THE UTILITIES SELECT SECTOR SPDR FUND

NYSE ARCA: XLU
$66.19
-$0.73 (-1.1%)
Closing price April 26, 2024
The Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund, known as XLU, is a prominent exchange-traded fund (ETF) that focuses on the utilities sector in the United States. Managed by SSGA Funds Management, Inc., XLU aims to mirror the performance of the Utilities Select Sector Index. It invests in a mix of growth and value stocks across various market capitalizations within the utilities industry. Launched in 1998, XLU offers investors exposure to essential utility companies, including those providing electricity, water, and natural gas services.

The 2012 Trade: Dump Utilities, Buy Banks... So Far (XLU, XLF, BAC, JPM, AEP, DUK)
Source: Jon OggThe trade in 2011 was to go out and turn utility stocks into the new investment for retirees seeking income.  They couldn’t exactly get any big yield in certificates of deposit, and...
Jon C. Ogg
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AEP Joins 2012 Model Dividend Portfolio (AEP, XLU, NEE, PPL)
American Electric Power Co., Inc. (NYSE: AEP) refuses to falter in the current market despite many headwinds of uncertainty. This is a very defensive play that has very little to do with the woes of...
Jon C. Ogg
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Utilities Replacing CDs and Bonds as the Best Retirement Investments (XLU, IDU, UTG, AEP, FE, PPL, AWK)
The government bond market pays investors nothing now. The 5-Year Treasury Note, a staple for retail investors historically, pays a dismal 0.86%. The appeal of this duration would also appeal to...
Jon C. Ogg
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Trend Watch After EPA Rules: Time to Rethink Utilities? (AEP, XLU, IDU, RYU, UPW, ETR, ITRI)
The utilities sector had been performing incredibly.  We recently highlighted the strong performance seen this year and over the last year with many of these names up 20% to 30% along with the...
Jon C. Ogg
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Why Fund & Income Investors Are Drawn to Utilities (XLU, SO, EXC, D, IDU, RYU, CEG, NRG, NI, PCS, VZ, UPW, NEE, UTF, UTG, DNP, FSTUX, CMS, POR, RYAUX, FE, FKUTX, SRE)
When the going gets tough, the tough often play defense — out of risky assets and into those assets that offer more security and some dividend upside. One choice is utilities, where investments are...
Jon C. Ogg
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Dividend Watch: Making American Utilities Pay For Your Retirement (AEP, DUK, PGN, FE, XLU)
It would be easy to worry about the share prices of utility companies after the recession and after the most recent rise in commodity prices, and that brings up the great dividend worry.  Utilities...
Jon C. Ogg
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Are U.S. Nuclear Power Plant Operators Really at Business Risk? (CCJ, USU, XLU, AEE, CEG, ETR, EXC, FE, PGN, SO)
It goes without saying that nuclear power has hit skid row.  The damage to the industry that has been caused by the earthquake and the tsunami which followed in Japan has been nearly...
Jon C. Ogg
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Utility M&A Wave Goes Into Overdrive (DUK, PGN, DYN, IEP, NU, NST, XLU, AEP)
Another deal has been confirmed in the land grab for utilities.  Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE: DUK) has confirmed fresh reports that it was acquiring Progress Energy Inc. (NYSE: PGN).  Duke’s...
Jon C. Ogg
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PG&E: Fire, Death, Losses, and ETF Impact (PCG, XLU)
PG&E Corp. (NYSE: PCG), the owner of Pacific Gas & Electric, often has to deal with unpleasant situations as it is a utility in the troubled West.  There are some man-made fires which routinely...
Jon C. Ogg
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Dividends or Not, Utilities Need To Perform (XLU, SO, D, DUK, FPL, AEP, ETR, FE, EIX, PGN, PPL, XEL, DTE, AES, CEG, NRG, CPN, AYE, NU, PNW, POM, NST, OGE, TE)
Investors love dividends, and big stable utility stocks often have some of the highest dividends of any class of stocks.  There has just been one problem… Dividends or not, utilities are sucking...
Jon C. Ogg
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ETF Winners & Losers (June 25, 2007)
DJIA                                  13,352.05; (-8.21; -0.06%)S&P500 ...
Douglas A. McIntyre
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