DECM vs. USO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

DECM (FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - December) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - DECM is a Defined Outcome fund tracking the S&P 500, while USO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, DECM returned 8.05% vs 101.55% for USO. At a correlation of -0.15, they often move in opposite directions. DECM charges 0.85%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.

Performance

DECM vs. USO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - December (DECM) 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, DECM achieves a 2.56% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 103.67% return.

DECM

• 1D: -0.07%
• 1M: 0.91%
• YTD: 2.56%
• 6M: 3.15%
• 1Y: 8.05%
• 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)

DECM vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
DECM FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - December	2.56%	6.85%	-0.23%
USO United States Oil Fund LP	103.67%	-8.46%	3.41%

Correlation

The correlation between DECM and USO is -0.32, 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	-0.32
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 24, 2024	-0.15

The correlation between DECM and USO shifts across timeframes, from -0.32 (1 year) to -0.15 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

DECM vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank

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

DECM

DECM Risk / Return Rank: 93
DECM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 93
DECM Sortino Ratio Rank: 96
DECM Omega Ratio Rank: 96
DECM Calmar Ratio Rank: 86
DECM Martin Ratio Rank: 93

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.

DECM vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - December (DECM) 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.

	DECM	USO	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	3.48	2.31	+1.17
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	5.52	2.89	+2.63
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.78	1.38	+0.40
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.73	5.01	-0.27
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	24.75	9.42	+15.33
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

DECM vs. USO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current DECM Sharpe Ratio is 3.48, which is higher than the USO Sharpe Ratio of 2.31. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of DECM 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

	DECM	USO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.48	2.31	+1.17
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	2.17	-0.18	+2.35

Drawdowns

DECM vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum DECM drawdown since its inception was -3.00%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DECM and USO.

Drawdown Indicators

	DECM	USO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-3.00%	-98.19%	+95.19%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-1.71%	-20.39%	+18.68%
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	-0.07%	-85.01%	+84.94%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.37%	-75.30%	+74.93%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.33%	10.82%	-10.49%

Volatility

DECM vs. USO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for FT Vest U.S. Equity Max Buffer ETF - December (DECM) is 0.32%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 14.87%. This indicates that DECM 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

	DECM	USO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.32%	14.87%	-14.55%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.78%	38.23%	-36.45%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.33%	44.20%	-41.87%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	2.97%	36.06%	-33.09%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	2.97%	39.00%	-36.03%

DECM vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison

DECM has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is lower than USO's 0.86% expense ratio.

Dividends

DECM vs. USO - Dividend Comparison

Neither DECM nor USO has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both DECM and USO in my portfolio?

DECM and USO have a correlation of -0.32, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, DECM or USO?

USO has higher volatility (14.87%) compared to DECM (0.32%). In terms of maximum drawdown, DECM dropped -3.00% vs USO's -98.19%.

Which ETF is better, DECM or USO?

On 1-year performance, USO leads with 101.55% vs 8.05% for DECM. On fees, DECM is cheaper at 0.85% per year. On volatility, DECM has been the lower-risk option at 0.32%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, DECM or USO?

Over the 1-year period, USO has performed better with a 101.55% return vs 8.05%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, DECM or USO?

DECM is cheaper with a 0.85% expense ratio, compared with 0.86% for USO.

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

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

What is the main difference between DECM and USO?

DECM is categorized as Defined Outcome, while USO is Oil & Gas. DECM tracks S&P 500, while USO tracks Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. They also come from different issuers: FT Vest and USCF. Their fees differ too: 0.85% for DECM and 0.86% for USO.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

DECM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.48 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.