ARES vs. USO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

ARES (Ares Management Corporation) is a stock, while USO (United States Oil Fund LP) is Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. Over the past 10 years, ARES returned 29.23%/yr vs 4.07%/yr for USO. At a 0.13 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

ARES vs. USO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Ares Management Corporation (ARES) and United States Oil Fund LP (USO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ARES achieves a -22.80% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 103.67% return. Over the past 10 years, ARES has outperformed USO with an annualized return of 29.23%, while USO has yielded a comparatively lower 4.07% annualized return.

ARES

• 1D: -4.04%
• 1M: 2.60%
• YTD: -22.80%
• 6M: -22.12%
• 1Y: -24.14%
• 3Y*: 14.81%
• 5Y*: 20.60%
• 10Y*: 29.23%

USO

• 1D: 2.62%
• 1M: -4.57%
• YTD: 103.67%
• 6M: 99.35%
• 1Y: 101.55%
• 3Y*: 29.98%
• 5Y*: 24.41%
• 10Y*: 4.07%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

ARES vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
ARES Ares Management Corporation	-22.80%	-5.72%	52.68%	79.52%	-12.75%	77.75%	37.37%	110.13%	-5.54%	10.72%
USO United States Oil Fund LP	103.67%	-8.46%	13.35%	-4.94%	28.97%	64.68%	-67.79%	32.61%	-19.57%	2.47%

Correlation

The correlation between ARES and USO is -0.11, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.11
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.04
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.10
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.14
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 5, 2014	0.13

The correlation between ARES and USO shifts across timeframes, from -0.11 (1 year) to 0.14 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

ARES vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

ARES

ARES Risk / Return Rank: 18
ARES Sharpe Ratio Rank: 15
ARES Sortino Ratio Rank: 17
ARES Omega Ratio Rank: 17
ARES Calmar Ratio Rank: 24
ARES Martin Ratio Rank: 20

USO

USO Risk / Return Rank: 66
USO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 69
USO Sortino Ratio Rank: 60
USO Omega Ratio Rank: 61
USO Calmar Ratio Rank: 87
USO Martin Ratio Rank: 54

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

ARES vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Ares Management Corporation (ARES) and United States Oil Fund LP (USO). 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.

	ARES	USO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.60	2.31	-2.91
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-0.63	2.89	-3.52
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.92	1.38	-0.46
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.49	5.01	-5.50
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.99	9.42	-10.41
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ARES vs. USO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ARES Sharpe Ratio is -0.60, which is lower than the USO Sharpe Ratio of 2.31. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ARES and USO, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	ARES	USO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.60	2.31	-2.91
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.56	0.68	-0.12
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.80	0.10	+0.70
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.62	-0.18	+0.80

Drawdowns

ARES vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ARES drawdown since its inception was -49.73%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ARES and USO.

Drawdown Indicators

	ARES	USO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-49.73%	-98.19%	+48.46%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-49.05%	-20.39%	-28.66%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-49.73%	-26.05%	-23.68%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-49.73%	-36.23%	-13.50%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-49.73%	-86.75%	+37.02%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-35.00%	-85.01%	+50.01%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-11.28%	-75.30%	+64.02%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	24.48%	10.82%	+13.66%

Volatility

ARES vs. USO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Ares Management Corporation (ARES) is 9.18%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 14.87%. This indicates that ARES experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than USO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ARES	USO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	9.18%	14.87%	-5.69%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	34.82%	38.23%	-3.41%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	40.54%	44.20%	-3.66%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	37.22%	36.06%	+1.16%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	36.63%	39.00%	-2.37%

Dividends

ARES vs. USO - Dividend Comparison

ARES's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.51%, while USO has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ARES Ares Management Corporation	4.51%	3.29%	2.10%	2.59%	3.57%	2.31%	3.40%	3.59%	7.50%	5.65%	4.32%	6.81%
USO United States Oil Fund LP	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ARES and USO in my portfolio?

ARES and USO have a correlation of -0.11, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ARES or USO?

USO has higher volatility (14.87%) compared to ARES (9.18%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ARES dropped -49.73% vs USO's -98.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

USO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.31 vs -0.60), 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.