Is State Street SPDR S&P Telecom ETF (XTL) a Strong ETF Right Now?

Core Insights - The State Street SPDR S&P Telecom ETF (XTL) debuted on January 26, 2011, providing broad exposure to the Communication Services ETFs category [1] - XTL is managed by State Street Investment Management and has accumulated over $202.69 million in assets, positioning it as an average-sized ETF in its category [5] - The ETF seeks to match the performance of the S&P Telecom Select Industry Index, which is a modified equal weight index [6] Fund Characteristics - XTL has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.35%, which is competitive within its peer group [7] - The ETF's 12-month trailing dividend yield is 1.12% [7] - The fund's top holdings include Ast Spacemobile Inc (7.32% of total assets), Ondas Holdings Inc, and Ciena Corp, with the top 10 holdings accounting for approximately 42.55% of total assets [9] Performance Metrics - As of November 11, 2025, XTL has returned approximately 38.23% year-to-date and 37.48% over the past year [10] - The ETF has traded between $86.93 and $155.49 in the past 52 weeks [10] - XTL has a beta of 1.13 and a standard deviation of 23.08% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [10] Alternatives and Comparisons - Other ETFs in the Communication Services space include Vanguard Communication Services ETF (VOX) with $5.69 billion in assets and Communication Services Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLC) with $25.84 billion [12] - VOX has a lower expense ratio of 0.09%, while XLC charges 0.08% [12] - Investors seeking lower-cost options may consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match the returns of the Communication Services ETFs [13]