Statistics · 2026 · ETFs
Energy ETF Statistics (2026)
OIH was the best-performing energy ETF over the past year, returning 49.5% with dividends reinvested, as of October 2, 2026. URA returned -12.5%. The S&P 500 fund SPY returned 16.7%. This page compares 7 funds across oil and gas, oil services, clean energy, solar and uranium.
Key takeaways
- OIH returned 49.5% over the past year and URA returned -12.5%, a gap of 62.0 points.
- Over five years, 5 of the 7 energy funds beat SPY’s 13.9% a year, and the best returned 23.5%.
- Expense ratios run from 0.08% for XLE to 0.70% for TAN, or $8 to $70 per $10,000 a year.
- OIH fell 87.1% from peak to trough on month-end prices (lows within a month are not captured), against 23.9% for SPY.
- URA paid the highest trailing yield at 5.24%, while TAN paid 0.00%.
Which energy ETFs performed best?
OIH led the group over one year at 49.5% with dividends reinvested, and XLE followed at 44.7%. Over five years XLE ranked first at 23.5% a year, and TAN ranked last at -11.1%. The gap between best and worst is wide in every window.
Each return runs from a month-end close to the October 2, 2026 price and is annualized over the actual days: the one-year figure covers September 30, 2025 to October 2, 2026, so it will not match an issuer's month-end one-year return.
1. One-year gap: 62.0 percentage points
OIH returned 49.5% over the past year and URA returned -12.5% (WealthyBud data · 7 energy funds, total return · October 2, 2026). 1 of the 7 funds lost money over the year: URA. All 7 funds have 121 complete month-end prices.
2. URA led the three-year run at 18.8% a year
URA compounded at 18.8% a year over three years, ahead of XLE at 15.2%. TAN came last at -5.1%, a spread of 23.9 points (WealthyBud data · 3-yr annualized total return · October 2, 2026).
3. Five-year spread: 34.7 points a year
XLE returned 23.5% a year and TAN returned -11.1% a year. 5 of the 7 funds had a positive five-year return (WealthyBud data · 5-yr annualized total return · October 2, 2026).
4. WTI crude averaged $65.39 a barrel in 2025, down from $94.90 in 2022
The EIA’s annual Cushing, OK WTI spot price table lists $65.39 per barrel for 2025 and $94.90 for 2022, a 31% decline between those two annual averages (WealthyBud’s calculation from EIA spot price data). These are annual averages for context; this page does not test how oil prices relate to fund returns.
| Ticker | Fund | Expense ratio | 1-yr total return | 5-yr total return (ann.) | Volatility (ann.) | Trailing yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ICLN | iShares Global Clean Energy ETF | 0.38% | 12.1% | -3.2% | 28.9% | 1.07% |
| OIH | VanEck Oil Services ETF | 0.35% | 49.5% | 15.8% | 37.6% | 1.27% |
| TAN | Invesco Solar ETF | 0.70% | 1.0% | -11.1% | 39.7% | 0.00% |
| URA | Global X Uranium ETF | 0.69% | -12.5% | 15.3% | 39.3% | 5.24% |
| VDE | Vanguard Energy ETF | 0.09% | 43.3% | 23.0% | 25.7% | 2.32% |
| XLE | State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | 0.08% | 44.7% | 23.5% | 26.0% | 2.42% |
| XOP | State Street SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF | 0.35% | 42.5% | 16.6% | 30.1% | 1.69% |
| SPY | State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust | 0.0945% | 16.7% | 13.9% | 15.7% | 0.99% |
How much do energy ETFs cost?
Expense ratios range from 0.08% for XLE to 0.70% for TAN, with a median of 0.35%. On $10,000 that is $8 to $70 a year. The S&P 500 fund SPY charges 0.0945%. The broad oil and gas funds' median is 0.09%, against 0.535% for the specialty funds.
5. XLE costs 0.08% and TAN costs 0.70%
The cheapest energy fund is XLE, followed by VDE at 0.09% and OIH at 0.35%. The most expensive is TAN, which costs 8.8 times as much (WealthyBud data · issuer-verified expense ratios · October 2, 2026).
6. The cost gap is $62 a year per $10,000
TAN costs $70 per $10,000 each year and XLE costs $8 (WealthyBud data · expense ratio x $10,000 · October 2, 2026).
7. Median fee for broad oil and gas funds is 0.09%; specialty funds charge 0.535%
The 3 broad oil and gas funds, XLE, VDE, and XOP, charge a median 0.09%. The 4 others, ICLN, OIH, TAN, and URA, charge a median 0.535% (WealthyBud data · medians by fund type · October 2, 2026).
Compare major ETFs by fees and returns
How volatile are energy ETFs?
TAN was the most volatile energy fund, with annualized volatility of 39.7%, against 25.7% for VDE. OIH had the deepest drawdown at 87.1%, and URA the shallowest at 47.8% (month-end prices; lows within a month are not captured). Volatility measures how much monthly returns swing; drawdown is the worst fall from a peak.
8. TAN swung most: 39.7% annualized
TAN had the highest volatility, followed by URA at 39.3%. Volatility is the annualized standard deviation of the last 60 complete monthly returns through September 30, 2026 (WealthyBud data · monthly returns per fund · October 2, 2026).
9. VDE moved least: 25.7%
VDE was the calmest energy fund. It measured 1.6 times the 15.7% of SPY (WealthyBud data · annualized volatility · October 2, 2026).
10. OIH fell 87.1% peak to trough on month-end prices
OIH had the deepest drawdown, XOP next at 80.5%. The shallowest was URA at 47.8%. Drawdown window: 121 month-end prices from September 30, 2016 to September 30, 2026 plus the October 2, 2026 price; lows within a month are not captured and the dataset does not record when each low occurred (WealthyBud data · max drawdown · October 2, 2026).
How do energy ETFs compare with the S&P 500?
Over five years, 5 of 7 energy funds beat the S&P 500 fund SPY, which returned 13.9% a year. Over one year 4 beat it, and over three years 0 did. Over ten years 1 did. Results change with the window measured.
11. 5 of 7 funds beat the S&P 500 over five years
SPY returned 13.9% a year. The best energy fund, XLE, returned 23.5%. XLE, VDE, XOP, OIH, and URA beat the index (WealthyBud data · 5-yr annualized total return vs SPY · October 2, 2026).
12. 4 of 7 beat the index over one year, 0 over three
SPY returned 16.7% over one year and 23.1% a year over three. OIH, XLE, VDE, and XOP beat it over one year (WealthyBud data · 1- and 3-yr total return vs SPY · October 2, 2026).
13. Ten-year record: URA 15.6% a year vs 15.3% for SPY
Over ten years, 1 of 7 energy funds beat the index. URA was the best at 15.6% a year and OIH the weakest at -2.5% (WealthyBud data · 10-yr annualized total return · October 2, 2026).
14. 7 of 7 energy funds were more volatile than the index
SPY measured 15.7% and had a worst drawdown of 23.9%, and 7 of 7 energy funds fell further (month-end prices; lows within a month are not captured) (WealthyBud data · volatility and drawdown vs SPY · October 2, 2026).
How have clean energy ETFs done versus oil and gas ETFs?
The oil and gas funds XLE and XOP beat the clean energy funds ICLN and TAN on median return in 3 of 3 windows (one, three and five years). Median one-year returns were 43.6% and 6.6%. Median five-year returns were 20.1% and -7.2% a year. Each group holds two funds.
15. One-year median: oil and gas 43.6%, clean energy 6.6%
XLE returned 44.7% and XOP returned 42.5%. ICLN returned 12.1% and TAN returned 1.0%. OIH (oil services) and URA (uranium) are left out because they fit neither group (WealthyBud data · 1-yr total return · October 2, 2026).
16. Five-year median: oil and gas 20.1% a year, clean energy -7.2%
Over five years XLE returned 23.5% a year and XOP 16.6%, while ICLN returned -3.2% and TAN -11.1%. The medians are 27.2 points apart; three-year medians are 12.7% and 1.0% a year (WealthyBud data · 3- and 5-yr annualized total return · October 2, 2026).
17. Clean energy funds fell 67.3% at the median, oil and gas funds 69.3% (month-end prices)
Median worst drawdown (month-end prices; lows within a month are not captured) was 67.3% for ICLN and TAN and 69.3% for XLE and XOP. Median volatility was 34.3% and 28.1%. Median trailing yield was 0.54% for clean energy and 2.05% for oil and gas (WealthyBud data · medians by group · October 2, 2026).
18. Renewables supplied about 24% of U.S. utility-scale electricity generation in 2025, up from about 12% in 1990
The EIA says renewable sources were the source of about 24% of total U.S. utility-scale electricity generation in 2025, with solar about 7% and wind about 11%, per its Electricity in the United States page. Those shares measure power generation, not fund performance.
| Group | Expense ratio | 1-yr return | 3-yr return (ann.) | 5-yr return (ann.) | Volatility | Worst drawdown (month-end) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clean energy (ICLN and TAN) | 0.54% | 6.6% | 1.0% | -7.2% | 34.3% | 67.3% |
| Oil and gas (XLE and XOP) | 0.215% | 43.6% | 12.7% | 20.1% | 28.1% | 69.3% |
What do energy ETFs pay?
URA paid the highest trailing yield at 5.24%, and TAN paid the lowest at 0.00%. The S&P 500 fund SPY yielded 0.99%. Trailing yield divides the last 12 months of dividends by the current price, and 6 of 7 energy funds out-yield the index.
19. URA yields 5.24%; TAN yields 0.00%
A $10,000 position in URA paid about $524 over the last 12 months, against about $0 for TAN (WealthyBud data · trailing-12-month distributions · October 2, 2026). Trailing yield can include one-off or special distributions, so URA’s figure may not repeat.
20. 6 of 7 energy funds out-yield the S&P 500
SPY yields 0.99%. URA, XLE, VDE, XOP, OIH, and ICLN yield more (WealthyBud data · trailing yield vs SPY · October 2, 2026).
21. Median yield: oil and gas 2.05%, clean energy 0.54%
The oil and gas funds XLE and XOP had a median trailing yield of 2.05%, and the clean energy funds ICLN and TAN had 0.54%. Trailing yields change with prices and payouts, so a high figure is not a promise (WealthyBud data · trailing yield, medians by group · October 2, 2026).
What this means for investors
Decide which energy you mean. The 7 funds cover oil and gas, oil services, solar, clean energy and uranium, and the five-year results ran from -11.1% to 23.5% a year.
Compare fees inside a type. XLE costs 0.08% and TAN costs 0.70%.
Size for the drop. OIH fell 87.1% at its worst on month-end prices (lows within a month are not captured). Size positions so a fall that large will not force a sale.
Check your overlap. XLE is also covered in our sector ETF statistics, and S&P 500 funds already hold energy companies. For commodity exposure, see commodity ETF statistics, and for company-level data see energy stock statistics.
Past returns are not forecasts. The figures above describe history only.
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