CSMD vs. USO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

CSMD (Congress SMID Growth ETF) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - CSMD is a Mid Cap Growth Equities fund actively managed by Congress, while USO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. CSMD is actively managed, while USO is passively managed. Over the past year, CSMD returned 14.97% vs 101.55% for USO. At a correlation of -0.06, they often move in opposite directions. CSMD charges 0.68%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.

Performance

CSMD vs. USO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Congress SMID Growth ETF (CSMD) 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, CSMD achieves a 10.72% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 103.67% return.

CSMD

• 1D: 0.29%
• 1M: 7.59%
• YTD: 10.72%
• 6M: 8.83%
• 1Y: 14.97%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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)

CSMD vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
CSMD Congress SMID Growth ETF	10.72%	5.68%	12.70%	6.44%
USO United States Oil Fund LP	103.67%	-8.46%	13.35%	-7.79%

Correlation

The correlation between CSMD and USO is -0.27, 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	-0.27
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 23, 2023	-0.06

Over the past year, the inverse relationship between CSMD and USO has strengthened: their correlation has moved from -0.06 to -0.27, meaning they now move in opposite directions more often than their long-term average.

Return for Risk

CSMD vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank

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

CSMD

CSMD Risk / Return Rank: 24
CSMD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 24
CSMD Sortino Ratio Rank: 24
CSMD Omega Ratio Rank: 23
CSMD Calmar Ratio Rank: 23
CSMD Martin Ratio Rank: 24

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.

CSMD vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Congress SMID Growth ETF (CSMD) 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.

	CSMD	USO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.79	2.31	-1.52
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.24	2.89	-1.65
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.15	1.38	-0.23
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.02	5.01	-3.99
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.09	9.42	-6.33
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

CSMD vs. USO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CSMD Sharpe Ratio is 0.79, which is lower than the USO Sharpe Ratio of 2.31. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CSMD 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

	CSMD	USO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.79	2.31	-1.52
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.68	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.10	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.66	-0.18	+0.84

Drawdowns

CSMD vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CSMD drawdown since its inception was -22.54%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CSMD and USO.

Drawdown Indicators

	CSMD	USO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-22.54%	-98.19%	+75.65%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.79%	-20.39%	+5.60%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-26.05%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-36.23%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-86.75%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-85.01%	+85.01%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.75%	-75.30%	+70.55%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.85%	10.82%	-5.97%

Volatility

CSMD vs. USO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Congress SMID Growth ETF (CSMD) is 6.03%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 14.87%. This indicates that CSMD 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

	CSMD	USO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.03%	14.87%	-8.84%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.45%	38.23%	-23.78%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	18.97%	44.20%	-25.23%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	19.77%	36.06%	-16.29%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.77%	39.00%	-19.23%

CSMD vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison

CSMD has a 0.68% expense ratio, which is lower than USO's 0.86% expense ratio.

Dividends

CSMD vs. USO - Dividend Comparison

Neither CSMD nor USO has paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023
CSMD Congress SMID Growth ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.40%	0.02%
USO United States Oil Fund LP	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both CSMD and USO in my portfolio?

CSMD and USO have a correlation of -0.27, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, CSMD or USO?

USO has higher volatility (14.87%) compared to CSMD (6.03%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CSMD dropped -22.54% vs USO's -98.19%.

Which ETF is better, CSMD or USO?

On 1-year performance, USO leads with 101.55% vs 14.97% for CSMD. On fees, CSMD is cheaper at 0.68% per year. On volatility, CSMD has been the lower-risk option at 6.03%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, CSMD or USO?

Over the 1-year period, USO has performed better with a 101.55% return vs 14.97%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, CSMD or USO?

CSMD is cheaper with a 0.68% expense ratio, compared with 0.86% for USO.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, CSMD or USO?

CSMD and USO have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.

What is the main difference between CSMD and USO?

CSMD is categorized as Mid Cap Growth Equities, while USO is Oil & Gas. They also come from different issuers: Congress and USCF. Their fees differ too: 0.68% for CSMD and 0.86% for USO.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

USO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.31 vs 0.79), 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.