RBLD vs. UTES

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

RBLD (First Trust Alerian U.S. NextGen Infrastructure ETF) and UTES (Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - RBLD is a Infrastructure Equities fund tracking the Alerian US NextGen Infrastructure Index - Benchmark TR Net, while UTES is a Utilities Equities fund actively managed by Virtus. RBLD is passively managed, while UTES is actively managed. Over the past 10 years, RBLD returned 8.19%/yr vs 11.78%/yr for UTES. Their 0.40 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. RBLD charges 0.65%/yr vs 0.49%/yr for UTES.

Performance

RBLD vs. UTES - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust Alerian U.S. NextGen Infrastructure ETF (RBLD) and Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF (UTES). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, RBLD achieves a 16.81% return, which is significantly higher than UTES's -1.07% return. Over the past 10 years, RBLD has underperformed UTES with an annualized return of 8.19%, while UTES has yielded a comparatively higher 11.78% annualized return.

RBLD

• 1D: 0.07%
• 1M: -1.92%
• 6M: 10.34%
• YTD: 16.81%
• 1Y: 20.06%
• 3Y*: 18.07%
• 5Y*: 11.47%
• 10Y*: 8.19%
• ALL TIME*: 8.64%

UTES

• 1D: -0.03%
• 1M: -4.28%
• 6M: 0.59%
• YTD: -1.07%
• 1Y: -3.98%
• 3Y*: 21.10%
• 5Y*: 14.97%
• 10Y*: 11.78%
• ALL TIME*: 13.50%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
RBLD First Trust Alerian U.S. NextGen Infrastructure ETF	$127.03K	$1.03M	$779.49K
UTES Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF	$11.16M	$10.04M	$13.72M

RBLD vs. UTES - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
RBLD First Trust Alerian U.S. NextGen Infrastructure ETF	16.81%	13.99%	17.94%	19.36%	-9.87%	12.98%	0.51%	12.81%	-21.72%	22.95%
UTES Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF	-1.07%	25.71%	45.35%	-2.46%	0.80%	20.74%	-0.30%	25.48%	5.14%	14.21%

Correlation

The correlation between RBLD and UTES is 0.65, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.65
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.67
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.62
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.43
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 24, 2015	0.40

Over the past year, RBLD and UTES have become more correlated (0.65) than their long-term average of 0.40, meaning their price movements have been converging.

RBLD vs. UTES - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	RBLD	UTES
Industrials	42.4%	-
Utilities	27.9%	100.0%
Technology	10.9%	-
Energy	8.3%	-
Basic Materials	6.1%	-
Real Estate	4.3%	-
Communication Services	1.0%	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Financial Services	-	-
Healthcare	-	-

Return for Risk

RBLD vs. UTES — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

RBLD

RBLD Risk / Return Rank: 60
RBLD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 55
RBLD Sortino Ratio Rank: 51
RBLD Omega Ratio Rank: 50
RBLD Calmar Ratio Rank: 74
RBLD Martin Ratio Rank: 70

UTES

UTES Risk / Return Rank: 7
UTES Sharpe Ratio Rank: 8
UTES Sortino Ratio Rank: 8
UTES Omega Ratio Rank: 8
UTES Calmar Ratio Rank: 7
UTES Martin Ratio Rank: 7

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

RBLD vs. UTES - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Alerian U.S. NextGen Infrastructure ETF (RBLD) and Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF (UTES). 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.

	RBLD	UTES	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.32	-0.20	+1.52
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.84	-0.14	+1.97
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.23	0.98	+0.24
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.61	-0.31	+2.92
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	8.60	-0.65	+9.25

RBLD vs. UTES - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current RBLD Sharpe Ratio is 1.32, which is higher than the UTES Sharpe Ratio of -0.20. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of RBLD and UTES, 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

RBLD vs. UTES - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum RBLD drawdown since its inception was -50.07%, which is greater than UTES's maximum drawdown of -35.39%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RBLD and UTES.

Drawdown Indicators

	RBLD	UTES	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-50.07%	-35.39%	-14.68%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.19%	-13.88%	+6.69%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.14%	-17.62%	-1.52%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-22.54%	-20.40%	-2.14%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-50.07%	-35.39%	-14.68%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.12%	-10.30%	+6.18%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.76%	-5.54%	-5.22%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.18%	6.72%	-4.54%

Volatility

RBLD vs. UTES - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for First Trust Alerian U.S. NextGen Infrastructure ETF (RBLD) is 3.65%, while Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF (UTES) has a volatility of 5.50%. This indicates that RBLD experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than UTES based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	RBLD	UTES	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.65%	5.50%	-1.85%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.00%	16.19%	-5.19%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.19%	21.39%	-7.20%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.78%	20.74%	-3.96%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.50%	20.26%	-1.76%

RBLD vs. UTES - Expense Ratio Comparison

RBLD has a 0.65% expense ratio, which is higher than UTES's 0.49% expense ratio.

Dividends

RBLD vs. UTES - Dividend Comparison

RBLD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.97%, less than UTES's 1.53% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
RBLD First Trust Alerian U.S. NextGen Infrastructure ETF	0.97%	1.19%	1.31%	1.16%	2.10%	1.45%	2.88%	1.84%	1.74%	1.49%	2.01%	1.17%
UTES Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF	1.53%	1.42%	1.51%	2.44%	2.13%	1.94%	2.09%	1.84%	2.09%	3.44%	3.53%	0.61%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both RBLD and UTES in my portfolio?

RBLD and UTES have a correlation of 0.65, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, RBLD or UTES?

UTES has higher volatility (5.50%) compared to RBLD (3.65%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RBLD dropped -50.07% vs UTES's -35.39%.

Which ETF is better, RBLD or UTES?

On 10-year performance, UTES leads with 11.78% vs 8.19% for RBLD. On fees, UTES is cheaper at 0.49% per year. On volatility, RBLD has been the lower-risk option at 3.65%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, RBLD or UTES?

Over the 10-year period, UTES has performed better with a 11.78% return vs 8.19%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, RBLD or UTES?

UTES is cheaper with a 0.49% expense ratio, compared with 0.65% for RBLD.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, RBLD or UTES?

UTES has the higher dividend yield at 1.53%, compared with 0.97% for RBLD.

What is the main difference between RBLD and UTES?

RBLD is categorized as Infrastructure Equities, while UTES is Utilities Equities. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and Virtus. Their fees differ too: 0.65% for RBLD and 0.49% for UTES.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

RBLD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.32 vs -0.20), 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.