URTY vs. UTSL

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

URTY (ProShares UltraPro Russell2000) and UTSL (Direxion Daily Utilities Bull 3X Shares) are both Leveraged Equities funds - URTY tracks the Russell 2000 Index (300%) while UTSL tracks the Utilities Select Sector Index (300%). Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, URTY returned -4.58%/yr vs 8.32%/yr for UTSL. Their 0.30 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. URTY charges 0.95%/yr vs 0.99%/yr for UTSL.

Performance

URTY vs. UTSL - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in ProShares UltraPro Russell2000 (URTY) and Direxion Daily Utilities Bull 3X Shares (UTSL). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, URTY achieves a 48.35% return, which is significantly higher than UTSL's 4.80% return.

URTY

• 1D: -1.52%
• 1M: -7.31%
• 6M: 28.38%
• YTD: 48.35%
• 1Y: 107.90%
• 3Y*: 18.70%
• 5Y*: -4.58%
• 10Y*: 6.97%
• ALL TIME*: 13.73%

UTSL

• 1D: -2.23%
• 1M: -10.12%
• 6M: 1.79%
• YTD: 4.80%
• 1Y: 1.29%
• 3Y*: 20.22%
• 5Y*: 8.32%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 8.16%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
URTY ProShares UltraPro Russell2000	$35.46M	$36.95M	$69.44M
UTSL Direxion Daily Utilities Bull 3X Shares	$4.76M	$4.30M	$4.57M

URTY vs. UTSL - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
URTY ProShares UltraPro Russell2000	48.35%	9.26%	7.38%	24.43%	-62.81%	28.47%	-7.72%	72.37%	-39.59%	29.14%
UTSL Direxion Daily Utilities Bull 3X Shares	4.80%	29.03%	54.24%	-35.55%	-14.06%	48.16%	-38.58%	81.07%	-2.27%	11.00%

Correlation

The correlation between URTY and UTSL is 0.21, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.21
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.32
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.34
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 3, 2017	0.30

The correlation between URTY and UTSL shifts across timeframes, from 0.21 (1 year) to 0.34 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

URTY vs. UTSL - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	URTY	UTSL
Healthcare	20.2%	-
Financial Services	17.7%	-
Technology	14.8%	-
Industrials	14.1%	-
Consumer Cyclical	9.2%	-
Real Estate	6.7%	-
Energy	5.4%	-
Basic Materials	4.4%	-
Utilities	2.7%	100.0%
Consumer Defensive	2.6%	-
Communication Services	2.2%	-

Return for Risk

URTY vs. UTSL — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

URTY

URTY Risk / Return Rank: 72
URTY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 73
URTY Sortino Ratio Rank: 68
URTY Omega Ratio Rank: 62
URTY Calmar Ratio Rank: 81
URTY Martin Ratio Rank: 76

UTSL

UTSL Risk / Return Rank: 13
UTSL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 12
UTSL Sortino Ratio Rank: 14
UTSL Omega Ratio Rank: 14
UTSL Calmar Ratio Rank: 12
UTSL Martin Ratio Rank: 11

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

URTY vs. UTSL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ProShares UltraPro Russell2000 (URTY) and Direxion Daily Utilities Bull 3X Shares (UTSL). 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.

	URTY	UTSL	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.64	0.03	+1.61
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.22	0.36	+1.86
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.26	1.04	+0.22
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.93	0.05	+2.88
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.60	0.10	+9.50

URTY vs. UTSL - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current URTY Sharpe Ratio is 1.64, which is higher than the UTSL Sharpe Ratio of 0.03. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of URTY and UTSL, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

URTY vs. UTSL - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum URTY drawdown since its inception was -88.09%, which is greater than UTSL's maximum drawdown of -79.55%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for URTY and UTSL.

Drawdown Indicators

	URTY	UTSL	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-88.09%	-79.55%	-8.54%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-32.56%	-28.45%	-4.11%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-65.85%	-35.97%	-29.88%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-82.76%	-68.01%	-14.75%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-88.09%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-38.93%	-22.83%	-16.10%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-34.80%	-32.96%	-1.84%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	9.92%	15.17%	-5.25%

Volatility

URTY vs. UTSL - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for ProShares UltraPro Russell2000 (URTY) is 11.48%, while Direxion Daily Utilities Bull 3X Shares (UTSL) has a volatility of 13.70%. This indicates that URTY experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than UTSL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	URTY	UTSL	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	11.48%	13.70%	-2.22%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	42.22%	36.19%	+6.03%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	58.06%	44.78%	+13.28%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	67.30%	52.07%	+15.23%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	69.25%	59.06%	+10.19%

URTY vs. UTSL - Expense Ratio Comparison

URTY has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is lower than UTSL's 0.99% expense ratio.

Dividends

URTY vs. UTSL - Dividend Comparison

URTY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.80%, less than UTSL's 1.68% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
URTY ProShares UltraPro Russell2000	0.80%	1.02%	1.16%	0.55%	0.28%	0.00%	0.00%	0.18%	0.28%	0.00%	0.03%
UTSL Direxion Daily Utilities Bull 3X Shares	1.68%	1.69%	1.61%	3.61%	1.15%	1.19%	1.40%	5.01%	1.46%	0.57%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both URTY and UTSL in my portfolio?

URTY and UTSL 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, URTY or UTSL?

UTSL has higher volatility (13.70%) compared to URTY (11.48%). In terms of maximum drawdown, URTY dropped -88.09% vs UTSL's -79.55%.

Which ETF is better, URTY or UTSL?

On 5-year performance, UTSL leads with 8.32% vs -4.58% for URTY. On fees, URTY is cheaper at 0.95% per year. On volatility, URTY has been the lower-risk option at 11.48%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, URTY or UTSL?

Over the 5-year period, UTSL has performed better with a 8.32% return vs -4.58%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, URTY or UTSL?

URTY is cheaper with a 0.95% expense ratio, compared with 0.99% for UTSL.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, URTY or UTSL?

UTSL has the higher dividend yield at 1.68%, compared with 0.80% for URTY.

What is the main difference between URTY and UTSL?

URTY tracks Russell 2000 Index (300%), while UTSL tracks Utilities Select Sector Index (300%). They also come from different issuers: ProShares and Direxion. Their fees differ too: 0.95% for URTY and 0.99% for UTSL.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

URTY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.64 vs 0.03), 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.