NUHY vs. FTSL
NUHY (Nuveen ESG High Yield Corporate Bond ETF) and FTSL (First Trust Senior Loan Fund) are both High Yield Bonds funds. NUHY is passively managed, while FTSL is actively managed. Over the past 5 years, NUHY returned 3.43%/yr vs 5.02%/yr for FTSL. At a 0.49 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. NUHY charges 0.30%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for FTSL.
Performance
NUHY vs. FTSL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NUHY achieves a 1.49% return, which is significantly higher than FTSL's 0.65% return.
NUHY
- 1D
- 0.14%
- 1M
- 0.75%
- YTD
- 1.49%
- 6M
- 1.82%
- 1Y
- 6.51%
- 3Y*
- 8.51%
- 5Y*
- 3.43%
- 10Y*
- —
FTSL
- 1D
- 0.03%
- 1M
- 0.20%
- YTD
- 0.65%
- 6M
- 0.98%
- 1Y
- 4.56%
- 3Y*
- 7.36%
- 5Y*
- 5.02%
- 10Y*
- 4.44%
NUHY vs. FTSL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NUHY Nuveen ESG High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | 1.49% | 9.12% | 7.26% | 11.18% | -11.80% | 2.46% | 4.14% | 2.21% |
FTSL First Trust Senior Loan Fund | 0.65% | 5.98% | 8.27% | 11.58% | -2.50% | 3.94% | 2.99% | 2.19% |
Correlation
The correlation between NUHY and FTSL is 0.49, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.49 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.53 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.51 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 27, 2019 | 0.49 |
The correlation between NUHY and FTSL has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.49 to 0.53 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
NUHY vs. FTSL — Risk / Return Rank
NUHY
FTSL
NUHY vs. FTSL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Nuveen ESG High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (NUHY) and First Trust Senior Loan Fund (FTSL). 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.
| NUHY | FTSL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.45 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.74 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.34 | 1.51 | -0.17 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.28 | 1.97 | +0.31 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.16 | 7.30 | +2.86 |
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
| NUHY | FTSL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.72 | 2.17 | -0.45 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.47 | 1.51 | -1.03 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.86 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.43 | 0.85 | -0.42 |
Drawdowns
NUHY vs. FTSL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NUHY drawdown since its inception was -20.14%, smaller than the maximum FTSL drawdown of -22.67%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NUHY and FTSL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NUHY | FTSL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -20.14% | -22.67% | +2.53% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.87% | -2.33% | -0.54% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -4.68% | -2.66% | -2.02% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -16.92% | -6.96% | -9.96% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -22.67% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.12% | 0.00% | -0.12% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.53% | -0.76% | -2.77% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.64% | 0.63% | +0.01% |
Volatility
NUHY vs. FTSL - Volatility Comparison
Nuveen ESG High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (NUHY) has a higher volatility of 1.35% compared to First Trust Senior Loan Fund (FTSL) at 0.36%. This indicates that NUHY's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FTSL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| NUHY | FTSL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.35% | 0.36% | +0.99% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.04% | 1.95% | +1.09% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.82% | 2.11% | +1.71% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 7.31% | 3.35% | +3.96% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 8.51% | 5.18% | +3.33% |
NUHY vs. FTSL - Expense Ratio Comparison
NUHY has a 0.30% expense ratio, which is lower than FTSL's 0.86% expense ratio.
Dividends
NUHY vs. FTSL - Dividend Comparison
NUHY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.63%, more than FTSL's 6.46% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FTSL First Trust Senior Loan Fund | 6.46% | 6.59% | 7.56% | 7.59% | 4.77% | 3.17% | 3.48% | 4.44% | 4.29% | 3.64% | 3.70% | 3.95% |
NUHY Nuveen ESG High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | 6.63% | 6.51% | 6.59% | 6.64% | 6.36% | 4.88% | 5.10% | 1.37% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
NUHY and FTSL have a correlation of 0.49, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
NUHY has higher volatility (1.35%) compared to FTSL (0.36%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NUHY dropped -20.14% vs FTSL's -22.67%.
On 5-year performance, FTSL leads with 5.02% vs 3.43% for NUHY. On fees, NUHY is cheaper at 0.30% per year. On volatility, FTSL has been the lower-risk option at 0.36%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, FTSL has performed better with a 5.02% return vs 3.43%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
NUHY is cheaper with a 0.30% expense ratio, compared with 0.86% for FTSL.
NUHY has the higher dividend yield at 6.63%, compared with 6.46% for FTSL.
They also come from different issuers: Nuveen and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.30% for NUHY and 0.86% for FTSL.
FTSL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.17 vs 1.72), 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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