UJB vs. SPY
UJB (ProShares Ultra High Yield) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - UJB is a Leveraged Bonds fund tracking the Markit iBoxx $ Liquid High Yield Index, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, UJB returned 5.52%/yr vs 15.70%/yr for SPY. At a 0.49 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. UJB charges 0.95%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.
Performance
UJB vs. SPY - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, UJB achieves a 1.19% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 9.74% return. Over the past 10 years, UJB has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 5.52%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 15.70% annualized return.
UJB
- 1D
- -0.11%
- 1M
- 0.73%
- YTD
- 1.19%
- 6M
- 1.66%
- 1Y
- 7.89%
- 3Y*
- 12.22%
- 5Y*
- 2.91%
- 10Y*
- 5.52%
SPY
- 1D
- -0.31%
- 1M
- 0.09%
- YTD
- 9.74%
- 6M
- 9.27%
- 1Y
- 26.65%
- 3Y*
- 21.27%
- 5Y*
- 13.51%
- 10Y*
- 15.70%
UJB vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UJB ProShares Ultra High Yield | 1.19% | 12.22% | 9.41% | 17.70% | -23.27% | 6.96% | 5.19% | 26.68% | -6.08% | 11.77% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 9.74% | 17.72% | 24.89% | 26.18% | -18.18% | 28.73% | 18.33% | 31.22% | -4.57% | 21.71% |
Correlation
The correlation between UJB and SPY is 0.77, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.77 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.69 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.72 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.59 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 14, 2011 | 0.49 |
Over the past year, UJB and SPY have become more correlated (0.77) than their long-term average of 0.49, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
UJB vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank
UJB
SPY
UJB vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ProShares Ultra High Yield (UJB) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). 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.
| UJB | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.08 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.30 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.20 | 1.39 | -0.19 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.58 | 3.01 | -1.43 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.65 | 13.54 | -6.88 |
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Drawdowns
UJB vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum UJB drawdown since its inception was -40.14%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UJB and SPY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| UJB | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -40.14% | -55.19% | +15.05% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -5.01% | -8.88% | +3.87% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -9.47% | -18.76% | +9.29% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -30.14% | -24.50% | -5.64% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -40.14% | -33.72% | -6.42% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.47% | -1.75% | +1.28% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.15% | -9.04% | +2.89% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.19% | 1.97% | -0.78% |
Volatility
UJB vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for ProShares Ultra High Yield (UJB) is 1.95%, while State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) has a volatility of 4.64%. This indicates that UJB experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SPY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| UJB | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.95% | 4.64% | -2.69% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 5.92% | 9.75% | -3.83% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 7.38% | 12.43% | -5.05% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.69% | 17.14% | -2.45% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.02% | 17.99% | +0.03% |
UJB vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison
UJB has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.
Dividends
UJB vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison
UJB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.34%, more than SPY's 1.01% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 1.01% | 1.07% | 1.21% | 1.40% | 1.65% | 1.20% | 1.52% | 1.75% | 2.04% | 1.80% | 2.03% | 2.06% |
UJB ProShares Ultra High Yield | 3.34% | 2.61% | 3.02% | 3.92% | 0.05% | 0.63% | 2.88% | 3.95% | 3.22% | 2.67% | 2.35% | 3.62% |
Frequently Asked Questions
UJB and SPY have a correlation of 0.77, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SPY has higher volatility (4.64%) compared to UJB (1.95%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UJB dropped -40.14% vs SPY's -55.19%.
On 10-year performance, SPY leads with 15.70% vs 5.52% for UJB. On fees, SPY is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, UJB has been the lower-risk option at 1.95%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, SPY has performed better with a 15.70% return vs 5.52%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SPY is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.95% for UJB.
UJB has the higher dividend yield at 3.34%, compared with 1.01% for SPY.
UJB is categorized as Leveraged Bonds, while SPY is S&P 500. UJB tracks Markit iBoxx $ Liquid High Yield Index, while SPY tracks S&P 500 Index. They also come from different issuers: ProShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.95% for UJB and 0.09% for SPY.
SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.16 vs 1.08), 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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