NRGU vs. BKUI

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

NRGU (MicroSectors U.S. Big Oil Index 3X Leveraged ETN) and BKUI (BNY Mellon Ultra Short Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - NRGU is a Leveraged Equities fund tracking the Solactive MicroSectors U.S. Big Oil Index (-300%), while BKUI is a Ultrashort Bond fund actively managed by BNY Mellon. NRGU is passively managed, while BKUI is actively managed. Over the past year, NRGU returned 171.19% vs 4.32% for BKUI. At a correlation of -0.24, they often move in opposite directions. NRGU charges 0.95%/yr vs 0.12%/yr for BKUI.

Performance

NRGU vs. BKUI - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in MicroSectors U.S. Big Oil Index 3X Leveraged ETN (NRGU) and BNY Mellon Ultra Short Income ETF (BKUI). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NRGU achieves a 125.94% return, which is significantly higher than BKUI's 1.42% return.

NRGU

• 1D: -1.47%
• 1M: -6.46%
• YTD: 125.94%
• 6M: 93.16%
• 1Y: 171.19%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

BKUI

• 1D: -0.01%
• 1M: 0.33%
• YTD: 1.42%
• 6M: 1.74%
• 1Y: 4.32%
• 3Y*: 5.21%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

NRGU vs. BKUI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
NRGU MicroSectors U.S. Big Oil Index 3X Leveraged ETN	125.94%	-33.00%
BKUI BNY Mellon Ultra Short Income ETF	1.42%	4.23%

Correlation

The correlation between NRGU and BKUI is -0.25, 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	-0.25
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 21, 2025	-0.24

Return for Risk

NRGU vs. BKUI — Risk / Return Rank

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

NRGU

NRGU Risk / Return Rank: 64
NRGU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 72
NRGU Sortino Ratio Rank: 53
NRGU Omega Ratio Rank: 53
NRGU Calmar Ratio Rank: 82
NRGU Martin Ratio Rank: 61

BKUI

BKUI Risk / Return Rank: 99
BKUI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 99
BKUI Sortino Ratio Rank: 100
BKUI Omega Ratio Rank: 100
BKUI Calmar Ratio Rank: 99
BKUI Martin Ratio Rank: 99

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.

NRGU vs. BKUI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for MicroSectors U.S. Big Oil Index 3X Leveraged ETN (NRGU) and BNY Mellon Ultra Short Income ETF (BKUI). 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.

	NRGU	BKUI	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.31	10.52	-8.22
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.55	25.25	-22.69
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.32	6.02	-4.70
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.31	32.56	-28.25
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.74	230.94	-220.21
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

NRGU vs. BKUI - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NRGU Sharpe Ratio is 2.31, which is lower than the BKUI Sharpe Ratio of 10.52. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NRGU and BKUI, 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

	NRGU	BKUI	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.31	10.52	-8.22
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.43	6.08	-5.65

Drawdowns

NRGU vs. BKUI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NRGU drawdown since its inception was -57.50%, which is greater than BKUI's maximum drawdown of -1.72%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NRGU and BKUI.

Drawdown Indicators

	NRGU	BKUI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-57.50%	-1.72%	-55.78%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-39.95%	-0.13%	-39.82%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-0.25%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-22.07%	-0.01%	-22.06%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-25.41%	-0.27%	-25.14%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	16.01%	0.02%	+15.99%

Volatility

NRGU vs. BKUI - Volatility Comparison

MicroSectors U.S. Big Oil Index 3X Leveraged ETN (NRGU) has a higher volatility of 31.62% compared to BNY Mellon Ultra Short Income ETF (BKUI) at 0.15%. This indicates that NRGU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BKUI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NRGU	BKUI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	31.62%	0.15%	+31.47%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	61.19%	0.31%	+60.88%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	75.02%	0.41%	+74.61%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	89.03%	0.59%	+88.44%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	89.03%	0.59%	+88.44%

NRGU vs. BKUI - Expense Ratio Comparison

NRGU has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is higher than BKUI's 0.12% expense ratio.

Dividends

NRGU vs. BKUI - Dividend Comparison

NRGU has not paid dividends to shareholders, while BKUI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.21%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
BKUI BNY Mellon Ultra Short Income ETF	4.21%	4.48%	5.11%	4.29%	1.82%	0.22%
NRGU MicroSectors U.S. Big Oil Index 3X Leveraged ETN	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NRGU and BKUI in my portfolio?

NRGU and BKUI have a correlation of -0.25, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, NRGU or BKUI?

NRGU has higher volatility (31.62%) compared to BKUI (0.15%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NRGU dropped -57.50% vs BKUI's -1.72%.

Which ETF is better, NRGU or BKUI?

On 1-year performance, NRGU leads with 171.19% vs 4.32% for BKUI. On fees, BKUI is cheaper at 0.12% per year. On volatility, BKUI has been the lower-risk option at 0.15%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, NRGU or BKUI?

Over the 1-year period, NRGU has performed better with a 171.19% return vs 4.32%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, NRGU or BKUI?

BKUI is cheaper with a 0.12% expense ratio, compared with 0.95% for NRGU.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, NRGU or BKUI?

BKUI has the higher dividend yield at 4.21%, compared with 0.00% for NRGU.

What is the main difference between NRGU and BKUI?

NRGU is categorized as Leveraged Equities, while BKUI is Ultrashort Bond. They also come from different issuers: BMO and BNY Mellon. Their fees differ too: 0.95% for NRGU and 0.12% for BKUI.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BKUI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (10.52 vs 2.31), 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.