UGL vs. SPXL
UGL (ProShares Ultra Gold) and SPXL (Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bull 3X ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - UGL is a Leveraged Commodities fund tracking the Bloomberg Gold Subindex (200%), while SPXL is a Leveraged Equities fund tracking the S&P 500. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, UGL returned 16.37%/yr vs 29.90%/yr for SPXL. At a 0.07 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. UGL charges 0.95%/yr vs 0.84%/yr for SPXL.
Performance
UGL vs. SPXL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, UGL achieves a -12.66% return, which is significantly lower than SPXL's 20.98% return. Over the past 10 years, UGL has underperformed SPXL with an annualized return of 16.37%, while SPXL has yielded a comparatively higher 29.90% annualized return.
UGL
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- -20.27%
- YTD
- -12.66%
- 6M
- -12.99%
- 1Y
- 32.76%
- 3Y*
- 47.90%
- 5Y*
- 24.60%
- 10Y*
- 16.37%
SPXL
- 1D
- 1.54%
- 1M
- -1.59%
- YTD
- 20.98%
- 6M
- 21.36%
- 1Y
- 65.66%
- 3Y*
- 47.11%
- 5Y*
- 21.80%
- 10Y*
- 29.90%
UGL vs. SPXL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UGL ProShares Ultra Gold | -12.66% | 137.57% | 46.36% | 15.56% | -7.59% | -12.30% | 39.04% | 31.11% | -8.02% | 22.50% |
SPXL Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bull 3X ETF | 20.98% | 31.94% | 63.61% | 69.49% | -56.55% | 98.75% | 9.64% | 102.80% | -25.11% | 71.03% |
Correlation
The correlation between UGL and SPXL is 0.24, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.12 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.06 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 3, 2008 | 0.07 |
The correlation between UGL and SPXL shifts across timeframes, from 0.06 (10 years) to 0.24 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
UGL vs. SPXL — Risk / Return Rank
UGL
SPXL
UGL vs. SPXL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ProShares Ultra Gold (UGL) and Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bull 3X ETF (SPXL). 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.
| UGL | SPXL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.19 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.18 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.16 | 1.30 | -0.14 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.71 | 2.47 | -1.76 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.85 | 10.16 | -8.31 |
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Drawdowns
UGL vs. SPXL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum UGL drawdown since its inception was -75.93%, roughly equal to the maximum SPXL drawdown of -76.86%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UGL and SPXL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| UGL | SPXL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -75.93% | -76.86% | +0.93% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -46.64% | -26.77% | -19.87% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -46.64% | -48.95% | +2.31% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -46.64% | -63.80% | +17.16% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -46.64% | -76.86% | +30.22% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -43.37% | -7.55% | -35.82% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -43.62% | -16.11% | -27.51% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 17.76% | 6.49% | +11.27% |
Volatility
UGL vs. SPXL - Volatility Comparison
ProShares Ultra Gold (UGL) has a higher volatility of 15.51% compared to Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bull 3X ETF (SPXL) at 13.20%. This indicates that UGL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPXL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| UGL | SPXL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 15.51% | 13.20% | +2.31% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 48.64% | 28.79% | +19.85% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 54.39% | 36.81% | +17.58% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 36.61% | 50.44% | -13.83% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 32.58% | 53.50% | -20.92% |
UGL vs. SPXL - Expense Ratio Comparison
UGL has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is higher than SPXL's 0.84% expense ratio.
Dividends
UGL vs. SPXL - Dividend Comparison
UGL has not paid dividends to shareholders, while SPXL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.56%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPXL Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bull 3X ETF | 0.56% | 0.69% | 0.74% | 0.98% | 0.32% | 0.11% | 0.22% | 0.84% | 1.02% | 3.88% |
UGL ProShares Ultra Gold | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
UGL and SPXL have a correlation of 0.24, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
UGL has higher volatility (15.51%) compared to SPXL (13.20%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UGL dropped -75.93% vs SPXL's -76.86%.
On 10-year performance, SPXL leads with 29.90% vs 16.37% for UGL. On fees, SPXL is cheaper at 0.84% per year. On volatility, SPXL has been the lower-risk option at 13.20%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, SPXL has performed better with a 29.90% return vs 16.37%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SPXL is cheaper with a 0.84% expense ratio, compared with 0.95% for UGL.
SPXL has the higher dividend yield at 0.56%, compared with 0.00% for UGL.
UGL is categorized as Leveraged Commodities, while SPXL is Leveraged Equities. UGL tracks Bloomberg Gold Subindex (200%), while SPXL tracks S&P 500. They also come from different issuers: ProShares and Direxion. Their fees differ too: 0.95% for UGL and 0.84% for SPXL.
SPXL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.79 vs 0.61), 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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