Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV)
Top ETFs · US Healthcare Sector · data since 1998-12-22 · last close 2026-09-09
Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) monthly returns (%)
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | -0.0 | 3.5 | -8.1 | -0.4 | 2.4 | 6.6 | 2.5 | 4.9 | -2.3 | · | · | · |
| 2025 | 6.8 | 1.4 | -1.6 | -3.8 | -5.6 | 2.1 | -3.2 | 5.4 | 1.7 | 3.6 | 9.3 | -1.4 |
| 2024 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 2.4 | -5.0 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 2.7 | 5.1 | -1.7 | -4.6 | 0.4 | -6.3 |
| 2023 | -1.8 | -4.6 | 2.2 | 3.1 | -4.3 | 4.3 | 1.1 | -0.7 | -3.0 | -3.3 | 5.4 | 4.3 |
| 2022 | -6.9 | -1.0 | 5.7 | -4.9 | 1.5 | -2.6 | 3.2 | -5.8 | -2.5 | 9.6 | 4.7 | -1.9 |
| 2021 | 1.4 | -2.1 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 4.9 | 2.3 | -5.5 | 5.1 | -3.1 | 9.0 |
| 2020 | -2.7 | -6.6 | -3.9 | 12.6 | 3.3 | -2.4 | 5.5 | 2.6 | -2.2 | -3.6 | 8.0 | 3.8 |
| 2019 | 4.8 | 1.1 | 0.5 | -2.7 | -2.2 | 6.6 | -1.6 | -0.6 | -0.1 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 3.5 |
| 2018 | 6.6 | -4.5 | -2.9 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 6.5 | 4.3 | 3.0 | -6.8 | 8.1 | -9.3 |
| 2017 | 2.3 | 6.3 | -0.5 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 4.6 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 0.9 | -0.8 | 2.9 | -0.6 |
| 2016 | -7.7 | -0.4 | 2.7 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 4.9 | -3.2 | -0.5 | -6.6 | 2.1 | 0.7 |
| 2015 | 1.3 | 4.3 | 0.6 | -1.1 | 4.5 | -0.4 | 3.0 | -8.0 | -5.7 | 7.7 | -0.3 | 1.7 |
| 2014 | 0.9 | 6.2 | -1.3 | -0.6 | 2.9 | 2.1 | 0.1 | 4.8 | 0.4 | 5.3 | 3.5 | -1.4 |
| 2013 | 7.6 | 1.3 | 6.2 | 3.0 | 1.6 | -0.6 | 7.2 | -3.5 | 3.2 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 0.7 |
| 2012 | 3.2 | 1.1 | 4.5 | -0.3 | -3.6 | 5.7 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 3.8 | -0.2 | 0.5 | -0.4 |
| 2011 | 0.6 | 3.1 | 1.8 | 6.4 | 2.5 | -1.1 | -4.0 | -2.1 | -4.5 | 5.8 | 0.9 | 3.0 |
| 2010 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 2.7 | -3.9 | -6.5 | -1.8 | 1.3 | -1.6 | 9.1 | 2.2 | -2.9 | 4.6 |
| 2009 | -1.2 | -12.4 | 6.0 | -0.1 | 6.8 | 2.4 | 5.9 | 2.7 | 0.6 | -2.1 | 9.3 | 1.8 |
| 2008 | -4.6 | -2.7 | -4.5 | 1.0 | 1.9 | -4.2 | 4.5 | 2.1 | -7.4 | -11.5 | -6.3 | 7.2 |
| 2007 | 3.0 | -2.3 | 0.2 | 7.3 | 1.7 | -3.4 | -4.8 | 2.3 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 1.3 | -2.8 |
| 2006 | 1.3 | 1.1 | -1.3 | -3.1 | -2.1 | 0.0 | 5.5 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 0.3 | -0.1 | 1.1 |
| 2005 | -3.1 | 3.0 | -0.6 | 3.5 | 1.3 | -0.5 | 2.3 | -0.3 | -0.6 | -3.1 | 1.2 | 3.5 |
| 2004 | 2.8 | 1.1 | -4.2 | 3.1 | -0.3 | -0.4 | -5.4 | 1.6 | -1.8 | -2.2 | 1.9 | 5.5 |
| 2003 | -0.3 | -2.2 | 3.6 | 3.3 | 2.1 | 4.4 | -1.5 | -3.7 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 5.8 |
| 2002 | -0.7 | 4.6 | 5.8 | -0.6 | 1.4 | -7.2 | -2.9 | 1.0 | -6.2 | 5.8 | 3.1 | -3.8 |
| 2001 | 7.2 | -1.9 | -6.4 | 7.4 | 3.8 | -1.1 | -2.0 | -5.1 | -14.5 | 0.5 | 11.6 | 2.4 |
| 2000 | -2.5 | -6.5 | 9.0 | -1.2 | -2.7 | 0.2 | -1.5 | 3.5 | -3.6 | 1.5 | -9.1 | 1.6 |
| 1999 | 4.8 | 0.1 | 2.6 | 3.6 | -3.1 | 4.4 | -3.0 | -4.5 | -1.4 | 5.1 | 1.2 | 9.0 |
| 1998 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 3.9 |
| Avg | 0.9 | -0.2 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 0.3 | -1.3 | 0.7 | 2.4 | 1.6 |
Values in %. Current and first-listed months are partial (greyed).
returnsview.com
XLV seasonality — average by calendar month
Health Care Select Sector SPDR has monthly history back to 1998. Its strongest month by median is November — positive in 21 of 27 years, median +2.1%, and higher in 8 of the last 9. September is the soft spot, down in 16 of 27 with a median of -0.6%. Across its full record it has closed 60% of months higher, swings ±4.1% in an average month and has fallen 39.2% peak to trough.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg | +0.9% | -0.2% | +0.9% | +1.3% | +0.5% | +0.9% | +1.2% | +0.3% | -1.2% | +0.7% | +2.4% | +1.6% |
| Win rate | 61%/28 | 57%/28 | 61%/28 | 54%/28 | 68%/28 | 57%/28 | 64%/28 | 57%/28 | 41%/27 | 59%/27 | 78%/27 | 68%/28 |
Win rate = share of positive months / sample size.
XLV risk & extremes
XLV drawdown & rolling returns
Percent below the all-time high at each month-end — how far underwater the asset was.
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Frequently asked questions
What was Health Care Select Sector SPDR's best month?+
Health Care Select Sector SPDR's strongest completed month on record is April 2020, at +12.59%.
What was Health Care Select Sector SPDR's worst month?+
Its weakest completed month on record is September 2001, at -14.48%.
Is Health Care Select Sector SPDR up this year?+
Health Care Select Sector SPDR is up 8.53% year to date, measured from its last close before 1 January.
What is Health Care Select Sector SPDR's 1-year return?+
+22.30% over the past twelve months, comparing the latest close with the most recent close on or before the same date a year earlier.
What is Health Care Select Sector SPDR's biggest drawdown?+
The deepest peak-to-trough fall on record is 39.2%, measured on month-end closes since 1998.
Which calendar month is historically best for Health Care Select Sector SPDR?+
November has the highest average return across every completed November since 1998. An average is not a forecast.
About Health Care Select Sector SPDR
Health Care Select Sector SPDR is an us healthcare sector business worth about $44 billion. It turns lab coats into cash flows — with price receipts on this site going back to 1998. And the long game: $100 at its first close here (1998) would be about $983 today.
Did you know?
- Its best month on record was April 2020 at +12.59%; its worst, September 2001 at -14.48%.
- It has closed November in the green 21 out of 27 times — past performance, future shrug.
Trivia for entertainment — the numbers come from our price data; the jokes don't.