FTXN vs. RAYS

Last updated Aug 6, 2026

FTXN (First Trust Nasdaq Oil & Gas ETF) and RAYS (Global X Solar ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - FTXN is a Energy Equities fund tracking the Nasdaq U.S. Smart Oil & Gas Index, while RAYS is a Alternative Energy Equities fund tracking the Solactive Solar Index. Both are passively managed. FTXN charges 0.60%/yr vs 0.50%/yr for RAYS.

Performance

FTXN vs. RAYS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust Nasdaq Oil & Gas ETF (FTXN) and Global X Solar ETF (RAYS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

FTXN

• 1D: -2.67%
• 1M: 7.00%
• 6M: 11.17%
• YTD: 28.95%
• 1Y: 33.02%
• 3Y*: 9.93%
• 5Y*: 19.98%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 8.41%

RAYS

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.00%
• 6M: —
• YTD: —
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: —

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
FTXN First Trust Nasdaq Oil & Gas ETF	$2.20M	$2.46M	$45.63M
RAYS Global X Solar ETF	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

FTXN vs. RAYS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)
FTXN First Trust Nasdaq Oil & Gas ETF	12.75%
RAYS Global X Solar ETF	0.00%

FTXN vs. RAYS - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	FTXN	RAYS
Energy	100.0%	-
Industrials	2.3%	21.4%
Basic Materials	-	0.9%
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	4.0%
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Financial Services	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Real Estate	-	-
Technology	-	66.9%
Utilities	-	6.8%

Return for Risk

FTXN vs. RAYS — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

FTXN

FTXN Risk / Return Rank: 46
FTXN Sharpe Ratio Rank: 49
FTXN Sortino Ratio Rank: 46
FTXN Omega Ratio Rank: 44
FTXN Calmar Ratio Rank: 49
FTXN Martin Ratio Rank: 41

RAYS

Risk / return metrics aren't available yet — we need at least 12 months of trading data to calculate them.

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

FTXN vs. RAYS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Nasdaq Oil & Gas ETF (FTXN) and Global X Solar ETF (RAYS). 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	FTXN	RAYS	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.41	—	—
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.90	—	—
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.23	—	—
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.02	—	—
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	5.07	—	—

Drawdowns

FTXN vs. RAYS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FTXN drawdown since its inception was -73.49%, which is greater than RAYS's maximum drawdown of 0.00%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FTXN and RAYS.

Drawdown Indicators

	FTXN	RAYS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-73.49%	0.00%	-73.49%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-16.42%	—	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-26.96%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-29.97%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-10.00%	0.00%	-10.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-19.08%	0.00%	-19.08%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.54%	—	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	FTXN	RAYS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.70%	—	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	18.62%	—	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	23.58%	0.00%	+23.58%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	29.44%	0.00%	+29.44%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	31.70%	0.00%	+31.70%

FTXN vs. RAYS - Expense Ratio Comparison

FTXN has a 0.60% expense ratio, which is higher than RAYS's 0.50% expense ratio.

Dividends

FTXN vs. RAYS - Dividend Comparison

FTXN's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.82%, while RAYS has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
FTXN First Trust Nasdaq Oil & Gas ETF	1.82%	2.83%	2.51%	3.41%	2.26%	1.04%	1.76%	2.72%	2.16%	1.78%	0.20%
RAYS Global X Solar ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Which ETF is better, FTXN or RAYS?

On fees, RAYS is cheaper at 0.50% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, FTXN or RAYS?

RAYS is cheaper with a 0.50% expense ratio, compared with 0.60% for FTXN.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, FTXN or RAYS?

FTXN has the higher dividend yield at 1.82%, compared with 0.00% for RAYS.

What is the main difference between FTXN and RAYS?

FTXN is categorized as Energy Equities, while RAYS is Alternative Energy Equities. FTXN tracks Nasdaq U.S. Smart Oil & Gas Index, while RAYS tracks Solactive Solar Index. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and Global X. Their fees differ too: 0.60% for FTXN and 0.50% for RAYS.