UPW vs. YCS
UPW (ProShares Ultra Utilities) and YCS (ProShares UltraShort Yen) are both exchange-traded funds - UPW is a Leveraged Equities fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Utilities Index (200%), while YCS is a Leveraged Currency fund tracking the USD/JPY Exchange Rate (-200%). Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, UPW returned 9.92%/yr vs 12.16%/yr for YCS. At a 0.00 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. UPW charges 0.95%/yr vs 1.00%/yr for YCS.
Performance
UPW vs. YCS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, UPW achieves a 3.39% return, which is significantly lower than YCS's 7.17% return. Over the past 10 years, UPW has underperformed YCS with an annualized return of 9.92%, while YCS has yielded a comparatively higher 12.16% annualized return.
UPW
- 1D
- 0.93%
- 1M
- -10.79%
- YTD
- 3.39%
- 6M
- -0.17%
- 1Y
- 14.66%
- 3Y*
- 17.57%
- 5Y*
- 9.69%
- 10Y*
- 9.92%
YCS
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 3.39%
- YTD
- 7.17%
- 6M
- 10.02%
- 1Y
- 34.99%
- 3Y*
- 20.03%
- 5Y*
- 23.54%
- 10Y*
- 12.16%
UPW vs. YCS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UPW ProShares Ultra Utilities | 3.39% | 23.61% | 37.67% | -22.37% | -4.59% | 32.57% | -17.15% | 48.59% | 2.36% | 22.53% |
YCS ProShares UltraShort Yen | 7.17% | 9.04% | 35.41% | 28.70% | 29.09% | 22.38% | -11.18% | 3.37% | -1.49% | -6.57% |
Correlation
The correlation between UPW and YCS is -0.17, 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 | -0.17 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.15 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.14 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.10 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 26, 2008 | 0.00 |
The correlation between UPW and YCS shifts across timeframes, from -0.17 (1 year) to 0.00 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
UPW vs. YCS — Risk / Return Rank
UPW
YCS
UPW vs. YCS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ProShares Ultra Utilities (UPW) and ProShares UltraShort Yen (YCS). 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.
| UPW | YCS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.55 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.73 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.11 | 1.38 | -0.27 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.77 | 4.23 | -3.46 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.67 | 13.22 | -11.55 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| UPW | YCS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.51 | 2.06 | -1.55 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.28 | 1.12 | -0.84 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.27 | 0.64 | -0.37 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.25 | 0.33 | -0.08 |
Drawdowns
UPW vs. YCS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum UPW drawdown since its inception was -77.75%, which is greater than YCS's maximum drawdown of -49.56%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UPW and YCS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| UPW | YCS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -77.75% | -49.56% | -28.19% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -19.15% | -8.30% | -10.85% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -33.16% | -23.05% | -10.11% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -49.42% | -27.32% | -22.10% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -62.67% | -27.32% | -35.35% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -16.15% | 0.00% | -16.15% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -22.59% | -19.93% | -2.66% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.82% | 2.65% | +6.17% |
Volatility
UPW vs. YCS - Volatility Comparison
ProShares Ultra Utilities (UPW) has a higher volatility of 11.24% compared to ProShares UltraShort Yen (YCS) at 2.62%. This indicates that UPW's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than YCS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| UPW | YCS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 11.24% | 2.62% | +8.62% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 23.29% | 12.31% | +10.98% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 29.06% | 17.18% | +11.88% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 34.41% | 21.09% | +13.32% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 37.16% | 19.01% | +18.15% |
UPW vs. YCS - Expense Ratio Comparison
UPW has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is lower than YCS's 1.00% expense ratio.
Dividends
UPW vs. YCS - Dividend Comparison
UPW's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.55%, while YCS has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UPW ProShares Ultra Utilities | 1.55% | 1.67% | 1.83% | 2.40% | 1.55% | 1.30% | 0.83% | 0.83% | 1.98% | 1.51% | 1.70% | 2.16% |
YCS ProShares UltraShort Yen | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
UPW and YCS have a correlation of -0.17, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
UPW has higher volatility (11.24%) compared to YCS (2.62%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UPW dropped -77.75% vs YCS's -49.56%.
On 10-year performance, YCS leads with 12.16% vs 9.92% for UPW. On fees, UPW is cheaper at 0.95% per year. On volatility, YCS has been the lower-risk option at 2.62%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, YCS has performed better with a 12.16% return vs 9.92%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
UPW is cheaper with a 0.95% expense ratio, compared with 1.00% for YCS.
UPW has the higher dividend yield at 1.55%, compared with 0.00% for YCS.
UPW is categorized as Leveraged Equities, while YCS is Leveraged Currency. UPW tracks Dow Jones U.S. Utilities Index (200%), while YCS tracks USD/JPY Exchange Rate (-200%). Their fees differ too: 0.95% for UPW and 1.00% for YCS.
YCS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.06 vs 0.51), 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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