URNJ vs. XLF

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

URNJ (Sprott Junior Uranium Miners ETF) and XLF (State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - URNJ is a Energy Equities fund tracking the Nasdaq Sprott Junior Uranium Miners Index - Benchmark TR Gross, while XLF is a Financials Equities fund tracking the Financial Select Sector Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, URNJ returned 23.94%/yr vs 18.85%/yr for XLF. At a 0.24 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. URNJ charges 0.80%/yr vs 0.08%/yr for XLF.

Performance

URNJ vs. XLF - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Sprott Junior Uranium Miners ETF (URNJ) and State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, URNJ achieves a 9.96% return, which is significantly higher than XLF's -4.22% return.

URNJ

• 1D: -1.95%
• 1M: -7.79%
• YTD: 9.96%
• 6M: 3.54%
• 1Y: 58.13%
• 3Y*: 23.94%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

XLF

• 1D: 2.59%
• 1M: 1.16%
• YTD: -4.22%
• 6M: -1.90%
• 1Y: 4.34%
• 3Y*: 18.85%
• 5Y*: 8.16%
• 10Y*: 12.60%

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

URNJ vs. XLF - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
URNJ Sprott Junior Uranium Miners ETF	9.96%	45.35%	-18.34%	19.92%
XLF State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF	-4.22%	14.90%	30.56%	4.51%

Correlation

The correlation between URNJ and XLF 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 (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.22
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 3, 2023	0.24

URNJ vs. XLF - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	URNJ	XLF
Energy	95.1%	-
Basic Materials	4.9%	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Financial Services	-	98.0%
Healthcare	-	-
Industrials	-	0.2%
Real Estate	-	-
Technology	-	1.8%
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

URNJ vs. XLF — Risk / Return Rank

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

URNJ

URNJ Risk / Return Rank: 29
URNJ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 27
URNJ Sortino Ratio Rank: 31
URNJ Omega Ratio Rank: 28
URNJ Calmar Ratio Rank: 34
URNJ Martin Ratio Rank: 25

XLF

XLF Risk / Return Rank: 13
XLF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 14
XLF Sortino Ratio Rank: 13
XLF Omega Ratio Rank: 13
XLF Calmar Ratio Rank: 13
XLF Martin Ratio Rank: 13

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.

URNJ vs. XLF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Sprott Junior Uranium Miners ETF (URNJ) and State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF). 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.

	URNJ	XLF	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.96	0.30	+0.66
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.63	0.50	+1.12
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.19	1.06	+0.12
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.64	0.29	+1.35
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.32	0.77	+2.55
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

URNJ vs. XLF - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current URNJ Sharpe Ratio is 0.96, which is higher than the XLF Sharpe Ratio of 0.30. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of URNJ and XLF, 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

	URNJ	XLF	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.96	0.30	+0.66
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.44	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.57	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.27	0.21	+0.07

Drawdowns

URNJ vs. XLF - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum URNJ drawdown since its inception was -59.21%, smaller than the maximum XLF drawdown of -82.69%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for URNJ and XLF.

Drawdown Indicators

	URNJ	XLF	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-59.21%	-82.69%	+23.48%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-35.54%	-14.79%	-20.75%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-59.21%	-15.54%	-43.67%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-25.81%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-42.86%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-31.46%	-6.99%	-24.47%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-21.18%	-20.02%	-1.16%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	17.58%	5.68%	+11.90%

Volatility

URNJ vs. XLF - Volatility Comparison

Sprott Junior Uranium Miners ETF (URNJ) has a higher volatility of 17.47% compared to State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) at 4.21%. This indicates that URNJ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XLF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	URNJ	XLF	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	17.47%	4.21%	+13.26%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	45.56%	11.24%	+34.32%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	61.05%	14.63%	+46.42%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	53.32%	18.66%	+34.66%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	53.32%	22.17%	+31.15%

URNJ vs. XLF - Expense Ratio Comparison

URNJ has a 0.80% expense ratio, which is higher than XLF's 0.08% expense ratio.

Dividends

URNJ vs. XLF - Dividend Comparison

URNJ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.99%, more than XLF's 1.52% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
URNJ Sprott Junior Uranium Miners ETF	5.99%	6.58%	4.33%	4.03%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
XLF State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF	1.52%	1.31%	1.42%	1.71%	2.04%	1.63%	2.03%	1.87%	2.08%	1.48%	21.10%	1.95%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both URNJ and XLF in my portfolio?

URNJ and XLF 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, URNJ or XLF?

URNJ has higher volatility (17.47%) compared to XLF (4.21%). In terms of maximum drawdown, URNJ dropped -59.21% vs XLF's -82.69%.

Which ETF is better, URNJ or XLF?

On 3-year performance, URNJ leads with 23.94% vs 18.85% for XLF. On fees, XLF is cheaper at 0.08% per year. On volatility, XLF has been the lower-risk option at 4.21%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, URNJ or XLF?

Over the 3-year period, URNJ has performed better with a 23.94% return vs 18.85%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, URNJ or XLF?

XLF is cheaper with a 0.08% expense ratio, compared with 0.80% for URNJ.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, URNJ or XLF?

URNJ has the higher dividend yield at 5.99%, compared with 1.52% for XLF.

What is the main difference between URNJ and XLF?

URNJ is categorized as Energy Equities, while XLF is Financials Equities. URNJ tracks Nasdaq Sprott Junior Uranium Miners Index - Benchmark TR Gross, while XLF tracks Financial Select Sector Index. They also come from different issuers: Sprott and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.80% for URNJ and 0.08% for XLF.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

URNJ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.96 vs 0.30), 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.