URAN vs. XLU

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

URAN (Themes Uranium & Nuclear ETF) and XLU (State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - URAN is a Commodity Producers Equities fund tracking the BITA Global Uranium and Nuclear Select Index, while XLU is a Utilities Equities fund tracking the Utilities Select Sector Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, URAN returned 38.53% vs 9.88% for XLU. At a 0.29 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. URAN charges 0.35%/yr vs 0.08%/yr for XLU.

Performance

URAN vs. XLU - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Themes Uranium & Nuclear ETF (URAN) and State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, URAN achieves a 9.51% return, which is significantly higher than XLU's 3.55% return.

URAN

• 1D: 4.55%
• 1M: -2.01%
• YTD: 9.51%
• 6M: 8.35%
• 1Y: 38.53%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

XLU

• 1D: 1.86%
• 1M: -5.69%
• YTD: 3.55%
• 6M: 1.36%
• 1Y: 9.88%
• 3Y*: 13.91%
• 5Y*: 9.31%
• 10Y*: 9.19%

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

URAN vs. XLU - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
URAN Themes Uranium & Nuclear ETF	9.51%	49.05%	4.09%
XLU State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF	3.55%	16.03%	-4.32%

Correlation

The correlation between URAN and XLU is 0.21, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.21
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 25, 2024	0.29

Return for Risk

URAN vs. XLU — Risk / Return Rank

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

URAN

URAN Risk / Return Rank: 27
URAN Sharpe Ratio Rank: 27
URAN Sortino Ratio Rank: 28
URAN Omega Ratio Rank: 27
URAN Calmar Ratio Rank: 30
URAN Martin Ratio Rank: 23

XLU

XLU Risk / Return Rank: 21
XLU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 20
XLU Sortino Ratio Rank: 19
XLU Omega Ratio Rank: 20
XLU Calmar Ratio Rank: 23
XLU Martin Ratio Rank: 21

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.

URAN vs. XLU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Themes Uranium & Nuclear ETF (URAN) and State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU). 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.

	URAN	XLU	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.99	0.68	+0.30
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.54	1.01	+0.53
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.18	1.13	+0.06
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.48	1.11	+0.37
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	2.97	2.52	+0.45
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

URAN vs. XLU - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current URAN Sharpe Ratio is 0.99, which is higher than the XLU Sharpe Ratio of 0.68. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of URAN and XLU, 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

	URAN	XLU	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.99	0.68	+0.30
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.54	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.48	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.95	0.40	+0.56

Drawdowns

URAN vs. XLU - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum URAN drawdown since its inception was -31.96%, smaller than the maximum XLU drawdown of -51.98%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for URAN and XLU.

Drawdown Indicators

	URAN	XLU	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-31.96%	-51.98%	+20.02%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-25.31%	-9.18%	-16.13%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-17.26%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-25.26%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-36.07%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-16.87%	-7.38%	-9.49%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.73%	-10.22%	-0.51%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	12.65%	4.07%	+8.58%

Volatility

URAN vs. XLU - Volatility Comparison

Themes Uranium & Nuclear ETF (URAN) has a higher volatility of 11.65% compared to State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU) at 5.41%. This indicates that URAN's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XLU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	URAN	XLU	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	11.65%	5.41%	+6.24%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	29.14%	11.76%	+17.38%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	39.26%	14.56%	+24.70%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	39.04%	17.32%	+21.72%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	39.04%	19.26%	+19.78%

URAN vs. XLU - Expense Ratio Comparison

URAN has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is higher than XLU's 0.08% expense ratio.

Dividends

URAN vs. XLU - Dividend Comparison

URAN's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.34%, less than XLU's 2.71% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
URAN Themes Uranium & Nuclear ETF	2.34%	2.56%	0.21%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
XLU State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF	2.71%	2.71%	2.96%	3.39%	2.92%	2.79%	3.14%	2.95%	3.33%	3.33%	3.41%	3.67%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both URAN and XLU in my portfolio?

URAN and XLU have a correlation of 0.21, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, URAN or XLU?

URAN has higher volatility (11.65%) compared to XLU (5.41%). In terms of maximum drawdown, URAN dropped -31.96% vs XLU's -51.98%.

Which ETF is better, URAN or XLU?

On 1-year performance, URAN leads with 38.53% vs 9.88% for XLU. On fees, XLU is cheaper at 0.08% per year. On volatility, XLU has been the lower-risk option at 5.41%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, URAN or XLU?

Over the 1-year period, URAN has performed better with a 38.53% return vs 9.88%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, URAN or XLU?

XLU is cheaper with a 0.08% expense ratio, compared with 0.35% for URAN.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, URAN or XLU?

XLU has the higher dividend yield at 2.71%, compared with 2.34% for URAN.

What is the main difference between URAN and XLU?

URAN is categorized as Commodity Producers Equities, while XLU is Utilities Equities. URAN tracks BITA Global Uranium and Nuclear Select Index, while XLU tracks Utilities Select Sector Index. They also come from different issuers: Themes and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.35% for URAN and 0.08% for XLU.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

URAN currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.99 vs 0.68), 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.