State Street SPDR S&P Telecom ETF

XTL

Market cap $222M

Launched on 01/26/2011, the State Street SPDR S&P Telecom ETF (XTL) is a smart beta exchange traded fund offering broad exposure to the Communication Services ETFs category of the market.

State Street® SPDR® S&P® Telecom ETF is upgraded to Buy for 2026, reflecting its evolution into a growth-focused, small/mid-cap telecom and AI infrastructure portfolio. XTL's 2025 total return neared 45%, more than doubling the S&P 500, driven by AI, 5G, and next-gen communications exposure. Recent additions Ondas Holdings and Uniti Group highlight XTL's pivot from traditional telecom to speculative, high-growth, AI-driven infrastructure plays.

Making its debut on 01/26/2011, smart beta exchange traded fund State Street SPDR S&P Telecom ETF (XTL) provides investors broad exposure to the Communication Services ETFs category of the market.

Stocks in the communication services sector, especially satellites and equipment, have market-crushing momentum, and a handful remain Quant Strong Buys. As AI campuses proliferate across regions, often in power-rich but connectivity-scarce areas, these players manage growing bandwidth and reliability needs. Together, these "plumbing and powerlines of the internet" can convert AI investment into real-world portfolio performance.

XTL has evolved from a defensive, income-focused telecom ETF to a growth-oriented fund driven by AI, 5G, and cloud infrastructure exposure. Recent macro headwinds—Trump's tariffs, a more hawkish Fed, and weaker global growth—have increased risks and pressured XTL's growth-focused holdings. Fiscal stimulus via the One Big Beautiful Bill and deregulation could offset some headwinds, supporting capital investment and telecom infrastructure buildout.

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SPDR S&P Telecom ETF warrants a hold rating due to slow growth characteristics and higher fees compared to competitor ETFs. XTL's top holdings, including AT&T, AST SpaceMobile, and T-Mobile, face growth challenges and competitive pressures, impacting future performance. Despite recent strong share price performance, XTL's valuation is on par with peers, with higher volatility and opportunity costs for investors.

Look at telecom ETFs as companies report fourth-quarter 2024 earnings.

The SPDR® S&P Telecom ETF has shifted from traditional telecom stocks to growth-oriented investments, focusing on 5G, cloud computing, and AI-driven data centers. The XTL ETF's low dividend yield of 0.56% contrasts sharply with traditional telecom ETFs, reflecting its pivot towards growth and strong price appreciation. AI and data center demand are key drivers, with top holdings like Ciena, Applied Optoelectronics, and Arista Networks showing significant growth and strategic positioning.

We have highlighted some investing strategies that could be extremely beneficial for investors heading into the fourth quarter.