FKU.L vs. QCLN.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

FKU.L (First Trust United Kingdom AlphaDEX UCITS ETF Acc) and QCLN.L (First Trust Nasdaq Clean Edge Green Energy UCITS ETF Acc) are both exchange-traded funds - FKU.L is a Europe Equities fund tracking the FTSE AllSh TR GBP, while QCLN.L is a Energy Equities fund tracking the S&P Global Clean Energy TR USD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, FKU.L returned 8.72%/yr vs 2.45%/yr for QCLN.L. At a 0.43 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. FKU.L charges 0.65%/yr vs 0.60%/yr for QCLN.L.

Performance

FKU.L vs. QCLN.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in First Trust United Kingdom AlphaDEX UCITS ETF Acc (FKU.L) and First Trust Nasdaq Clean Edge Green Energy UCITS ETF Acc (QCLN.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FKU.L achieves a 6.62% return, which is significantly lower than QCLN.L's 50.74% return.

FKU.L

• 1D: 0.84%
• 1M: 3.95%
• YTD: 6.62%
• 6M: 11.08%
• 1Y: 22.51%
• 3Y*: 18.09%
• 5Y*: 8.72%
• 10Y*: 7.98%

QCLN.L

• 1D: -1.62%
• 1M: 15.04%
• YTD: 50.74%
• 6M: 46.10%
• 1Y: 117.65%
• 3Y*: 8.19%
• 5Y*: 2.45%
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

FKU.L vs. QCLN.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
FKU.L First Trust United Kingdom AlphaDEX UCITS ETF Acc	6.62%	27.64%	10.44%	13.48%	-13.53%	19.41%
QCLN.L First Trust Nasdaq Clean Edge Green Energy UCITS ETF Acc	50.74%	20.09%	-17.94%	-12.66%	-23.26%	-17.50%

Correlation

The correlation between FKU.L and QCLN.L is 0.40, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.40
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.41
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.43
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 4, 2021	0.43

FKU.L vs. QCLN.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	FKU.L	QCLN.L
Financial Services	27.7%	2.0%
Basic Materials	17.8%	6.4%
Consumer Cyclical	13.2%	10.8%
Industrials	11.4%	28.6%
Communication Services	7.2%	-
Consumer Defensive	6.7%	-
Healthcare	5.3%	-
Energy	4.0%	0.2%
Real Estate	4.0%	-
Utilities	2.7%	5.2%
Technology	-	46.8%

Return for Risk

FKU.L vs. QCLN.L — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

FKU.L

FKU.L Risk / Return Rank: 46
FKU.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 49
FKU.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 48
FKU.L Omega Ratio Rank: 49
FKU.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 39
FKU.L Martin Ratio Rank: 42

QCLN.L

QCLN.L Risk / Return Rank: 90
QCLN.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 93
QCLN.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 89
QCLN.L Omega Ratio Rank: 80
QCLN.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 95
QCLN.L Martin Ratio Rank: 93

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

FKU.L vs. QCLN.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust United Kingdom AlphaDEX UCITS ETF Acc (FKU.L) and First Trust Nasdaq Clean Edge Green Energy UCITS ETF Acc (QCLN.L). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	FKU.L	QCLN.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.67	3.44	-1.76
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.35	4.03	-1.68
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.30	1.47	-0.17
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.91	7.96	-6.05
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	6.56	25.08	-18.52
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

FKU.L vs. QCLN.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FKU.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.67, which is lower than the QCLN.L Sharpe Ratio of 3.44. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FKU.L and QCLN.L, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	FKU.L	QCLN.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.67	3.44	-1.76
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.60	0.07	+0.53
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.46	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.51	-0.10	+0.61

Drawdowns

FKU.L vs. QCLN.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FKU.L drawdown since its inception was -45.62%, smaller than the maximum QCLN.L drawdown of -69.87%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FKU.L and QCLN.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	FKU.L	QCLN.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-45.62%	-69.87%	+24.25%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.73%	-14.69%	+2.96%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.11%	-56.66%	+43.55%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-27.04%	-68.64%	+41.60%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-45.62%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-3.34%	-21.08%	+17.74%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.70%	-40.89%	+34.19%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.42%	4.67%	-1.25%

Volatility

FKU.L vs. QCLN.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for First Trust United Kingdom AlphaDEX UCITS ETF Acc (FKU.L) is 4.96%, while First Trust Nasdaq Clean Edge Green Energy UCITS ETF Acc (QCLN.L) has a volatility of 14.86%. This indicates that FKU.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than QCLN.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FKU.L	QCLN.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.96%	14.86%	-9.90%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.36%	24.36%	-13.00%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	13.42%	34.07%	-20.65%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.22%	35.87%	-19.65%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.61%	36.95%	-18.34%

FKU.L vs. QCLN.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

FKU.L has a 0.65% expense ratio, which is higher than QCLN.L's 0.60% expense ratio.

Dividends

FKU.L vs. QCLN.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither FKU.L nor QCLN.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both FKU.L and QCLN.L in my portfolio?

FKU.L and QCLN.L have a correlation of 0.40, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, FKU.L or QCLN.L?

On fees, QCLN.L is cheaper at 0.60% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, FKU.L or QCLN.L?

QCLN.L is cheaper with a 0.60% expense ratio, compared with 0.65% for FKU.L.

What is the main difference between FKU.L and QCLN.L?

FKU.L is categorized as Europe Equities, while QCLN.L is Energy Equities. FKU.L tracks FTSE AllSh TR GBP, while QCLN.L tracks S&P Global Clean Energy TR USD. Their fees differ too: 0.65% for FKU.L and 0.60% for QCLN.L.