NLR vs. BND
NLR (VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF) and BND (Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - NLR is a Uranium fund tracking the MVIS Global Uranium & Nuclear Energy Index, while BND is a Total Bond Market fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, NLR returned 10.66%/yr vs 1.43%/yr for BND. At a correlation of -0.02, they often move in opposite directions. NLR charges 0.56%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for BND.
Performance
NLR vs. BND - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NLR achieves a -15.40% return, which is significantly lower than BND's 0.08% return. Over the past 10 years, NLR has outperformed BND with an annualized return of 10.66%, while BND has yielded a comparatively lower 1.43% annualized return.
NLR
- 1D
- 0.83%
- 1M
- -17.23%
- 6M
- -29.26%
- YTD
- -15.40%
- 1Y
- -8.06%
- 3Y*
- 23.46%
- 5Y*
- 17.81%
- 10Y*
- 10.66%
- ALL TIME*
- 3.20%
BND
- 1D
- -0.25%
- 1M
- -0.57%
- 6M
- -0.09%
- YTD
- 0.08%
- 1Y
- 3.77%
- 3Y*
- 3.82%
- 5Y*
- -0.23%
- 10Y*
- 1.43%
- ALL TIME*
- 3.03%
NLR vs. BND - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NLR VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF | -15.40% | 56.50% | 14.26% | 36.67% | 2.29% | 13.63% | 3.49% | 0.20% | 4.94% | 8.25% |
BND Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | 0.08% | 7.08% | 1.38% | 5.65% | -13.11% | -1.86% | 7.71% | 8.84% | -0.12% | 3.57% |
Correlation
The correlation between NLR and BND is 0.15, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.15 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.11 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.11 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 15, 2007 | -0.02 |
The correlation between NLR and BND shifts across timeframes, from -0.02 (all time) to 0.15 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
NLR vs. BND — Risk / Return Rank
NLR
BND
NLR vs. BND - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF (NLR) and Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND). 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.
| NLR | BND | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.21 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.48 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.00 | 1.18 | -0.17 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.22 | 1.41 | -1.64 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.50 | 3.81 | -4.31 |
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Drawdowns
NLR vs. BND - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NLR drawdown since its inception was -65.05%, which is greater than BND's maximum drawdown of -18.58%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NLR and BND.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NLR | BND | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -65.05% | -18.58% | -46.47% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -36.61% | -2.68% | -33.93% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -36.61% | -5.59% | -31.02% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -36.61% | -17.91% | -18.70% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -36.61% | -18.58% | -18.03% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -36.08% | -2.55% | -33.53% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -35.67% | -3.06% | -32.61% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 16.20% | 0.99% | +15.21% |
Volatility
NLR vs. BND - Volatility Comparison
VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF (NLR) has a higher volatility of 9.51% compared to Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) at 1.08%. This indicates that NLR's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BND based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| NLR | BND | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.51% | 1.08% | +8.43% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 32.62% | 2.87% | +29.75% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 43.18% | 3.72% | +39.46% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 29.88% | 6.03% | +23.85% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 24.43% | 5.53% | +18.90% |
NLR vs. BND - Expense Ratio Comparison
NLR has a 0.56% expense ratio, which is higher than BND's 0.03% expense ratio.
Dividends
NLR vs. BND - Dividend Comparison
NLR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.01%, less than BND's 4.00% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BND Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | 4.00% | 3.86% | 3.67% | 3.09% | 2.60% | 2.12% | 2.38% | 2.72% | 2.81% | 2.54% | 2.51% | 2.57% |
NLR VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF | 3.01% | 2.55% | 0.76% | 4.54% | 2.02% | 1.99% | 2.23% | 2.21% | 3.91% | 4.86% | 3.62% | 3.30% |
Frequently Asked Questions
NLR and BND have a correlation of 0.15, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
NLR has higher volatility (9.51%) compared to BND (1.08%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NLR dropped -65.05% vs BND's -18.58%.
On 10-year performance, NLR leads with 10.66% vs 1.43% for BND. On fees, BND is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, BND has been the lower-risk option at 1.08%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, NLR has performed better with a 10.66% return vs 1.43%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BND is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.56% for NLR.
BND has the higher dividend yield at 4.00%, compared with 3.01% for NLR.
NLR is categorized as Uranium, while BND is Total Bond Market. NLR tracks MVIS Global Uranium & Nuclear Energy Index, while BND tracks Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index. They also come from different issuers: VanEck and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.56% for NLR and 0.03% for BND.
BND currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.02 vs -0.19), 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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