BALT vs. USL

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

BALT (Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF) and USL (United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - BALT is a Defined Outcome fund tracking the S&P 500, while USL is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the 12 Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, BALT returned 7.27%/yr vs 18.42%/yr for USL. At a 0.08 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. BALT charges 0.69%/yr vs 0.88%/yr for USL.

Performance

BALT vs. USL - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF (BALT) and United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP (USL). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BALT achieves a 1.91% return, which is significantly lower than USL's 63.07% return.

BALT

• 1D: -0.06%
• 1M: 0.53%
• YTD: 1.91%
• 6M: 2.81%
• 1Y: 6.95%
• 3Y*: 7.27%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

USL

• 1D: 1.55%
• 1M: -1.61%
• YTD: 63.07%
• 6M: 59.66%
• 1Y: 57.86%
• 3Y*: 18.42%
• 5Y*: 17.41%
• 10Y*: 10.91%

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

BALT vs. USL - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
BALT Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF	1.91%	6.65%	9.98%	7.45%	2.54%	0.82%
USL United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP	63.07%	-12.37%	8.30%	-1.11%	27.10%	7.75%

Correlation

The correlation between BALT and USL is -0.14, 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	-0.14
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	-0.01
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 2, 2021	0.08

The correlation between BALT and USL shifts across timeframes, from -0.14 (1 year) to 0.08 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

BALT vs. USL - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	BALT	USL
Technology	36.2%	-
Financial Services	11.9%	4.5%
Communication Services	10.9%	-
Consumer Cyclical	10.1%	-
Healthcare	8.4%	-
Industrials	8.1%	-
Consumer Defensive	4.9%	-
Energy	3.5%	-
Utilities	2.3%	-
Real Estate	1.9%	-
Basic Materials	1.8%	-

Return for Risk

BALT vs. USL — Risk / Return Rank

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

BALT

BALT Risk / Return Rank: 92
BALT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 90
BALT Sortino Ratio Rank: 94
BALT Omega Ratio Rank: 93
BALT Calmar Ratio Rank: 91
BALT Martin Ratio Rank: 91

USL

USL Risk / Return Rank: 56
USL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 59
USL Sortino Ratio Rank: 53
USL Omega Ratio Rank: 54
USL Calmar Ratio Rank: 69
USL Martin Ratio Rank: 43

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.

BALT vs. USL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF (BALT) and United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP (USL). 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.

	BALT	USL	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	3.19	2.04	+1.15
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	4.88	2.58	+2.30
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.67	1.34	+0.34
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	6.05	3.47	+2.59
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	22.58	7.02	+15.56
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

BALT vs. USL - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BALT Sharpe Ratio is 3.19, which is higher than the USL Sharpe Ratio of 2.04. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BALT and USL, 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

	BALT	USL	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.19	2.04	+1.15
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.58	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.34	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.80	0.01	+1.79

Drawdowns

BALT vs. USL - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BALT drawdown since its inception was -4.89%, smaller than the maximum USL drawdown of -89.06%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BALT and USL.

Drawdown Indicators

	BALT	USL	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-4.89%	-89.06%	+84.17%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-1.15%	-16.76%	+15.61%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-4.89%	-23.33%	+18.44%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-33.82%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-66.02%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.06%	-38.16%	+38.10%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.34%	-61.46%	+61.12%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.31%	8.27%	-7.96%

Volatility

BALT vs. USL - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Innovator Defined Wealth Shield ETF (BALT) is 0.37%, while United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP (USL) has a volatility of 10.53%. This indicates that BALT experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than USL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BALT	USL	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.37%	10.53%	-10.16%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.56%	23.33%	-21.77%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.19%	28.54%	-26.35%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	3.32%	30.08%	-26.76%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	3.32%	32.35%	-29.03%

BALT vs. USL - Expense Ratio Comparison

BALT has a 0.69% expense ratio, which is lower than USL's 0.88% expense ratio.

Dividends

BALT vs. USL - Dividend Comparison

Neither BALT nor USL has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BALT and USL in my portfolio?

BALT and USL have a correlation of -0.14, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, BALT or USL?

USL has higher volatility (10.53%) compared to BALT (0.37%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BALT dropped -4.89% vs USL's -89.06%.

Which ETF is better, BALT or USL?

On 3-year performance, USL leads with 18.42% vs 7.27% for BALT. On fees, BALT is cheaper at 0.69% per year. On volatility, BALT has been the lower-risk option at 0.37%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, BALT or USL?

Over the 3-year period, USL has performed better with a 18.42% return vs 7.27%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, BALT or USL?

BALT is cheaper with a 0.69% expense ratio, compared with 0.88% for USL.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, BALT or USL?

BALT and USL have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.

What is the main difference between BALT and USL?

BALT is categorized as Defined Outcome, while USL is Oil & Gas. BALT tracks S&P 500, while USL tracks 12 Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. They also come from different issuers: Innovator and Concierge Technologies. Their fees differ too: 0.69% for BALT and 0.88% for USL.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BALT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.19 vs 2.04), 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.