NAIL vs. ITB

Last updated Jun 23, 2026

NAIL (Direxion Daily Homebuilders & Supplies Bull 3X Shares) and ITB (iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - NAIL is a Leveraged Equities fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Select Home Construction Index (300%), while ITB is a Building & Construction fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Select Home Construction Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, NAIL returned 6.04%/yr vs 14.54%/yr for ITB. With a 0.96 correlation, they move nearly in lockstep. NAIL charges 0.99%/yr vs 0.38%/yr for ITB.

Performance

NAIL vs. ITB - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Direxion Daily Homebuilders & Supplies Bull 3X Shares (NAIL) and iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF (ITB). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NAIL achieves a -12.64% return, which is significantly lower than ITB's 1.44% return. Over the past 10 years, NAIL has underperformed ITB with an annualized return of 6.04%, while ITB has yielded a comparatively higher 14.54% annualized return.

NAIL

• 1D: -5.42%
• 1M: 19.86%
• YTD: -12.64%
• 6M: -17.03%
• 1Y: -8.20%
• 3Y*: -13.57%
• 5Y*: -9.65%
• 10Y*: 6.04%

ITB

• 1D: -1.92%
• 1M: 7.18%
• YTD: 1.44%
• 6M: -0.10%
• 1Y: 9.29%
• 3Y*: 6.76%
• 5Y*: 8.38%
• 10Y*: 14.54%

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

NAIL vs. ITB - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
NAIL Direxion Daily Homebuilders & Supplies Bull 3X Shares	-12.64%	-40.43%	-22.83%	259.61%	-75.23%	168.20%	-32.08%	184.63%	-73.96%	268.71%
ITB iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF	1.44%	-5.26%	2.06%	68.91%	-26.26%	49.25%	26.42%	48.70%	-30.92%	59.65%

Correlation

The correlation between NAIL and ITB is 1.00 - these two move nearly in lockstep. At this level, holding both provides almost no diversification benefit. If you already own one, adding the other does little to reduce portfolio risk.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.00
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	1.00
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.00
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.99
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 19, 2015	0.96

The correlation between NAIL and ITB has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.96 to 1.00 - a consistent structural relationship.

NAIL vs. ITB - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	NAIL	ITB
Consumer Cyclical	71.3%	71.3%
Industrials	19.5%	19.5%
Basic Materials	8.7%	8.7%
Real Estate	0.5%	0.5%
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	-
Financial Services	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Technology	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

NAIL vs. ITB — Risk / Return Rank

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

NAIL

NAIL Risk / Return Rank: 9
NAIL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 8
NAIL Sortino Ratio Rank: 12
NAIL Omega Ratio Rank: 11
NAIL Calmar Ratio Rank: 7
NAIL Martin Ratio Rank: 7

ITB

ITB Risk / Return Rank: 13
ITB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 13
ITB Sortino Ratio Rank: 14
ITB Omega Ratio Rank: 13
ITB Calmar Ratio Rank: 12
ITB Martin Ratio Rank: 11

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. ITB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Direxion Daily Homebuilders & Supplies Bull 3X Shares (NAIL) and iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF (ITB). 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	ITB	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.09	0.31	-0.40
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.55	0.74	-0.19
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.06	1.08	-0.02
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.12	0.36	-0.48
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.20	0.68	-0.89

NAIL vs. ITB - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NAIL Sharpe Ratio is -0.09, which is lower than the ITB Sharpe Ratio of 0.31. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NAIL and ITB, 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. ITB - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NAIL drawdown since its inception was -93.75%, which is greater than ITB's maximum drawdown of -86.53%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NAIL and ITB.

Drawdown Indicators

	NAIL	ITB	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-93.75%	-86.53%	-7.22%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-67.85%	-26.04%	-41.81%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-82.09%	-33.35%	-48.74%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-84.40%	-40.55%	-43.85%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-93.75%	-52.10%	-41.65%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-75.04%	-23.10%	-51.94%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-43.92%	-37.06%	-6.86%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	40.07%	13.64%	+26.43%

Volatility

NAIL vs. ITB - Volatility Comparison

Direxion Daily Homebuilders & Supplies Bull 3X Shares (NAIL) has a higher volatility of 24.70% compared to iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF (ITB) at 8.66%. This indicates that NAIL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ITB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NAIL	ITB	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	24.70%	8.66%	+16.04%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	63.33%	21.41%	+41.92%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	89.10%	30.00%	+59.10%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	87.50%	29.37%	+58.13%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	89.47%	30.10%	+59.37%

NAIL vs. ITB - Expense Ratio Comparison

NAIL has a 0.99% expense ratio, which is higher than ITB's 0.38% expense ratio.

Dividends

NAIL vs. ITB - Dividend Comparison

NAIL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.91%, more than ITB's 0.66% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ITB iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF	0.66%	1.67%	0.46%	0.48%	0.86%	0.37%	0.46%	0.50%	0.63%	0.28%	0.43%	0.34%
NAIL Direxion Daily Homebuilders & Supplies Bull 3X Shares	0.91%	1.55%	0.63%	0.22%	0.00%	0.00%	0.01%	0.17%	0.35%	1.25%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NAIL and ITB in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 1.00, NAIL and ITB move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which is riskier, NAIL or ITB?

NAIL has higher volatility (24.70%) compared to ITB (8.66%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NAIL dropped -93.75% vs ITB's -86.53%.

Which ETF is better, NAIL or ITB?

On 10-year performance, ITB leads with 14.54% vs 6.04% for NAIL. On fees, ITB is cheaper at 0.38% per year. On volatility, ITB has been the lower-risk option at 8.66%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, NAIL or ITB?

Over the 10-year period, ITB has performed better with a 14.54% return vs 6.04%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, NAIL or ITB?

ITB is cheaper with a 0.38% expense ratio, compared with 0.99% for NAIL.

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

NAIL has the higher dividend yield at 0.91%, compared with 0.66% for ITB.

What is the main difference between NAIL and ITB?

NAIL is categorized as Leveraged Equities, while ITB is Building & Construction. NAIL tracks Dow Jones U.S. Select Home Construction Index (300%), while ITB tracks Dow Jones U.S. Select Home Construction Index. They also come from different issuers: Direxion and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.99% for NAIL and 0.38% for ITB.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

ITB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.31 vs -0.09), 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.