Should You Invest in the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP)?

Launched on 12/16/1998, the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to provide a broad exposure to the Consumer Staples - Broad segment of the equity market.Retail and institutional investors increasingly turn to passively managed ETFs because they offer low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency; these kind of funds are also excellent vehicles for long term investors.Sector ETFs are also funds of convenience, offering many ways to gain low risk and diversified exposure to a broad group of companies in particular sectors. Consumer Staples - Broad is one of the 16 broad Zacks sectors within the Zacks Industry classification. It is currently ranked 13, placing it in bottom 19%.Index DetailsThe fund is sponsored by State Street Global Advisors. It has amassed assets over $16.91 billion, making it the largest ETF attempting to match the performance of the Consumer Staples - Broad segment of the equity market. XLP seeks to match the performance of the Consumer Staples Select Sector Index before fees and expenses.The Consumer Staples Select Sector Index seeks to provide an effective representation of the consumer staples sector of the S&P 500 Index.CostsExpense ratios are an important factor in the return of an ETF and in the long term, cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts, other things remaining the same.Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.08%, making it the least expensive product in the space.It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.60%.Sector Exposure and Top HoldingsIt is important to delve into an ETF's holdings before investing despite the many upsides to these kinds of funds like diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk. And, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.This ETF has heaviest allocation in the Consumer Staples sector--about 100% of the portfolio.Looking at individual holdings, Costco Wholesale Corp (COST) accounts for about 11.23% of total assets, followed by Walmart Inc (WMT) and Procter + Gamble Co/the (PG).The top 10 holdings account for about 64.44% of total assets under management.Performance and RiskSo far this year, XLP has added roughly 6.25%, and it's up approximately 15.09% in the last one year (as of 03/04/2025). During this past 52-week period, the fund has traded between $73.08 and $84.26.The ETF has a beta of 0.57 and standard deviation of 13.20% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 41 holdings, it has more concentrated exposure than peers.AlternativesConsumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Thus, XLP is a good option for those seeking exposure to the Consumer Staples ETFs area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.IShares U.S. Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) tracks Dow Jones U.S. Consumer Goods Index and the Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) tracks MSCI US Investable Market Consumer Staples 25/50 Index. IShares U.S. Consumer Staples ETF has $1.38 billion in assets, Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF has $7.43 billion. IYK has an expense ratio of 0.40% and VDC charges 0.09%.Bottom LineTo learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.Want key ETF info delivered straight to your inbox?Zacks’ free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, each week.Get it free >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP): ETF Research Reports Procter & Gamble Company (The) (PG): Free Stock Analysis Report Walmart Inc. (WMT): Free Stock Analysis Report Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST): Free Stock Analysis Report Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC): ETF Research Reports iShares U.S. Consumer Staples ETF (IYK): ETF Research ReportsThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks