The SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD), a $1.32 billion smart beta fund managed by State Street Global Advisors, tracks the modified equal-weight S&P Semiconductor Select Industry Index with a competitive 0.35% expense ratio. While providing broad exposure to the semiconductor sector through 43 holdings, its concentrated portfolio results in a high-risk profile, evidenced by a 1.53 beta and 37.75% three-year standard deviation. XSD has delivered an 8.43% year-to-date return and 4.27% over the last year (as of 07/18/2025), positioning it for investors seeking potential outperformance within the technology segment despite its elevated risk.
The SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) offers a distinct, smart-beta approach to the semiconductor market by tracking a modified equal-weight index. With $1.32 billion in assets, it provides a more balanced exposure across its 43 holdings compared to traditional market-cap weighted peers like SOXX and SMH, despite sharing an identical expense ratio of 0.35%. This equal-weighting methodology allows smaller constituents such as Credo Technology Group and Rigetti Computing to have a more significant impact on performance. However, this strategy comes with significantly elevated risk, as evidenced by a high beta of 1.53 and a three-year standard deviation of 37.75%. While the fund has posted a solid 8.43% gain year-to-date, its one-year return of 4.27% and wide 52-week trading range ($160.63 to $270.08) underscore the pronounced volatility inherent in its concentrated, non-traditional structure.
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mildly positive
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0.25
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