IWB vs XLU Overlap

IWB is an equity ETF from IShares, while XLU is a utilities ETF from SPDR. IWB and XLU show limited overlap, with an estimated weighted overlap of 2.3%. They share 31 holdings in the loaded dataset, led by NEE, SO, and DUK.

2.3% overlap
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31Shared Holdings
OK
Low Overlap

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Quick Answer

IWB is an equity ETF from IShares, while XLU is a utilities ETF from SPDR. IWB and XLU show limited overlap, with an estimated weighted overlap of 2.3%. They share 31 holdings in the loaded dataset, led by NEE, SO, and DUK.

  • 2.3% weighted overlap across 31 shared holdings.
  • The top three shared holdings explain 27.78% of the measured overlap.
  • IWB is the broader fund, while XLU is more targeted.
  • The overlap is mostly explained by the top shared positions rather than sector labels alone.
  • Holding both can still add materially different exposure.

Data Freshness

IWB holdings
Mar 12, 2026
XLU holdings
Mar 12, 2026
Overlap computed
Mar 15, 2026
Data source
Financial Modeling Prep

Review the methodology for the overlap formula and refresh policy.

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About These ETFs

ETF A

IWB

iShares Russell 1000 ETF

Issuer
IShares
Asset class
Equity
Expense ratio
0.15%
AUM
$45B
Inception
May 15, 2000

ETF B

XLU

State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF

Issuer
SPDR
Asset class
Equity
Expense ratio
0.08%
AUM
$24B
Inception
Dec 16, 1998

What Stands Out In This Comparison

01

What This Means

IWB is an equity ETF from IShares, while XLU is a utilities ETF from SPDR. IWB and XLU do not own much of the same portfolio weight. That usually means you are combining different parts of the market, with only a small amount of duplication through names like NEE, SO, and DUK.

02

How They Differ

IWB is an equity ETF from IShares, while XLU is a utilities ETF from SPDR. IWB is the broader fund, while XLU is the more targeted sleeve. XLU has the lower expense ratio, while IWB charges more for its exposure.

03

What Drives The Overlap

The overlap is driven by a relatively small set of large shared positions. The top three shared holdings account for 27.78% of the score, which means the result is heavily influenced by the biggest common weights rather than a long tail of tiny positions.

04

When One May Fit Better

If you want the broader portfolio building block, IWB is usually the wider choice. If you want the more focused tilt, XLU is the narrower expression. XLU has the lower expense ratio, while IWB charges more for its exposure.

Overlap Driver Snapshot

Concentration

The top three shared holdings explain 27.78% of the full overlap score.

That helps show whether the score comes from a handful of giant shared positions or from a broader mix of common holdings.

Shared Sector Tilt

Sector tags are not consistently available for the biggest shared positions in this dataset, so this comparison leans more on the specific holdings than on sector labels.

Top Shared Holdings

These are the holdings contributing the most to the overlap score between IWB and XLU.

HoldingIWB Wt.XLU Wt.Overlap
NEE0.31%13.32%0.31%
SO0.17%7.41%0.17%
DUK0.16%7.05%0.16%
CEG0.16%6.92%0.16%
AEP0.11%4.95%0.11%
SRE0.10%4.24%0.10%
VST0.09%3.66%0.09%
D0.09%3.74%0.09%
EXC0.08%3.46%0.08%
XEL0.08%3.38%0.08%

Why These ETFs Overlap

IWB is an equity ETF from IShares, while XLU is a utilities ETF from SPDR. The overlap exists because both funds allocate meaningful weight to the same holdings. In this dataset, the biggest shared drivers are NEE, SO, and DUK, which appear in both portfolios and push the overlap score higher.

Holding both IWB and XLU can make sense if you want exposure to different sleeves of the market. The overlap is small enough that both funds may still improve diversification.

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Frequently Asked Questions About IWB and XLU

What is the overlap between IWB and XLU?+
IWB and XLU currently show an estimated weighted overlap of 2.3% based on the loaded holdings data.
How many holdings do IWB and XLU share?+
They share 31 holdings in the current dataset.
Is the IWB and XLU overlap high?+
The current verdict is Low Overlap. That means the two ETFs have limited duplication in portfolio weight.
Why do IWB and XLU overlap?+
IWB and XLU overlap because the same large positions appear in both funds. In this comparison, the top three shared holdings explain 27.78% of the measured overlap score.
Which ETF is broader, IWB or XLU?+
IWB is the broader fund, while XLU is the more targeted sleeve. That does not automatically make one better, but it helps explain why the pair can overlap while still serving different roles.

How Overlap Is Calculated

A straightforward approach used by portfolio analysts.

Overlap = sum(min(Weight_A, Weight_B)) for each shared holding

For every stock that appears in both ETFs, we take the smaller of the two weights. Adding up all those minimums gives the total overlap percentage. A score of 100% means the two ETFs hold the exact same stocks in the same proportions.

Want the full explanation? Read the methodology page.

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