The index includes securities of companies from the following industries: electric utilities; water utilities; multi-utilities; independent power and renewable electricity producers; and gas utilities. This Sector SPDR is one of the most popular options for investors looking to gain exposure to the U.S. utilities sector, a corner of the domestic stock market known for relatively low volatility and relatively high distribution yields. Like most sector-specific ETFs, XLU is probably most appealing to those implementing a sector rotation strategy or looking to establish a tactical tilt towards this low beta sector of the U.S. market.