URA vs. NXE

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

URA (Global X Uranium ETF) is Commodity Producers Equities fund tracking the Solactive Global Uranium & Nuclear Components Total Return Index, while NXE (NexGen Energy Ltd.) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, URA returned 17.12%/yr vs 19.43%/yr for NXE. A 0.75 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.

Performance

URA vs. NXE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Global X Uranium ETF (URA) and NexGen Energy Ltd. (NXE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, URA achieves a 17.93% return, which is significantly lower than NXE's 23.26% return. Over the past 10 years, URA has underperformed NXE with an annualized return of 17.12%, while NXE has yielded a comparatively higher 19.43% annualized return.

URA

• 1D: -5.67%
• 1M: -8.00%
• YTD: 17.93%
• 6M: 13.25%
• 1Y: 61.26%
• 3Y*: 39.27%
• 5Y*: 21.39%
• 10Y*: 17.12%

NXE

• 1D: -8.84%
• 1M: -8.99%
• YTD: 23.26%
• 6M: 21.80%
• 1Y: 78.02%
• 3Y*: 36.69%
• 5Y*: 18.61%
• 10Y*: 19.43%

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

URA vs. NXE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
URA Global X Uranium ETF	17.93%	67.18%	-0.58%	46.25%	-11.32%	57.57%	41.33%	-3.54%	-22.11%	19.36%
NXE NexGen Energy Ltd.	23.26%	39.39%	-5.71%	58.01%	1.37%	58.33%	115.62%	-28.09%	-30.47%	48.75%

Correlation

The correlation between URA and NXE is 0.86, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.86
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.87
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.88
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.77
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 5, 2016	0.75

The correlation between URA and NXE shifts across timeframes, from 0.75 (all time) to 0.88 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

URA vs. NXE — Risk / Return Rank

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

URA

URA Risk / Return Rank: 34
URA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 33
URA Sortino Ratio Rank: 34
URA Omega Ratio Rank: 31
URA Calmar Ratio Rank: 43
URA Martin Ratio Rank: 30

NXE

NXE Risk / Return Rank: 79
NXE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 80
NXE Sortino Ratio Rank: 76
NXE Omega Ratio Rank: 72
NXE Calmar Ratio Rank: 83
NXE Martin Ratio Rank: 82

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.

URA vs. NXE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Global X Uranium ETF (URA) and NexGen Energy Ltd. (NXE). 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.

	URA	NXE	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.23	1.45	-0.23
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.86	2.12	-0.26
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.22	1.24	-0.03
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.17	3.22	-1.06
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	4.58	7.42	-2.84
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

URA vs. NXE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current URA Sharpe Ratio is 1.23, which is comparable to the NXE Sharpe Ratio of 1.45. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of URA and NXE, 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

	URA	NXE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.23	1.45	-0.23
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.49	0.32	+0.17
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.46	0.32	+0.14
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.05	0.55	-0.60

Drawdowns

URA vs. NXE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum URA drawdown since its inception was -93.54%, which is greater than NXE's maximum drawdown of -82.98%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for URA and NXE.

Drawdown Indicators

	URA	NXE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-93.54%	-82.98%	-10.56%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-28.43%	-24.35%	-4.08%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-37.81%	-54.28%	+16.47%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-37.90%	-54.28%	+16.38%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-61.45%	-82.98%	+21.53%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-42.81%	-18.53%	-24.28%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-75.01%	-28.64%	-46.37%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	13.40%	10.54%	+2.86%

Volatility

URA vs. NXE - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Global X Uranium ETF (URA) is 15.94%, while NexGen Energy Ltd. (NXE) has a volatility of 18.77%. This indicates that URA experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than NXE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	URA	NXE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	15.94%	18.77%	-2.83%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	38.29%	39.21%	-0.92%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	50.19%	54.23%	-4.04%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	43.62%	57.86%	-14.24%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	37.73%	61.50%	-23.77%

Dividends

URA vs. NXE - Dividend Comparison

URA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.14%, while NXE has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
NXE NexGen Energy Ltd.	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
URA Global X Uranium ETF	4.14%	4.88%	2.86%	6.07%	0.76%	5.84%	1.69%	1.66%	0.44%	2.03%	7.28%	1.96%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both URA and NXE in my portfolio?

URA and NXE have a correlation of 0.86, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, URA or NXE?

NXE has higher volatility (18.77%) compared to URA (15.94%). In terms of maximum drawdown, URA dropped -93.54% vs NXE's -82.98%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

NXE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.45 vs 1.23), 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.