GUSH vs. SDFI

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

GUSH (Direxion Daily S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Bull 2x Shares) and SDFI (AB Short Duration Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - GUSH is a Leveraged Equities fund tracking the S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Select Industry Index (300%), while SDFI is a Short-Term Bond fund tracking the Actively Managed. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, GUSH returned 78.64% vs 4.58% for SDFI. At a correlation of -0.18, they often move in opposite directions. GUSH charges 1.17%/yr vs 0.30%/yr for SDFI.

Performance

GUSH vs. SDFI - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Direxion Daily S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Bull 2x Shares (GUSH) and AB Short Duration Income ETF (SDFI). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, GUSH achieves a 69.71% return, which is significantly higher than SDFI's 0.92% return.

GUSH

• 1D: 1.40%
• 1M: -9.75%
• YTD: 69.71%
• 6M: 53.49%
• 1Y: 78.64%
• 3Y*: 12.18%
• 5Y*: 10.98%
• 10Y*: -36.58%

SDFI

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.05%
• YTD: 0.92%
• 6M: 1.28%
• 1Y: 4.58%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

GUSH vs. SDFI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
GUSH Direxion Daily S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Bull 2x Shares	69.71%	-19.39%	-23.58%
SDFI AB Short Duration Income ETF	0.92%	6.39%	3.71%

Correlation

The correlation between GUSH and SDFI is -0.29, 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	-0.29
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 11, 2024	-0.18

The correlation between GUSH and SDFI shifts across timeframes, from -0.29 (1 year) to -0.18 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

GUSH vs. SDFI - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	GUSH	SDFI
Energy	97.2%	100.0%
Basic Materials	2.9%	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Financial Services	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Industrials	-	-
Real Estate	-	-
Technology	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

GUSH vs. SDFI — Risk / Return Rank

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

GUSH

GUSH Risk / Return Rank: 42
GUSH Sharpe Ratio Rank: 40
GUSH Sortino Ratio Rank: 36
GUSH Omega Ratio Rank: 35
GUSH Calmar Ratio Rank: 57
GUSH Martin Ratio Rank: 42

SDFI

SDFI Risk / Return Rank: 72
SDFI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 64
SDFI Sortino Ratio Rank: 71
SDFI Omega Ratio Rank: 73
SDFI Calmar Ratio Rank: 73
SDFI Martin Ratio Rank: 77

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.

GUSH vs. SDFI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Direxion Daily S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Bull 2x Shares (GUSH) and AB Short Duration Income ETF (SDFI). 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.

	GUSH	SDFI	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.42	2.21	-0.78
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.88	3.32	-1.44
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.23	1.44	-0.21
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.88	3.73	-0.86
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	6.68	15.30	-8.62
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

GUSH vs. SDFI - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GUSH Sharpe Ratio is 1.42, which is lower than the SDFI Sharpe Ratio of 2.21. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GUSH and SDFI, 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

	GUSH	SDFI	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.42	2.21	-0.78
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.16	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	-0.39	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.44	2.26	-2.70

Drawdowns

GUSH vs. SDFI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GUSH drawdown since its inception was -99.98%, which is greater than SDFI's maximum drawdown of -1.21%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GUSH and SDFI.

Drawdown Indicators

	GUSH	SDFI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-99.98%	-1.21%	-98.77%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-28.94%	-1.20%	-27.74%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-63.59%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-73.64%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-99.94%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-99.79%	-0.12%	-99.67%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-92.91%	-0.22%	-92.69%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	12.46%	0.29%	+12.17%

Volatility

GUSH vs. SDFI - Volatility Comparison

Direxion Daily S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Bull 2x Shares (GUSH) has a higher volatility of 20.72% compared to AB Short Duration Income ETF (SDFI) at 0.54%. This indicates that GUSH's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SDFI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	GUSH	SDFI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	20.72%	0.54%	+20.18%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	43.44%	1.34%	+42.10%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	55.63%	2.09%	+53.54%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	68.20%	2.49%	+65.71%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	93.74%	2.49%	+91.25%

GUSH vs. SDFI - Expense Ratio Comparison

GUSH has a 1.17% expense ratio, which is higher than SDFI's 0.30% expense ratio.

Dividends

GUSH vs. SDFI - Dividend Comparison

GUSH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.47%, less than SDFI's 4.61% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
GUSH Direxion Daily S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Bull 2x Shares	1.47%	2.60%	2.96%	3.00%	0.47%	0.00%	0.20%	1.68%	0.17%	0.00%	3.26%
SDFI AB Short Duration Income ETF	4.61%	4.66%	3.11%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both GUSH and SDFI in my portfolio?

GUSH and SDFI have a correlation of -0.29, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, GUSH or SDFI?

GUSH has higher volatility (20.72%) compared to SDFI (0.54%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GUSH dropped -99.98% vs SDFI's -1.21%.

Which ETF is better, GUSH or SDFI?

On 1-year performance, GUSH leads with 78.64% vs 4.58% for SDFI. On fees, SDFI is cheaper at 0.30% per year. On volatility, SDFI has been the lower-risk option at 0.54%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, GUSH or SDFI?

Over the 1-year period, GUSH has performed better with a 78.64% return vs 4.58%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, GUSH or SDFI?

SDFI is cheaper with a 0.30% expense ratio, compared with 1.17% for GUSH.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, GUSH or SDFI?

SDFI has the higher dividend yield at 4.61%, compared with 1.47% for GUSH.

What is the main difference between GUSH and SDFI?

GUSH is categorized as Leveraged Equities, while SDFI is Short-Term Bond. GUSH tracks S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Select Industry Index (300%), while SDFI tracks Actively Managed. They also come from different issuers: Direxion and AllianceBernstein. Their fees differ too: 1.17% for GUSH and 0.30% for SDFI.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SDFI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.21 vs 1.42), 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.