UTES vs. ELFY

Last updated Aug 4, 2026

UTES (Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF) and ELFY (ALPS Electrification Infrastructure ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - UTES is a Utilities Equities fund actively managed by Virtus, while ELFY is a Infrastructure Equities fund tracking the Ladenburg Thalmann Electrification Infrastructure Index. UTES is actively managed, while ELFY is passively managed. Over the past year, UTES returned -2.59% vs 23.88% for ELFY. Their 0.70 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. UTES charges 0.49%/yr vs 0.50%/yr for ELFY.

Performance

UTES vs. ELFY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF (UTES) and ALPS Electrification Infrastructure ETF (ELFY). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, UTES achieves a 0.36% return, which is significantly lower than ELFY's 18.04% return.

UTES

• 1D: 1.44%
• 1M: -2.90%
• 6M: 3.82%
• YTD: 0.36%
• 1Y: -2.59%
• 3Y*: 22.82%
• 5Y*: 14.89%
• 10Y*: 12.14%
• ALL TIME*: 13.64%

ELFY

• 1D: 1.43%
• 1M: -3.83%
• 6M: 9.13%
• YTD: 18.04%
• 1Y: 23.88%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 42.33%

*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)
ELFY ALPS Electrification Infrastructure ETF	$1.73M	$2.33M	$2.21M
UTES Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF	$11.31M	$10.12M	$13.80M

UTES vs. ELFY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
UTES Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF	0.36%	25.95%
ELFY ALPS Electrification Infrastructure ETF	18.04%	34.72%

Correlation

The correlation between UTES and ELFY is 0.69, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.69
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 10, 2025	0.70

The correlation between UTES and ELFY has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.69 to 0.70 - a consistent structural relationship.

UTES vs. ELFY - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	UTES	ELFY
Utilities	100.0%	40.0%
Basic Materials	-	4.4%
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	0.6%
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	16.0%
Financial Services	-	0.1%
Healthcare	-	-
Industrials	-	26.0%
Real Estate	-	-
Technology	-	12.8%

Return for Risk

UTES vs. ELFY — Risk / Return Rank

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

UTES

UTES Risk / Return Rank: 9
UTES Sharpe Ratio Rank: 9
UTES Sortino Ratio Rank: 9
UTES Omega Ratio Rank: 9
UTES Calmar Ratio Rank: 9
UTES Martin Ratio Rank: 8

ELFY

ELFY Risk / Return Rank: 46
ELFY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 45
ELFY Sortino Ratio Rank: 44
ELFY Omega Ratio Rank: 42
ELFY Calmar Ratio Rank: 48
ELFY Martin Ratio Rank: 53

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.

UTES vs. ELFY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF (UTES) and ALPS Electrification Infrastructure ETF (ELFY). 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.

	UTES	ELFY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.12	1.16	-1.28
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-0.02	1.66	-1.68
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.00	1.20	-0.21
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.19	1.76	-1.95
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.39	6.40	-6.79

UTES vs. ELFY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current UTES Sharpe Ratio is -0.12, which is lower than the ELFY Sharpe Ratio of 1.16. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of UTES and ELFY, 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

UTES vs. ELFY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum UTES drawdown since its inception was -35.39%, which is greater than ELFY's maximum drawdown of -13.61%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UTES and ELFY.

Drawdown Indicators

	UTES	ELFY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-35.39%	-13.61%	-21.78%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.88%	-13.61%	-0.27%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-17.62%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-20.40%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-35.39%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-9.00%	-9.16%	+0.16%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.54%	-2.12%	-3.42%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.74%	3.74%	+3.00%

Volatility

UTES vs. ELFY - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF (UTES) is 5.50%, while ALPS Electrification Infrastructure ETF (ELFY) has a volatility of 6.75%. This indicates that UTES experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ELFY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	UTES	ELFY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.50%	6.75%	-1.25%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	16.23%	17.01%	-0.78%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	21.46%	20.80%	+0.66%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	20.75%	20.06%	+0.69%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	20.27%	20.06%	+0.21%

UTES vs. ELFY - Expense Ratio Comparison

UTES has a 0.49% expense ratio, which is lower than ELFY's 0.50% expense ratio.

Dividends

UTES vs. ELFY - Dividend Comparison

UTES's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.51%, more than ELFY's 1.04% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ELFY ALPS Electrification Infrastructure ETF	1.04%	0.76%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
UTES Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF	1.51%	1.42%	1.51%	2.44%	2.13%	1.94%	2.09%	1.84%	2.09%	3.44%	3.53%	0.61%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both UTES and ELFY in my portfolio?

UTES and ELFY have a correlation of 0.69, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, UTES or ELFY?

ELFY has higher volatility (6.75%) compared to UTES (5.50%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UTES dropped -35.39% vs ELFY's -13.61%.

Which ETF is better, UTES or ELFY?

On 1-year performance, ELFY leads with 23.88% vs -2.59% for UTES. On fees, UTES is cheaper at 0.49% per year. On volatility, UTES has been the lower-risk option at 5.50%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, UTES or ELFY?

Over the 1-year period, ELFY has performed better with a 23.88% return vs -2.59%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, UTES or ELFY?

UTES is cheaper with a 0.49% expense ratio, compared with 0.50% for ELFY.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, UTES or ELFY?

UTES has the higher dividend yield at 1.51%, compared with 1.04% for ELFY.

What is the main difference between UTES and ELFY?

UTES is categorized as Utilities Equities, while ELFY is Infrastructure Equities. They also come from different issuers: Virtus and ALPS. Their fees differ too: 0.49% for UTES and 0.50% for ELFY.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

ELFY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.16 vs -0.12), 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.