CAT vs. USO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

CAT (Caterpillar Inc.) 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, CAT returned 31.52%/yr vs 4.07%/yr for USO. At a 0.32 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

CAT vs. USO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) 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, CAT achieves a 62.36% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 103.67% return. Over the past 10 years, CAT has outperformed USO with an annualized return of 31.52%, while USO has yielded a comparatively lower 4.07% annualized return.

CAT

• 1D: 1.80%
• 1M: 5.88%
• YTD: 62.36%
• 6M: 57.25%
• 1Y: 167.95%
• 3Y*: 62.31%
• 5Y*: 32.93%
• 10Y*: 31.52%

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)

CAT vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
CAT Caterpillar Inc.	62.36%	60.30%	24.66%	25.95%	18.60%	15.95%	26.97%	19.51%	-17.56%	75.03%
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 CAT and USO is -0.18, 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	-0.18
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.07
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.21
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.26
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 11, 2006	0.32

The correlation between CAT and USO shifts across timeframes, from -0.18 (1 year) to 0.32 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

CAT vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank

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

CAT

CAT Risk / Return Rank: 98
CAT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 98
CAT Sortino Ratio Rank: 98
CAT Omega Ratio Rank: 97
CAT Calmar Ratio Rank: 98
CAT Martin Ratio Rank: 99

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.

CAT vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) 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.

	CAT	USO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	4.98	2.31	+2.67
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	5.68	2.89	+2.78
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.72	1.38	+0.34
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	12.18	5.01	+7.17
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	40.49	9.42	+31.08
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

CAT vs. USO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CAT Sharpe Ratio is 4.98, which is higher than the USO Sharpe Ratio of 2.31. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CAT 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

	CAT	USO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.98	2.31	+2.67
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.08	0.68	+0.40
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	1.02	0.10	+0.92
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.35	-0.18	+0.53

Drawdowns

CAT vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CAT drawdown since its inception was -73.43%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CAT and USO.

Drawdown Indicators

	CAT	USO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-73.43%	-98.19%	+24.76%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.88%	-20.39%	+6.51%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-34.05%	-26.05%	-8.00%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-34.05%	-36.23%	+2.18%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-43.36%	-86.75%	+43.39%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.08%	-85.01%	+84.93%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-19.74%	-75.30%	+55.56%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.17%	10.82%	-6.65%

Volatility

CAT vs. USO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) is 11.17%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 14.87%. This indicates that CAT 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

	CAT	USO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	11.17%	14.87%	-3.70%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	27.09%	38.23%	-11.14%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	33.97%	44.20%	-10.23%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	30.62%	36.06%	-5.44%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	30.86%	39.00%	-8.14%

Dividends

CAT vs. USO - Dividend Comparison

CAT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.65%, while USO has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CAT Caterpillar Inc.	0.65%	1.02%	1.49%	1.69%	1.93%	2.07%	2.26%	2.56%	2.58%	1.97%	3.32%	4.33%
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 CAT and USO in my portfolio?

CAT and USO have a correlation of -0.18, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, CAT or USO?

USO has higher volatility (14.87%) compared to CAT (11.17%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CAT dropped -73.43% vs USO's -98.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

CAT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (4.98 vs 2.31), 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.