NAIL vs. DFEN

Last updated Jul 22, 2026

NAIL (Direxion Daily Homebuilders & Supplies Bull 3X Shares) and DFEN (Direxion Daily Aerospace & Defense Bull 3X Shares) are both Leveraged Equities funds from Direxion - NAIL tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Select Home Construction Index (300%) while DFEN tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index (300% Daily). Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, NAIL returned -12.02%/yr vs 31.33%/yr for DFEN. At a 0.48 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. NAIL charges 0.99%/yr vs 0.96%/yr for DFEN.

Performance

NAIL vs. DFEN - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Direxion Daily Homebuilders & Supplies Bull 3X Shares (NAIL) and Direxion Daily Aerospace & Defense Bull 3X Shares (DFEN). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NAIL achieves a -22.74% return, which is significantly lower than DFEN's 5.27% return.

NAIL

• 1D: -1.60%
• 1M: -16.35%
• 6M: -39.64%
• YTD: -22.74%
• 1Y: -29.80%
• 3Y*: -20.75%
• 5Y*: -12.02%
• 10Y*: 2.20%
• ALL TIME*: 0.03%

DFEN

• 1D: 0.63%
• 1M: -12.98%
• 6M: -21.40%
• YTD: 5.27%
• 1Y: 31.08%
• 3Y*: 60.47%
• 5Y*: 31.33%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 15.24%

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

NAIL vs. DFEN - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
NAIL Direxion Daily Homebuilders & Supplies Bull 3X Shares	-22.74%	-40.43%	-22.83%	259.61%	-75.23%	168.20%	-32.08%	184.63%	-73.96%	138.57%
DFEN Direxion Daily Aerospace & Defense Bull 3X Shares	5.27%	156.62%	27.07%	24.70%	6.99%	12.72%	-70.23%	95.09%	-32.86%	83.64%

Correlation

The correlation between NAIL and DFEN is 0.38, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.38
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.39
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.46
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 3, 2017	0.48

NAIL vs. DFEN - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	NAIL	DFEN
Consumer Cyclical	71.9%	-
Industrials	19.0%	22.0%
Basic Materials	8.4%	-
Real Estate	0.7%	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	-
Financial Services	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Technology	-	0.0%
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

NAIL vs. DFEN — Risk / Return Rank

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

NAIL

NAIL Risk / Return Rank: 8
NAIL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 7
NAIL Sortino Ratio Rank: 10
NAIL Omega Ratio Rank: 9
NAIL Calmar Ratio Rank: 6
NAIL Martin Ratio Rank: 7

DFEN

DFEN Risk / Return Rank: 23
DFEN Sharpe Ratio Rank: 20
DFEN Sortino Ratio Rank: 27
DFEN Omega Ratio Rank: 24
DFEN Calmar Ratio Rank: 23
DFEN Martin Ratio Rank: 20

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.

NAIL vs. DFEN - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Direxion Daily Homebuilders & Supplies Bull 3X Shares (NAIL) and Direxion Daily Aerospace & Defense Bull 3X Shares (DFEN). 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.

	NAIL	DFEN	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.33	0.47	-0.80
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.07	1.11	-1.05
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.01	1.13	-0.12
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.44	0.75	-1.19
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.70	1.61	-2.31

NAIL vs. DFEN - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NAIL Sharpe Ratio is -0.33, which is lower than the DFEN Sharpe Ratio of 0.47. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NAIL and DFEN, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

NAIL vs. DFEN - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NAIL drawdown since its inception was -93.75%, roughly equal to the maximum DFEN drawdown of -91.36%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NAIL and DFEN.

Drawdown Indicators

	NAIL	DFEN	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-93.75%	-91.36%	-2.39%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-67.85%	-41.75%	-26.10%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-82.09%	-43.13%	-38.96%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-84.40%	-51.96%	-32.44%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-93.75%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-77.92%	-31.01%	-46.91%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-44.14%	-44.95%	+0.81%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	42.73%	19.36%	+23.37%

Volatility

NAIL vs. DFEN - Volatility Comparison

Direxion Daily Homebuilders & Supplies Bull 3X Shares (NAIL) has a higher volatility of 28.81% compared to Direxion Daily Aerospace & Defense Bull 3X Shares (DFEN) at 16.39%. This indicates that NAIL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than DFEN based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NAIL	DFEN	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	28.81%	16.39%	+12.42%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	64.42%	54.29%	+10.13%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	89.85%	66.76%	+23.09%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	88.02%	60.52%	+27.50%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	89.71%	71.51%	+18.20%

NAIL vs. DFEN - Expense Ratio Comparison

NAIL has a 0.99% expense ratio, which is higher than DFEN's 0.96% expense ratio.

Dividends

NAIL vs. DFEN - Dividend Comparison

NAIL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.81%, less than DFEN's 8.43% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
DFEN Direxion Daily Aerospace & Defense Bull 3X Shares	8.43%	8.89%	14.12%	1.13%	0.46%	1.89%	0.48%	0.50%	1.07%	1.50%
NAIL Direxion Daily Homebuilders & Supplies Bull 3X Shares	0.81%	1.55%	0.63%	0.22%	0.00%	0.00%	0.01%	0.17%	0.35%	1.25%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NAIL and DFEN in my portfolio?

NAIL and DFEN have a correlation of 0.38, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, NAIL or DFEN?

NAIL has higher volatility (28.81%) compared to DFEN (16.39%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NAIL dropped -93.75% vs DFEN's -91.36%.

Which ETF is better, NAIL or DFEN?

On 5-year performance, DFEN leads with 31.33% vs -12.02% for NAIL. On fees, DFEN is cheaper at 0.96% per year. On volatility, DFEN has been the lower-risk option at 16.39%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, NAIL or DFEN?

Over the 5-year period, DFEN has performed better with a 31.33% return vs -12.02%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, NAIL or DFEN?

DFEN is cheaper with a 0.96% expense ratio, compared with 0.99% for NAIL.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, NAIL or DFEN?

DFEN has the higher dividend yield at 8.43%, compared with 0.81% for NAIL.

What is the main difference between NAIL and DFEN?

NAIL tracks Dow Jones U.S. Select Home Construction Index (300%), while DFEN tracks Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index (300% Daily). Their fees differ too: 0.99% for NAIL and 0.96% for DFEN.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

DFEN currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.47 vs -0.33), 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.