DIS vs XLC: Correlation
Measured on weekly returns over the past three years, Walt Disney Company (The) (DIS) and Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLC) carry a correlation of 0.51, a moderate link.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are DIS and XLC?
On 3 years of weekly data the DIS/XLC correlation comes out at 0.51, moderate. Little has changed lately, as the 1-year reading of 0.59 lands near the 3-year figure. The 5-year figure is 0.56, and annualized covariance runs at 225.8 %².
Among the 37 assets we track against DIS, XLC ranks #5 by 3-year correlation. The trailing year gives XLC the advantage: -8.2% versus +1.5%, a 9.7-point spread. Do not treat this figure as fixed: across three years the rolling one-year correlation ranged all the way from 0.09 to 0.65. Note the risk asymmetry: DIS runs 1.7 times the annualized volatility of the other leg, so equal-weighting the two is not an equal-risk position.
How is this computed?
Pearson correlation on weekly returns: ρ(A,B) = cov(rA, rB) / (σA · σB), over windows of 52, 156 and 260 weeks. Covariance is annualized (×52) and expressed in %². Full definitions on the methodology page.
DIS vs XLC: side by side
| DIS (Walt Disney Company (The)) | XLC (Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | -8.2% | +1.5% |
| 5-year return | -38.8% | +37.5% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 27.7% | 16.0% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.96 | 0.90 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -32.9% | -18.0% |
| Market cap | $184.4B | – |
| P/E (trailing) | 22.6 | – |
| Dividend yield | 1.37% | 1.32% |
| Expense ratio | – | 0.08% |
| Assets under management | – | $21.7B |
| Sector / category | Communication Services | Sector ETF |
On the fund side, XLC sits in the Communications category at State Street Investment Management, with $21.7B under management, 24 holdings, a 0.08% expense ratio, a 1.32% trailing dividend yield.
Year-by-year returns
| Year | DIS | XLC |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -43.9% | -37.6% |
| 2023 | +4.3% | +52.8% |
| 2024 | +24.4% | +34.7% |
| 2025 | +3.3% | +23.1% |
| 2026 | -5.4% | -4.8% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Fund exposure
A structural note: 4.88% of XLC is DIS itself, so the fund partly moves with the stock by construction.
Are DIS and XLC good diversifiers for each other?
To a limited degree. At 0.51 the two still catch most of the same waves, so the pair smooths returns a little without insulating either from a shared selloff.
FAQ
What is the correlation between DIS and XLC?
The DIS/XLC correlation stands at 0.51 on a 3-year window (1 year: 0.59, 5 years: 0.56), computed from weekly returns as of 2026-08-27.
Is XLC a good diversifier for DIS?
To a limited degree. At 0.51 the two still catch most of the same waves, so the pair smooths returns a little without insulating either from a shared selloff.
What does a correlation of 0.51 mean?
Correlation ranges from −1 to +1. Values near +1 mean two assets move together, near 0 that they move independently, and negative values that they tend to move in opposite directions. It measures co-movement, not performance.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/dis-vs-xlc.json
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[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/dis-vs-xlc/)
The core API is free. Terms and every endpoint in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: DIS correlations · XLC correlations
