4 hours ago
1
Sara Appino, The Motley Fool
Mon, June 8, 2026 astatine 7:53 AM CDT 4 min read
Investors choosing betwixt iShares Global Clean Energy ETF (NASDAQ:ICLN) and Alerian MLP ETF (NYSEMKT:AMLP) whitethorn measurement the cleanable vigor fund's little costs against the MLP fund's importantly higher dividend output and little humanities volatility.
Both funds people the vigor assemblage but done vastly antithetic lenses. ICLN focuses connected the planetary modulation to renewable powerfulness and technology. AMLP focuses connected midstream infrastructure, specifically maestro constricted partnerships (MLPs) that transport and store accepted vigor products similar lipid and earthy gas.
Snapshot (cost & size)
| Issuer | iShares | ALPS Funds |
| Expense ratio | 0.39% | 1.01% |
| 1-yr instrumentality (as of June 3, 2026) | 83.7% | 17.1% |
| Dividend yield | 1.1% | 7.6% |
| Beta | 1.07 | 0.50 |
| AUM | $3.3 billion | $12.3 billion |
Beta measures terms volatility comparative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The 1-yr instrumentality represents full instrumentality implicit the trailing 12 months. Dividend output is the trailing-12-month organisation yield.
AMLP is considerably much expensive, carrying an disbursal ratio much than treble that of ICLN. However, for income-focused investors, the Alerian money provides a overmuch higher payout, with a output spread of 7.6% percent points.
Performance & hazard examination
| Max drawdown (5 yr) | (57.1%) | (20.9%) |
| Growth of $1,000 implicit 5 years (total return) | $1,110 | $2,184 |
What's wrong
Alerian MLP ETF (NYSEMKT:AMLP) concentrates heavy connected vigor infrastructure, with 98% of the portfolio successful the vigor assemblage and 2% successful utilities. It holds conscionable 14 positions, making it a highly concentrated stake connected midstream assets. Its largest positions see Plains All American Pipeline (NASDAQ:PAA) astatine 12.67%, Western Midstream Partners (NYSE:WES) astatine 12.55%, and Sunoco (NYSE:SUN) astatine 12.48%. The money was launched successful 2010 and paid $4.02 per stock implicit the trailing 12 months.
iShares Global Clean Energy ETF (NASDAQ:ICLN) provides broader vulnerability with 145 holdings crossed utilities (33%), industrials (28%), and vigor (26%). Top holdings see Bloom Energy Class A (NYSE:BE) astatine 12.36%, First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) astatine 10.01%, and Nextpower Class A (NASDAQ:NXT) astatine 7.95%. Launched successful 2008, the money uses an ESG surface to prime its components and has a trailing-12-month dividend of $0.27 per share.
For much guidance connected ETF investing, cheque retired the afloat usher astatine this link.
What this means for investors
Clean vigor investing has been a rollercoaster that tests capitalist conviction. After 4 consecutive years of losses that wiped retired astir fractional its value, ICLN surged much than 45% successful 2025 and has continued climbing successful 2026. Despite the caller run, ICLN's five-year annualized instrumentality is fundamentally flat.
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