Vanguard Energy ETF or VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF: Which is a Smarter Bet Right now?

Investors looking for energy exposure must choose between broad sector coverage and targeted thematic plays. Take, for example, the Vanguard Energy ETF (NYSEMKT:VDE)which offers a low-cost entry to traditional fossil fuel giants, and the VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF (NYSEMKT:NLR) focused on the specialized infrastructure and utilities of the nuclear power industry.

Comparing these two funds helps better understand how different energy subsectors behave, especially regarding price volatility and sector concentration, and make better investment decisions.

Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. Dividend yield is the trailing-12-month distribution yield.

The Vanguard fund is significantly more affordable, sporting an expense ratio of 0.09% compared to 0.52% for the VanEck fund. While the costs differ, both ETFs currently offer an identical distribution yield of 2.40%. For many investors, the expense difference of 0.43 percentage points represents a significant factor in long-term performance compounding.

Growth of $1,000 over 5 years (total return)

The Vanguard Energy ETF (NYSEMKT:VDE) provides a broad sweep of the traditional energy industry with 106 holdings. It is 100% focused on the energy sector, specifically targeting firms involved in the exploration and production of oil, natural gas, and coal. Its largest positions include Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) at 21.06%, Chevron (NYSE:CVX) at 14.28%, and ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) at 5.93%. Launched in 2004, the fund has a trailing-12-month dividend of $3.93 per share.

The VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF (NYSEMKT:NLR) tracks the MVIS Global Uranium & Nuclear Energy Index, targeting companies involved in uranium mining and nuclear power. The fund holds 29 positions with a sector breakdown of energy (45%), utilities (38%), and industrials (16%). Its largest positions include Cameco (NYSE:CCJ) at around 8%, Constellation Energy (NASDAQ:CEG) at 7.8%, and Bwx Technologies (NYSE:BWXT) at 6.8%. Launched in 2007, the fund has a trailing-12-month dividend of $3.17 per share.

For more guidance on ETF investing, check out the full guide at this link.

The Vanguard Energy ETF is an energy pure-play that gives investors exposure primarily to oil and gas exploration and production companies and coal producers in the U.S. It’s a low-cost way to bet on fossil fuels without having to research and select individual stocks. Because of a diversified portfolio, investors in energy also face lower risk than they would if they owned individual stocks.

After a muted, range-bound performance for several years, the ETF has gained significant momentum this year, rising nearly 28% as of this writing. Oil prices have risen sharply this year, driven largely by geopolitical tensions and supply disruptions in the Middle East.

Because a major portion of the Vanguard Energy ETF is concentrated in large integrated oil companies, it typically moves in tandem with commodity prices. Because of higher oil and gas prices, most traditional oil and gas companies have also delivered strong numbers in recent quarters, which has reflected in their share prices and driven the ETF value higher.

The VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF, on the other hand, has fallen by more than 10% so far this year as uranium prices cooled off. Artificial intelligence (AI) data centers are booming, and they require astronomical amounts of uninterrupted, 24/7 electricity. The existing grids are under immense pressure, and hyperscalers and data center developers are signing massive power purchase agreements with nuclear energy companies to secure clean baseload power.

The U.S. government is also aggressively supporting nuclear energy development, and all of these factors combined sent shares of nuclear and uranium companies. However, with stocks going parabolic and trading at extremely stretched valuations, and uranium prices dropping off in recent weeks, shares of nuclear energy and uranium companies have cooled off too. That has reflected in the VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF value.

Investors should take a long-term view before deciding which ETF to buy, or whether to buy both.

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Neha Chamaria has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends BWX Technologies, Cameco, Chevron, and Constellation Energy. The Motley Fool recommends ConocoPhillips. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Vanguard Energy ETF or VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF: Which is a Smarter Bet Right now? was originally published by The Motley Fool