XLE vs. BKUI
XLE (State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF) and BKUI (BNY Mellon Ultra Short Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XLE is a Energy Equities fund tracking the Energy Select Sector Index, while BKUI is a Ultrashort Bond fund actively managed by BNY Mellon. XLE is passively managed, while BKUI is actively managed. Over the past 3 years, XLE returned 13.23%/yr vs 5.05%/yr for BKUI. Their -0.10 correlation means they have often moved in opposite directions in the past. XLE charges 0.08%/yr vs 0.12%/yr for BKUI.
Performance
XLE vs. BKUI - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XLE achieves a 29.95% return, which is significantly higher than BKUI's 2.02% return.
XLE
- 1D
- -2.07%
- 1M
- 7.87%
- 6M
- 9.98%
- YTD
- 29.95%
- 1Y
- 38.22%
- 3Y*
- 13.23%
- 5Y*
- 22.66%
- 10Y*
- 9.80%
- ALL TIME*
- 8.71%
BKUI
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- 0.32%
- 6M
- 1.64%
- YTD
- 2.02%
- 1Y
- 3.91%
- 3Y*
- 5.05%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 3.55%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $3.07M | $2.57M | $2.87M | |
| $1.81B | $1.78B | $1.93B |
XLE vs. BKUI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | 29.95% | 7.88% | 5.56% | -0.63% | 64.32% | 14.56% |
BKUI BNY Mellon Ultra Short Income ETF | 2.02% | 4.93% | 5.50% | 5.75% | -0.08% | -0.26% |
Correlation
The correlation between XLE and BKUI is -0.31, meaning they have often moved in opposite directions in the past. This relationship can weaken or reverse as market conditions change.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | -0.31 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | -0.18 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 11, 2021 | -0.10 |
Over the past year, the inverse relationship between XLE and BKUI has strengthened: their correlation has moved from -0.10 to -0.31, meaning they now move in opposite directions more often than their long-term average.
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
XLE vs. BKUI — Risk / Return Rank
XLE
BKUI
XLE vs. BKUI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) and BNY Mellon Ultra Short Income ETF (BKUI). 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.
| XLE | BKUI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -7.83 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -18.82 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.30 | 5.07 | -3.78 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.56 | 29.50 | -26.94 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.80 | 197.12 | -190.32 |
Loading charts...
Drawdowns
XLE vs. BKUI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XLE drawdown since its inception was -71.26%, which is greater than BKUI's maximum drawdown of -1.72%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XLE and BKUI.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| XLE | BKUI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -71.26% | -1.72% | -69.54% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.98% | -0.13% | -14.85% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -20.14% | -0.25% | -19.89% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.04% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -66.81% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.73% | 0.00% | -7.73% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -17.93% | -0.26% | -17.67% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.64% | 0.02% | +5.62% |
Volatility
XLE vs. BKUI - Volatility Comparison
State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) has a higher volatility of 6.16% compared to BNY Mellon Ultra Short Income ETF (BKUI) at 0.10%. This indicates that XLE's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BKUI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| XLE | BKUI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.16% | 0.10% | +6.06% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.48% | 0.34% | +16.14% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.12% | 0.41% | +20.71% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 25.76% | 0.58% | +25.18% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 29.58% | 0.58% | +29.00% |
XLE vs. BKUI - Expense Ratio Comparison
XLE has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is lower than BKUI's 0.12% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
XLE vs. BKUI - Dividend Comparison
XLE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.65%, less than BKUI's 4.15% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BKUI BNY Mellon Ultra Short Income ETF | 4.15% | 4.48% | 5.11% | 4.29% | 1.82% | 0.22% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
XLE State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | 2.65% | 3.28% | 3.36% | 3.55% | 3.68% | 4.21% | 5.62% | 6.72% | 3.54% | 3.03% | 2.26% | 3.39% |
Frequently Asked Questions
XLE and BKUI have a correlation of -0.31, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
XLE has higher volatility (6.16%) compared to BKUI (0.10%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XLE dropped -71.26% vs BKUI's -1.72%.
On 3-year performance, XLE leads with 13.23% vs 5.05% for BKUI. On fees, XLE is cheaper at 0.08% per year. On volatility, BKUI has been the lower-risk option at 0.10%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, XLE has performed better with a 13.23% return vs 5.05%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
XLE is cheaper with a 0.08% expense ratio, compared with 0.12% for BKUI.
BKUI has the higher dividend yield at 4.15%, compared with 2.65% for XLE.
XLE is categorized as Energy Equities, while BKUI is Ultrashort Bond. They also come from different issuers: State Street and BNY Mellon. Their fees differ too: 0.08% for XLE and 0.12% for BKUI.
BKUI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (9.65 vs 1.82), 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.
Find the right allocation for XLE and BKUI
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer