ARKK vs. USO
ARKK (ARK Innovation ETF) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - ARKK is a Technology Equities fund actively managed by ARK, while USO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. ARKK is actively managed, while USO is passively managed. Over the past 10 years, ARKK returned 15.75%/yr vs 4.07%/yr for USO. At a 0.10 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. ARKK charges 0.75%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.
Performance
ARKK vs. USO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ARKK achieves a 1.61% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 103.67% return. Over the past 10 years, ARKK has outperformed USO with an annualized return of 15.75%, while USO has yielded a comparatively lower 4.07% annualized return.
ARKK
- 1D
- -2.19%
- 1M
- -0.09%
- YTD
- 1.61%
- 6M
- -3.21%
- 1Y
- 34.90%
- 3Y*
- 23.72%
- 5Y*
- -6.26%
- 10Y*
- 15.75%
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%
ARKK vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ARKK ARK Innovation ETF | 1.61% | 35.49% | 8.40% | 69.04% | -66.97% | -23.60% | 152.71% | 35.08% | 3.52% | 87.33% |
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 ARKK and USO is -0.24, 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 | -0.24 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.05 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.02 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.09 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 3, 2014 | 0.10 |
The correlation between ARKK and USO shifts across timeframes, from -0.24 (1 year) to 0.10 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
ARKK vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank
ARKK
USO
ARKK vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) 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.
| ARKK | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.35 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.38 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.17 | 1.38 | -0.21 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.12 | 5.01 | -3.89 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.49 | 9.42 | -6.93 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| ARKK | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.96 | 2.31 | -1.35 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.14 | 0.68 | -0.82 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.39 | 0.10 | +0.29 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.35 | -0.18 | +0.52 |
Drawdowns
ARKK vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ARKK drawdown since its inception was -80.97%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ARKK and USO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ARKK | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -80.97% | -98.19% | +17.22% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -31.35% | -20.39% | -10.96% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -39.56% | -26.05% | -13.51% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -77.23% | -36.23% | -41.00% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -80.97% | -86.75% | +5.78% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -49.39% | -85.01% | +35.62% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -30.12% | -75.30% | +45.18% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 14.06% | 10.82% | +3.24% |
Volatility
ARKK vs. USO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) is 9.45%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 14.87%. This indicates that ARKK 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.
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Volatility by Period
| ARKK | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.45% | 14.87% | -5.42% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 25.08% | 38.23% | -13.15% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 36.37% | 44.20% | -7.83% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 46.28% | 36.06% | +10.22% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 40.26% | 39.00% | +1.26% |
ARKK vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison
ARKK has a 0.75% expense ratio, which is lower than USO's 0.86% expense ratio.
Dividends
ARKK vs. USO - Dividend Comparison
Neither ARKK nor USO has paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ARKK ARK Innovation ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.70% | 0.00% | 0.55% | 1.64% | 0.38% | 3.14% | 1.32% | 0.00% | 2.27% |
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
ARKK and USO have a correlation of -0.24, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
USO has higher volatility (14.87%) compared to ARKK (9.45%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ARKK dropped -80.97% vs USO's -98.19%.
On 10-year performance, ARKK leads with 15.75% vs 4.07% for USO. On fees, ARKK is cheaper at 0.75% per year. On volatility, ARKK has been the lower-risk option at 9.45%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, ARKK has performed better with a 15.75% return vs 4.07%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
ARKK is cheaper with a 0.75% expense ratio, compared with 0.86% for USO.
ARKK and USO have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.
ARKK is categorized as Technology Equities, while USO is Oil & Gas. They also come from different issuers: ARK and USCF. Their fees differ too: 0.75% for ARKK and 0.86% for USO.
USO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.31 vs 0.96), 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.
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