HELX vs. UCO
HELX (Franklin Genomic Advancements ETF) and UCO (ProShares Ultra Bloomberg Crude Oil) are both exchange-traded funds - HELX is a Health & Biotech Equities fund actively managed by Franklin Templeton, while UCO is a Leveraged Commodities fund tracking the Dow Jones-UBS Crude Oil Sub-Index (200%). HELX is actively managed, while UCO is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, HELX returned -4.45%/yr vs 20.42%/yr for UCO. At a 0.05 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. HELX charges 0.50%/yr vs 0.95%/yr for UCO.
Performance
HELX vs. UCO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, HELX achieves a -4.15% return, which is significantly lower than UCO's 131.94% return.
HELX
- 1D
- -2.64%
- 1M
- 0.97%
- YTD
- -4.15%
- 6M
- -6.12%
- 1Y
- 31.33%
- 3Y*
- 4.41%
- 5Y*
- -4.45%
- 10Y*
- —
UCO
- 1D
- -3.09%
- 1M
- 3.56%
- YTD
- 131.94%
- 6M
- 114.50%
- 1Y
- 106.12%
- 3Y*
- 23.38%
- 5Y*
- 20.42%
- 10Y*
- -12.52%
HELX vs. UCO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HELX Franklin Genomic Advancements ETF | -4.15% | 26.34% | -5.32% | 1.14% | -37.89% | 9.80% | 85.05% |
UCO ProShares Ultra Bloomberg Crude Oil | 131.94% | -29.75% | 5.36% | -13.89% | 39.71% | 139.26% | -87.66% |
Correlation
The correlation between HELX and UCO is -0.28, 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 | -0.28 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.09 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.00 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 28, 2020 | 0.05 |
The correlation between HELX and UCO shifts across timeframes, from -0.28 (1 year) to 0.05 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
HELX vs. UCO — Risk / Return Rank
HELX
UCO
HELX vs. UCO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Franklin Genomic Advancements ETF (HELX) and ProShares Ultra Bloomberg Crude Oil (UCO). 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.
| HELX | UCO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.38 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.12 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.26 | 1.29 | -0.04 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.75 | 3.07 | -1.32 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.51 | 5.80 | -1.29 |
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
| HELX | UCO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.48 | 1.86 | -0.38 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.18 | 0.34 | -0.53 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | -0.18 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.23 | -0.35 | +0.57 |
Drawdowns
HELX vs. UCO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum HELX drawdown since its inception was -58.75%, smaller than the maximum UCO drawdown of -99.95%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for HELX and UCO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| HELX | UCO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -58.75% | -99.95% | +41.20% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -18.01% | -34.77% | +16.76% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -29.48% | -50.38% | +20.90% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -58.75% | -67.24% | +8.49% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -98.75% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -39.86% | -99.28% | +59.42% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -34.32% | -85.49% | +51.17% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 6.97% | 18.36% | -11.39% |
Volatility
HELX vs. UCO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Franklin Genomic Advancements ETF (HELX) is 7.78%, while ProShares Ultra Bloomberg Crude Oil (UCO) has a volatility of 17.06%. This indicates that HELX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than UCO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| HELX | UCO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.78% | 17.06% | -9.28% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.67% | 46.72% | -30.05% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.23% | 57.32% | -36.09% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 24.17% | 59.80% | -35.63% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 27.42% | 71.35% | -43.93% |
HELX vs. UCO - Expense Ratio Comparison
HELX has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is lower than UCO's 0.95% expense ratio.
Dividends
HELX vs. UCO - Dividend Comparison
HELX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.41%, while UCO has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HELX Franklin Genomic Advancements ETF | 0.41% | 0.39% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.24% | 0.12% |
UCO ProShares Ultra Bloomberg Crude Oil | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
HELX and UCO have a correlation of -0.28, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
UCO has higher volatility (17.06%) compared to HELX (7.78%). In terms of maximum drawdown, HELX dropped -58.75% vs UCO's -99.95%.
On 5-year performance, UCO leads with 20.42% vs -4.45% for HELX. On fees, HELX is cheaper at 0.50% per year. On volatility, HELX has been the lower-risk option at 7.78%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, UCO has performed better with a 20.42% return vs -4.45%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
HELX is cheaper with a 0.50% expense ratio, compared with 0.95% for UCO.
HELX has the higher dividend yield at 0.41%, compared with 0.00% for UCO.
HELX is categorized as Health & Biotech Equities, while UCO is Leveraged Commodities. They also come from different issuers: Franklin Templeton and ProShares. Their fees differ too: 0.50% for HELX and 0.95% for UCO.
UCO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.86 vs 1.48), 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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