FRNRX vs. PRNEX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

FRNRX (Franklin Natural Resources Fund) and PRNEX (T. Rowe Price New Era Fund) are both Energy Equities funds. Over the past 10 years, FRNRX returned 11.47%/yr vs 8.96%/yr for PRNEX. Their correlation of 0.94 suggests significant overlap in exposure. FRNRX charges 0.96%/yr vs 0.56%/yr for PRNEX.

Performance

FRNRX vs. PRNEX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Franklin Natural Resources Fund (FRNRX) and T. Rowe Price New Era Fund (PRNEX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FRNRX achieves a 26.03% return, which is significantly higher than PRNEX's 23.27% return. Over the past 10 years, FRNRX has outperformed PRNEX with an annualized return of 11.47%, while PRNEX has yielded a comparatively lower 8.96% annualized return.

FRNRX

• 1D: 1.79%
• 1M: 1.79%
• YTD: 26.03%
• 6M: 28.84%
• 1Y: 57.42%
• 3Y*: 21.67%
• 5Y*: 23.88%
• 10Y*: 11.47%

PRNEX

• 1D: 1.86%
• 1M: -0.02%
• YTD: 23.27%
• 6M: 22.45%
• 1Y: 41.40%
• 3Y*: 17.07%
• 5Y*: 11.57%
• 10Y*: 8.96%

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

FRNRX vs. PRNEX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
FRNRX Franklin Natural Resources Fund	26.03%	30.43%	1.28%	3.25%	30.52%	74.38%	-21.58%	10.03%	-23.78%	0.32%
PRNEX T. Rowe Price New Era Fund	23.27%	18.85%	4.41%	1.02%	7.14%	25.35%	-2.63%	16.91%	-16.23%	10.57%

Correlation

The correlation between FRNRX and PRNEX is 0.93, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.93
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.95
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.94
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.93
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 6, 1995	0.94

The correlation between FRNRX and PRNEX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.93 to 0.95 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

FRNRX vs. PRNEX — Risk / Return Rank

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

FRNRX

FRNRX Risk / Return Rank: 94
FRNRX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 97
FRNRX Sortino Ratio Rank: 91
FRNRX Omega Ratio Rank: 88
FRNRX Calmar Ratio Rank: 98
FRNRX Martin Ratio Rank: 98

PRNEX

PRNEX Risk / Return Rank: 90
PRNEX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 90
PRNEX Sortino Ratio Rank: 84
PRNEX Omega Ratio Rank: 79
PRNEX Calmar Ratio Rank: 98
PRNEX Martin Ratio Rank: 97

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.

FRNRX vs. PRNEX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Franklin Natural Resources Fund (FRNRX) and T. Rowe Price New Era Fund (PRNEX). 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.

	FRNRX	PRNEX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	3.61	2.97	+0.64
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	4.47	3.98	+0.49
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.61	1.52	+0.09
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	9.01	8.70	+0.32
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	32.16	26.94	+5.22
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

FRNRX vs. PRNEX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FRNRX Sharpe Ratio is 3.61, which is comparable to the PRNEX Sharpe Ratio of 2.97. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FRNRX and PRNEX, 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

	FRNRX	PRNEX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.61	2.97	+0.64
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.94	0.62	+0.32
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.40	0.44	-0.03
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.29	0.38	-0.09

Drawdowns

FRNRX vs. PRNEX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FRNRX drawdown since its inception was -80.54%, which is greater than PRNEX's maximum drawdown of -66.56%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FRNRX and PRNEX.

Drawdown Indicators

	FRNRX	PRNEX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-80.54%	-66.56%	-13.98%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.53%	-4.90%	-1.63%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.65%	-20.19%	+0.54%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-26.29%	-21.50%	-4.79%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-70.71%	-49.64%	-21.07%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-0.89%	+0.89%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-23.83%	-16.30%	-7.53%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.83%	1.58%	+0.25%

Volatility

FRNRX vs. PRNEX - Volatility Comparison

Franklin Natural Resources Fund (FRNRX) has a higher volatility of 4.54% compared to T. Rowe Price New Era Fund (PRNEX) at 4.13%. This indicates that FRNRX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PRNEX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FRNRX	PRNEX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.54%	4.13%	+0.41%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.87%	11.44%	+1.43%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	16.37%	14.41%	+1.96%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	25.57%	18.67%	+6.90%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	28.57%	20.61%	+7.96%

FRNRX vs. PRNEX - Expense Ratio Comparison

FRNRX has a 0.96% expense ratio, which is higher than PRNEX's 0.56% expense ratio.

Dividends

FRNRX vs. PRNEX - Dividend Comparison

FRNRX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.34%, less than PRNEX's 7.33% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
FRNRX Franklin Natural Resources Fund	1.34%	1.70%	2.40%	1.98%	2.38%	22.66%	2.39%	1.64%	2.43%	1.16%	1.02%	0.86%
PRNEX T. Rowe Price New Era Fund	7.33%	9.04%	4.81%	11.46%	4.47%	2.07%	2.54%	2.18%	1.69%	1.89%	1.28%	2.68%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both FRNRX and PRNEX in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.93, FRNRX and PRNEX move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which is riskier, FRNRX or PRNEX?

FRNRX has higher volatility (4.54%) compared to PRNEX (4.13%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FRNRX dropped -80.54% vs PRNEX's -66.56%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

FRNRX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.61 vs 2.97), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.