calculates yield and returns

Distribution rate (1.45%) uses calculation basis unavailable. Issuer rates can use a different denominator and date, including ex-date NAV. Trailing-12-month yield (1.44%) is the sum of split-adjusted cash distributions with ex-dates in the last 12 months, divided by the published price. It lags a recent raise or cut. Total return uses split-adjusted close with distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date) from the first stored bar on or after inception through the latest bar, compared with the same window on the benchmark. That is the security's total return, not your personal gain/loss.

Yield and safety methodology · Distribution rate methodology · Distribution Safety Score methodology

Sources and review

Primary sources: State Street or company page; Index: Health Care Select Sector Index; prices and distributions from Dividend Vision, derived from vendor EOD data.

Reviewed by Bert Sweet, CEO and Co-owner of Dividend Vision. Methodology: Distribution Safety Score.

XLV risks and drawbacks

XLV's current distribution rate is moderate, not a high-yield payout — the strategy is dividend quality more than maximum income. Payments are quarterly, so cash flow is lumpy versus a monthly fund. The deepest 1-year drawdown on record here is 10.5%.

Who may consider XLV — and who may not

XLV may suit someone looking for low-cost broad dividend exposure, a high Distribution Safety Score. It is a weaker fit for investors who need monthly cash flow (XLV pays quarterly); investors hunting double-digit covered-call yields. This is educational context, not a recommendation to buy or sell.

More on XLV

• XLV dividend calendar
• XLV dividend history
• All tickers starting with X

Tagged: Index, Healthcare.

Compare XLV

XLV vs similar funds:

• XLV vs VHT
• XLV vs IBB
• XLV vs IHI
• XLV vs HLTH
• XLV vs ARKG vs HLTH

Frequently asked questions

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