I Predicted This ETF Was a Buy for Passive Income, and It's Already Up 13% in 2026. Is There More Room to Run?

Core Viewpoint - The Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) has shown significant performance, up 13.2% in 2026, outperforming the S&P 500, which only gained 1.3% [2] Group 1: Investment Thesis - The ETF is favored for its quality value-stock holdings and reliable passive income, featuring top companies like Walmart, Costco, Procter & Gamble, and Coca-Cola [2] - These companies are known for their stability and ability to generate strong results regardless of economic conditions, often providing stable and growing dividends [2] Group 2: Dividend Kings - The term "Dividend King" refers to companies that have consistently paid and raised dividends for at least 50 consecutive years, with consumer staples making up 15 of the 57 Dividend Kings [3] Group 3: Sector Performance - The consumer staples sector faced challenges in 2025, being the worst-performing sector due to reduced customer spending and difficulties in passing on higher costs [4] - In 2026, the sector rebounded to become the third-best-performing sector, driven by a shift in sentiment away from growth-focused sectors like tech and communications [4][5] Group 4: Market Dynamics - The rise of the consumer staples sector in 2026 is attributed to a sector rotation towards value- and income-focused sectors, contrasting with the underperformance of growth sectors [5] - Companies like Amazon and Microsoft have seen significant sell-offs post-earnings, indicating a broader market trend affecting growth stocks [6]