SPXU vs SDOW Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
SPXU and SDOW both target leveraged inverse equity (-3x) exposure but take different paths to get there — SPXU via the S&P 500 Index (-3x daily), and SDOW via the Dow Jones Industrial Average (-3x daily). The practical differences come down to issuer, cost structure, and the specific index rules each fund follows, since both are pursuing a similar investment outcome.
SPXU vs SDOW is largely a question of which issuer and index methodology you trust more for leveraged inverse equity (-3x) exposure — the underlying investment case is similar, so cost, liquidity, and tracking precision tend to be the deciding factors.
SPXU holds the edge across 3 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. SDOW has delivered stronger 1-year price return (-30.35% vs -33.90% for SPXU).
- want amplified, -3x-leveraged daily bet against the S&P 500
- prefer ProShares's approach and fund lineup
- value powerful short-term hedging tool against a broad market decline
- are comfortable with daily leverage reset causes severe compounding decay over any extended holding period
- want amplified, -3x-leveraged daily bet against the Dow 30
- prefer ProShares's approach and fund lineup
- value powerful short-term hedging tool against a blue-chip market decline
- are comfortable with daily leverage reset causes severe compounding decay over any extended holding period
| Metric | SPXU | SDOW |
|---|---|---|
| ETF scorei | 20.8 | 20.9 |
| Latest closei | $34.87 | $24.63 |
| 1M returni | -3.50% | -2.03% |
| 3M returni | -6.69% | +1.73% |
| 6M returni | -18.22% | -12.98% |
| 1Y returni | -33.90% | -30.35% |
The ETF score weights long-term returns and risk-adjusted performance most heavily, but still rewards low expense ratios, larger fund size, and broader diversification — so it can favor low-cost, broad, mega-cap funds over smaller thematic or actively-managed funds even when the latter have delivered stronger returns.
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | SPXU | SDOW |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $6.95K (-30.5%) started 2025-10-16 | $7.26K (-27.4%) started 2025-10-16 |
| 5Y ago | $1.81K (-81.9%) started 2021-10-18 | $3.12K (-68.8%) started 2021-10-18 |
| 10Y ago | $61.91 (-99.4%) started 2016-10-17 | $112.49 (-98.9%) started 2016-10-17 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | SPXU | SDOW |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratioi | 0.90% | 0.95% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $429.68M | $153.9M |
| Dividend yieldi | 6.25% | 4.56% |
| Trailing P/Ei | N/A | N/A |
| Betai | -2.88 | -2.46 |
| 52-week change | -33.90% | -30.35% |
| Metric | SPXU | SDOW |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y returni | -33.90% | -30.35% |
| 6M returni | -18.22% | -12.98% |
| 3M returni | -6.69% | +1.73% |
| 1M returni | -3.50% | -2.03% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | -1.02 | -0.90 |
| Betai | -2.88 | -2.46 |
| Dividend yieldi | 6.25% | 4.56% |
| 5Y CAGR | -32.40% | -24.06% |
Over the past year, SPXU and SDOW have moved strongly in the same direction (correlation of 0.83), based on daily returns.
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
| Period | Metric | SPXU | SDOW |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growthi | -33.90% | -30.35% |
| CAGRi | -33.92% | -30.37% | |
| Volatilityi | 37.89% | 37.53% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | -1.02 | -0.90 | |
| Sortino ratioi | -1.39 | -1.21 | |
| Max drawdowni | 46.26% | 42.78% | |
| Current drawdowni | 42.60% | 34.03% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 25.60% | 23.05% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 29.91% | 25.88% | |
| Max daily dropi | 8.57% | 8.40% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 15.03% | 14.27% | |
| 5Y | Growthi | -85.84% | -74.70% |
| CAGRi | -32.40% | -24.06% | |
| Volatilityi | 50.56% | 44.26% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | -0.61 | -0.50 | |
| Sortino ratioi | -0.85 | -0.70 | |
| Max drawdowni | 90.93% | 85.12% | |
| Current drawdowni | 90.31% | 82.85% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 57.26% | 51.93% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 63.82% | 57.50% | |
| Max daily dropi | 28.01% | 23.30% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 26.40% | 22.37% | |
| 10Y | Growthi | -99.54% | -99.12% |
| CAGRi | -41.60% | -37.74% | |
| Volatilityi | 53.40% | 52.15% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | -0.82 | -0.73 | |
| Sortino ratioi | -1.17 | -1.05 | |
| Max drawdowni | 99.59% | 99.26% | |
| Current drawdowni | 99.56% | 99.15% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 82.89% | 84.74% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 85.82% | 87.03% | |
| Max daily dropi | 28.01% | 31.64% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 44.28% | 49.56% |
| Category | SPXU | SDOW |
|---|---|---|
| Fund name | ProShares UltraPro Short S&P500 | ProShares UltraPro Short Dow30 |
| Type | ETF | ETF |
| Expense ratioi | 0.90% | 0.95% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $429.68M | $153.9M |
| Dividend yieldi | 6.25% | 4.56% |
- Powerful short-term hedging tool against a broad market decline
- Highly liquid among leveraged inverse equity ETFs
- Can generate outsized gains during sharp, fast market sell-offs
- Powerful short-term hedging tool against a blue-chip market decline
- Direct inverse exposure to the specific Dow 30 basket
- Can generate outsized gains during sharp Dow sell-offs
- Daily leverage reset causes severe compounding decay over any extended holding period
- Extremely risky and unsuitable for buy-and-hold investors
- Can lose the large majority of its value even if the S&P 500 is flat over time
- Daily leverage reset causes severe compounding decay over any extended holding period
- Extremely risky and unsuitable for buy-and-hold investors
- Narrower 30-stock basket than broader inverse S&P 500 or Nasdaq funds
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