UAL vs. XLE

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

UAL (United Airlines Holdings, Inc.) is a stock, while XLE (State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF) is Energy Equities fund tracking the Energy Select Sector Index. Over the past 10 years, UAL returned 8.95%/yr vs 9.99%/yr for XLE. At a 0.22 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

UAL vs. XLE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (UAL) and State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, UAL achieves a -6.15% return, which is significantly lower than XLE's 32.26% return. Over the past 10 years, UAL has underperformed XLE with an annualized return of 8.95%, while XLE has yielded a comparatively higher 9.99% annualized return.

UAL

• 1D: -0.19%
• 1M: 12.03%
• YTD: -6.15%
• 6M: 0.20%
• 1Y: 28.57%
• 3Y*: 29.55%
• 5Y*: 13.01%
• 10Y*: 8.95%

XLE

• 1D: 0.07%
• 1M: -1.18%
• YTD: 32.26%
• 6M: 29.34%
• 1Y: 47.98%
• 3Y*: 17.74%
• 5Y*: 20.45%
• 10Y*: 9.99%

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

UAL vs. XLE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
UAL United Airlines Holdings, Inc.	-6.15%	15.16%	135.34%	9.44%	-13.89%	1.23%	-50.90%	5.21%	24.23%	-7.52%
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF	32.26%	7.88%	5.56%	-0.63%	64.32%	53.28%	-32.67%	11.74%	-18.22%	-0.89%

Correlation

The correlation between UAL and XLE is -0.18, 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	-0.18
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.03
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.17
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.27
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 7, 2006	0.22

The correlation between UAL and XLE shifts across timeframes, from -0.18 (1 year) to 0.27 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

UAL vs. XLE — Risk / Return Rank

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

UAL

UAL Risk / Return Rank: 61
UAL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 61
UAL Sortino Ratio Rank: 60
UAL Omega Ratio Rank: 56
UAL Calmar Ratio Rank: 63
UAL Martin Ratio Rank: 64

XLE

XLE Risk / Return Rank: 70
XLE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 74
XLE Sortino Ratio Rank: 67
XLE Omega Ratio Rank: 64
XLE Calmar Ratio Rank: 79
XLE Martin Ratio Rank: 65

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.

UAL vs. XLE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (UAL) and State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE). 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.

	UAL	XLE	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.58	2.36	-1.78
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.21	3.01	-1.80
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.14	1.38	-0.24
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.04	4.00	-2.96
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	2.44	11.60	-9.15
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

UAL vs. XLE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current UAL Sharpe Ratio is 0.58, which is lower than the XLE Sharpe Ratio of 2.36. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of UAL and XLE, 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

	UAL	XLE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.58	2.36	-1.78
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.27	0.79	-0.52
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.17	0.34	-0.17
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.10	0.31	-0.21

Drawdowns

UAL vs. XLE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum UAL drawdown since its inception was -93.50%, which is greater than XLE's maximum drawdown of -71.26%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UAL and XLE.

Drawdown Indicators

	UAL	XLE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-93.50%	-71.26%	-22.24%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-27.50%	-12.05%	-15.45%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-49.19%	-20.14%	-29.05%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-49.19%	-26.04%	-23.15%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-79.40%	-66.81%	-12.59%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-10.71%	-6.09%	-4.62%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-37.26%	-17.98%	-19.28%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	11.72%	4.15%	+7.57%

Volatility

UAL vs. XLE - Volatility Comparison

United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (UAL) has a higher volatility of 16.78% compared to State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) at 8.25%. This indicates that UAL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XLE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	UAL	XLE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	16.78%	8.25%	+8.53%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	36.39%	16.51%	+19.88%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	49.31%	20.50%	+28.81%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	48.56%	26.01%	+22.55%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	51.74%	29.58%	+22.16%

Dividends

UAL vs. XLE - Dividend Comparison

UAL has not paid dividends to shareholders, while XLE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.54%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
UAL United Airlines Holdings, Inc.	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF	2.54%	3.28%	3.36%	3.55%	3.68%	4.21%	5.62%	6.72%	3.54%	3.03%	2.26%	3.39%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both UAL and XLE in my portfolio?

UAL and XLE have a correlation of -0.18, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, UAL or XLE?

UAL has higher volatility (16.78%) compared to XLE (8.25%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UAL dropped -93.50% vs XLE's -71.26%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

XLE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.36 vs 0.58), 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.