UNG vs. BULD
UNG (United States Natural Gas Fund LP) and BULD (Pacer BlueStar Engineering the Future ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - UNG is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Natural Gas Futures, while BULD is a Technology Equities fund tracking the BlueStar Robotics & 3D Printing Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, UNG returned -28.66%/yr vs 18.68%/yr for BULD. At a 0.01 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. UNG charges 1.17%/yr vs 0.60%/yr for BULD.
Performance
UNG vs. BULD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, UNG achieves a -13.54% return, which is significantly lower than BULD's 36.48% return.
UNG
- 1D
- -2.12%
- 1M
- -6.61%
- 6M
- 1.92%
- YTD
- -13.54%
- 1Y
- -28.95%
- 3Y*
- -28.66%
- 5Y*
- -27.12%
- 10Y*
- -22.16%
BULD
- 1D
- 0.31%
- 1M
- -0.04%
- 6M
- 23.50%
- YTD
- 36.48%
- 1Y
- 53.24%
- 3Y*
- 18.68%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
UNG vs. BULD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UNG United States Natural Gas Fund LP | -13.54% | -27.07% | -17.11% | -64.04% | -51.40% |
BULD Pacer BlueStar Engineering the Future ETF | 36.48% | 23.20% | -3.93% | 28.27% | -12.41% |
Correlation
The correlation between UNG and BULD is -0.29, 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 | -0.29 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.08 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 5, 2022 | 0.01 |
The correlation between UNG and BULD shifts across timeframes, from -0.29 (1 year) to 0.01 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
UNG vs. BULD — Risk / Return Rank
UNG
BULD
UNG vs. BULD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for United States Natural Gas Fund LP (UNG) and Pacer BlueStar Engineering the Future ETF (BULD). 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.
| UNG | BULD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.18 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.71 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.96 | 1.28 | -0.33 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.71 | 3.41 | -4.12 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.11 | 10.32 | -11.43 |
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Drawdowns
UNG vs. BULD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum UNG drawdown since its inception was -99.88%, which is greater than BULD's maximum drawdown of -27.64%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UNG and BULD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| UNG | BULD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -99.88% | -27.64% | -72.24% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -39.94% | -15.48% | -24.46% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -68.16% | -27.64% | -40.52% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -92.49% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -93.55% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -99.87% | -7.48% | -92.39% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -89.99% | -8.18% | -81.81% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 25.31% | 5.10% | +20.21% |
Volatility
UNG vs. BULD - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for United States Natural Gas Fund LP (UNG) is 11.04%, while Pacer BlueStar Engineering the Future ETF (BULD) has a volatility of 13.02%. This indicates that UNG experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BULD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| UNG | BULD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 11.04% | 13.02% | -1.98% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 49.67% | 24.85% | +24.82% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 59.74% | 30.86% | +28.88% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 64.17% | 28.30% | +35.87% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 54.74% | 28.30% | +26.44% |
UNG vs. BULD - Expense Ratio Comparison
UNG has a 1.17% expense ratio, which is higher than BULD's 0.60% expense ratio.
Dividends
UNG vs. BULD - Dividend Comparison
UNG has not paid dividends to shareholders, while BULD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.84%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BULD Pacer BlueStar Engineering the Future ETF | 0.84% | 1.24% | 0.18% | 0.21% | 0.08% |
UNG United States Natural Gas Fund LP | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
UNG and BULD have a correlation of -0.29, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
BULD has higher volatility (13.02%) compared to UNG (11.04%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UNG dropped -99.88% vs BULD's -27.64%.
On 3-year performance, BULD leads with 18.68% vs -28.66% for UNG. On fees, BULD is cheaper at 0.60% per year. On volatility, UNG has been the lower-risk option at 11.04%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, BULD has performed better with a 18.68% return vs -28.66%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BULD is cheaper with a 0.60% expense ratio, compared with 1.17% for UNG.
BULD has the higher dividend yield at 0.84%, compared with 0.00% for UNG.
UNG is categorized as Oil & Gas, while BULD is Technology Equities. UNG tracks Front Month Natural Gas Futures, while BULD tracks BlueStar Robotics & 3D Printing Index. They also come from different issuers: USCF Investments and Pacer. Their fees differ too: 1.17% for UNG and 0.60% for BULD.
BULD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.71 vs -0.47), 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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