DFAX vs. USO
DFAX (Dimensional World ex US Core Equity 2 ETF) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - DFAX is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the MSCI All Country World ex USA Index, while USO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, DFAX returned 21.17%/yr vs 28.78%/yr for USO. At a 0.12 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. DFAX charges 0.30%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.
Performance
DFAX vs. USO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, DFAX achieves a 15.50% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 97.72% return.
DFAX
- 1D
- 0.24%
- 1M
- 2.61%
- YTD
- 15.50%
- 6M
- 18.24%
- 1Y
- 34.48%
- 3Y*
- 21.17%
- 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%
DFAX vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFAX Dimensional World ex US Core Equity 2 ETF | 15.50% | 35.42% | 4.78% | 16.66% | -14.48% | -2.68% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 97.72% | -8.46% | 13.35% | -4.94% | 28.97% | 9.86% |
Correlation
The correlation between DFAX and USO is -0.34, 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 | -0.34 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.03 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 14, 2021 | 0.12 |
The correlation between DFAX and USO shifts across timeframes, from -0.34 (1 year) to 0.12 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
DFAX vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank
DFAX
USO
DFAX vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Dimensional World ex US Core Equity 2 ETF (DFAX) 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.
| DFAX | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.13 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.34 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.43 | 1.37 | +0.06 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.12 | 4.79 | -1.67 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.33 | 9.00 | +3.33 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| DFAX | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.34 | 2.21 | +0.13 |
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 | 0.65 | -0.18 | +0.83 |
Drawdowns
DFAX vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum DFAX drawdown since its inception was -28.15%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DFAX and USO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| DFAX | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -28.15% | -98.19% | +70.04% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.11% | -20.39% | +9.28% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -13.89% | -26.05% | +12.16% |
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 | -0.76% | -85.45% | +84.69% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.67% | -75.30% | +68.63% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.80% | 10.84% | -8.04% |
Volatility
DFAX vs. USO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Dimensional World ex US Core Equity 2 ETF (DFAX) is 5.10%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 14.97%. This indicates that DFAX 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
| DFAX | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.10% | 14.97% | -9.87% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.67% | 38.35% | -25.68% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.82% | 44.32% | -29.50% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.98% | 36.09% | -20.11% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 15.98% | 39.00% | -23.02% |
DFAX vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison
DFAX has a 0.30% expense ratio, which is lower than USO's 0.86% expense ratio.
Dividends
DFAX vs. USO - Dividend Comparison
DFAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.21%, while USO has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFAX Dimensional World ex US Core Equity 2 ETF | 2.21% | 2.58% | 2.98% | 3.01% | 3.30% | 1.40% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
DFAX and USO have a correlation of -0.34, 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 DFAX (5.10%). In terms of maximum drawdown, DFAX dropped -28.15% vs USO's -98.19%.
On 3-year performance, USO leads with 28.78% vs 21.17% for DFAX. On fees, DFAX is cheaper at 0.30% per year. On volatility, DFAX has been the lower-risk option at 5.10%. 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 21.17%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
DFAX is cheaper with a 0.30% expense ratio, compared with 0.86% for USO.
DFAX has the higher dividend yield at 2.21%, compared with 0.00% for USO.
DFAX is categorized as Foreign Large Cap Equities, while USO is Oil & Gas. DFAX tracks MSCI All Country World ex USA Index, while USO tracks Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. They also come from different issuers: Dimensional and USCF. Their fees differ too: 0.30% for DFAX and 0.86% for USO.
DFAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.34 vs 2.21), 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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