FXU vs. BRLN
FXU (First Trust Utilities AlphaDEX Fund) and BRLN (BlackRock Floating Rate Loan ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - FXU is a Utilities Equities fund tracking the StrataQuant Utilities Index, while BRLN is a Bank Loan fund actively managed by BlackRock. FXU is passively managed, while BRLN is actively managed. Over the past 3 years, FXU returned 17.63%/yr vs 7.50%/yr for BRLN. At a 0.06 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. FXU charges 0.62%/yr vs 0.55%/yr for BRLN.
Performance
FXU vs. BRLN - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FXU achieves a 6.79% return, which is significantly higher than BRLN's 1.44% return.
FXU
- 1D
- 0.59%
- 1M
- -2.33%
- YTD
- 6.79%
- 6M
- 6.17%
- 1Y
- 16.12%
- 3Y*
- 17.63%
- 5Y*
- 11.81%
- 10Y*
- 9.27%
BRLN
- 1D
- 0.09%
- 1M
- 0.87%
- YTD
- 1.44%
- 6M
- 2.08%
- 1Y
- 5.39%
- 3Y*
- 7.50%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
FXU vs. BRLN - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FXU First Trust Utilities AlphaDEX Fund | 6.79% | 21.86% | 22.50% | -2.12% | 8.26% |
BRLN BlackRock Floating Rate Loan ETF | 1.44% | 5.38% | 7.49% | 13.42% | 2.13% |
Correlation
The correlation between FXU and BRLN is -0.13, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.13 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.07 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 7, 2022 | 0.06 |
The correlation between FXU and BRLN shifts across timeframes, from -0.13 (1 year) to 0.07 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
FXU vs. BRLN — Risk / Return Rank
FXU
BRLN
FXU vs. BRLN - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Utilities AlphaDEX Fund (FXU) and BlackRock Floating Rate Loan ETF (BRLN). 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.
| FXU | BRLN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.53 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.02 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.21 | 1.34 | -0.13 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.88 | 2.70 | -0.83 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.26 | 10.51 | -5.24 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| FXU | BRLN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.24 | 1.77 | -0.53 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.72 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.51 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.42 | 2.19 | -1.78 |
Drawdowns
FXU vs. BRLN - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FXU drawdown since its inception was -49.00%, which is greater than BRLN's maximum drawdown of -3.85%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FXU and BRLN.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FXU | BRLN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -49.00% | -3.85% | -45.15% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.63% | -2.00% | -6.63% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -17.46% | -3.85% | -13.61% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.87% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -34.81% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.80% | -0.12% | -6.68% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.64% | -0.31% | -7.33% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.07% | 0.51% | +2.56% |
Volatility
FXU vs. BRLN - Volatility Comparison
First Trust Utilities AlphaDEX Fund (FXU) has a higher volatility of 4.71% compared to BlackRock Floating Rate Loan ETF (BRLN) at 0.80%. This indicates that FXU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BRLN based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FXU | BRLN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.71% | 0.80% | +3.91% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.07% | 2.24% | +7.83% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 13.18% | 3.06% | +10.12% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.58% | 3.73% | +12.85% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.32% | 3.73% | +14.59% |
FXU vs. BRLN - Expense Ratio Comparison
FXU has a 0.62% expense ratio, which is higher than BRLN's 0.55% expense ratio.
Dividends
FXU vs. BRLN - Dividend Comparison
FXU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.19%, less than BRLN's 6.35% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BRLN BlackRock Floating Rate Loan ETF | 6.35% | 6.50% | 7.87% | 9.06% | 1.48% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
FXU First Trust Utilities AlphaDEX Fund | 2.19% | 2.29% | 2.41% | 2.52% | 2.03% | 2.00% | 3.97% | 2.34% | 2.40% | 3.81% | 2.62% | 3.90% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FXU and BRLN have a correlation of -0.13, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FXU has higher volatility (4.71%) compared to BRLN (0.80%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FXU dropped -49.00% vs BRLN's -3.85%.
On 3-year performance, FXU leads with 17.63% vs 7.50% for BRLN. On fees, BRLN is cheaper at 0.55% per year. On volatility, BRLN has been the lower-risk option at 0.80%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, FXU has performed better with a 17.63% return vs 7.50%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BRLN is cheaper with a 0.55% expense ratio, compared with 0.62% for FXU.
BRLN has the higher dividend yield at 6.35%, compared with 2.19% for FXU.
FXU is categorized as Utilities Equities, while BRLN is Bank Loan. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and BlackRock. Their fees differ too: 0.62% for FXU and 0.55% for BRLN.
BRLN currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.77 vs 1.24), 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.
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