BTR vs. USO
BTR (Beacon Tactical Risk ETF) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - BTR is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund actively managed by American Beacon, while USO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. BTR is actively managed, while USO is passively managed. Over the past 3 years, BTR returned 4.48%/yr vs 28.78%/yr for USO. At a correlation of -0.05, they often move in opposite directions. BTR charges 1.10%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.
Performance
BTR vs. USO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BTR achieves a 9.02% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 97.72% return.
BTR
- 1D
- 0.66%
- 1M
- 1.07%
- YTD
- 9.02%
- 6M
- 9.00%
- 1Y
- 18.59%
- 3Y*
- 4.48%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
USO
- 1D
- -2.92%
- 1M
- -5.15%
- YTD
- 97.72%
- 6M
- 91.54%
- 1Y
- 97.20%
- 3Y*
- 28.78%
- 5Y*
- 23.67%
- 10Y*
- 3.57%
BTR vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
BTR Beacon Tactical Risk ETF | 9.02% | -2.15% | 14.45% | -6.65% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 97.72% | -8.46% | 13.35% | -5.77% |
Correlation
The correlation between BTR and USO is -0.22, 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 | -0.22 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.04 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 19, 2023 | -0.05 |
The correlation between BTR and USO shifts across timeframes, from -0.22 (1 year) to -0.04 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
BTR vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank
BTR
USO
BTR vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Beacon Tactical Risk ETF (BTR) 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.
| BTR | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.30 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.10 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.35 | 1.37 | -0.02 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.00 | 4.79 | -1.80 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 11.61 | 9.00 | +2.61 |
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
| BTR | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.91 | 2.21 | -0.30 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | — | 0.66 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.09 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.39 | -0.18 | +0.57 |
Drawdowns
BTR vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BTR drawdown since its inception was -16.67%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BTR and USO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BTR | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -16.67% | -98.19% | +81.52% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -6.23% | -20.39% | +14.16% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -16.67% | -26.05% | +9.38% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -36.23% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -86.75% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.11% | -85.45% | +85.34% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.58% | -75.30% | +69.72% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.61% | 10.84% | -9.23% |
Volatility
BTR vs. USO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Beacon Tactical Risk ETF (BTR) is 2.30%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 14.97%. This indicates that BTR 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
| BTR | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.30% | 14.97% | -12.67% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 7.08% | 38.35% | -31.27% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 9.80% | 44.32% | -34.52% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 10.91% | 36.09% | -25.18% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 10.91% | 39.00% | -28.09% |
BTR vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison
BTR has a 1.10% expense ratio, which is higher than USO's 0.86% expense ratio.
Dividends
BTR vs. USO - Dividend Comparison
BTR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.18%, while USO has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
BTR Beacon Tactical Risk ETF | 1.18% | 1.29% | 0.87% | 0.91% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
BTR and USO have a correlation of -0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
USO has higher volatility (14.97%) compared to BTR (2.30%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BTR dropped -16.67% vs USO's -98.19%.
On 3-year performance, USO leads with 28.78% vs 4.48% for BTR. On fees, USO is cheaper at 0.86% per year. On volatility, BTR has been the lower-risk option at 2.30%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, USO has performed better with a 28.78% return vs 4.48%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
USO is cheaper with a 0.86% expense ratio, compared with 1.10% for BTR.
BTR has the higher dividend yield at 1.18%, compared with 0.00% for USO.
BTR is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while USO is Oil & Gas. They also come from different issuers: American Beacon and USCF. Their fees differ too: 1.10% for BTR and 0.86% for USO.
USO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.21 vs 1.91), 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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