Core Insights - The SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) is a smart beta ETF that debuted on January 31, 2006, providing broad exposure to the Technology ETFs category [1] - Smart beta ETFs track non-cap weighted strategies, aiming to outperform traditional market cap weighted indexes by selecting stocks based on specific fundamental characteristics [3][4] - The fund is managed by State Street Global Advisors and has amassed over $1.32 billion in assets, making it one of the larger ETFs in the Technology sector [5] Fund Details - The XSD seeks to match the performance of the S&P Semiconductor Select Industry Index, which is a modified equal weight index representing the semiconductor sub-industry of the S&P Total Markets Index [6] - The annual operating expenses for XSD are 0.35%, and it has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 0.28%, positioning it as one of the least expensive options in its category [7] - The fund has a heavy allocation to the Information Technology sector, representing 99.7% of the portfolio [8] Holdings and Performance - Credo Technology Group Holdings (CRDO) is the largest holding at approximately 3.69%, with the top 10 holdings accounting for about 31.8% of total assets [9] - As of July 18, 2025, XSD has gained approximately 8.43% year-to-date and 4.27% over the past year, with a trading range between $160.63 and $270.08 in the last 52 weeks [11] - The ETF has a beta of 1.53 and a standard deviation of 37.75% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a higher risk profile compared to peers [11] Alternatives - Other ETFs in the semiconductor space include iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) and VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH), with assets of $13.9 billion and $27.91 billion respectively, both having an expense ratio of 0.35% [13] - Investors seeking lower-risk options may consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match the returns of the Technology ETFs [13]