DFNV vs. USO
DFNV (TrimTabs Donoghue Forlines Risk Managed Innovation ETF) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - DFNV is a Technology Equities fund tracking the TrimTabs Donoghue Forlines Risk Managed Free Cash Flow Innovation Index, while USO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, DFNV returned 7.20%/yr vs 17.42%/yr for USO. At a 0.04 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. DFNV charges 0.69%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.
Performance
DFNV vs. USO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, DFNV achieves a -4.71% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 60.87% return.
DFNV
- 1D
- -0.10%
- 1M
- -4.47%
- YTD
- -4.71%
- 6M
- -6.49%
- 1Y
- -0.49%
- 3Y*
- 15.74%
- 5Y*
- 7.20%
- 10Y*
- —
USO
- 1D
- -1.27%
- 1M
- -21.05%
- YTD
- 60.87%
- 6M
- 58.26%
- 1Y
- 45.61%
- 3Y*
- 21.25%
- 5Y*
- 17.42%
- 10Y*
- 2.01%
DFNV vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFNV TrimTabs Donoghue Forlines Risk Managed Innovation ETF | -4.71% | 8.42% | 31.93% | 26.92% | -24.05% | 18.51% | 3.29% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 60.87% | -8.46% | 13.35% | -4.94% | 28.97% | 64.68% | 5.13% |
Correlation
The correlation between DFNV and USO is -0.15, 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 | -0.15 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.03 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.03 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 8, 2020 | 0.04 |
The correlation between DFNV and USO shifts across timeframes, from -0.15 (1 year) to 0.04 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
DFNV vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank
DFNV
USO
DFNV vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for TrimTabs Donoghue Forlines Risk Managed Innovation ETF (DFNV) 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| DFNV | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.08 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.60 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.01 | 1.21 | -0.20 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.02 | 1.68 | -1.70 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.05 | 4.57 | -4.63 |
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Drawdowns
DFNV vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum DFNV drawdown since its inception was -29.71%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DFNV and USO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| DFNV | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -29.71% | -98.19% | +68.48% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -21.54% | -27.26% | +5.72% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -22.72% | -27.26% | +4.54% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.71% | -36.23% | +6.52% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -86.75% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -11.09% | -88.16% | +77.07% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.46% | -75.31% | +65.85% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 9.12% | 10.02% | -0.90% |
Volatility
DFNV vs. USO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for TrimTabs Donoghue Forlines Risk Managed Innovation ETF (DFNV) is 7.72%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 11.79%. This indicates that DFNV 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
| DFNV | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.72% | 11.79% | -4.07% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 15.32% | 39.34% | -24.02% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 18.09% | 44.35% | -26.26% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 19.74% | 36.32% | -16.58% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.73% | 39.02% | -19.29% |
DFNV vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison
DFNV has a 0.69% expense ratio, which is lower than USO's 0.86% expense ratio.
Dividends
DFNV vs. USO - Dividend Comparison
DFNV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.40%, while USO has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFNV TrimTabs Donoghue Forlines Risk Managed Innovation ETF | 0.40% | 0.38% | 1.28% | 0.77% | 1.20% | 4.77% | 0.02% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
DFNV and USO have a correlation of -0.15, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
USO has higher volatility (11.79%) compared to DFNV (7.72%). In terms of maximum drawdown, DFNV dropped -29.71% vs USO's -98.19%.
On 5-year performance, USO leads with 17.42% vs 7.20% for DFNV. On fees, DFNV is cheaper at 0.69% per year. On volatility, DFNV has been the lower-risk option at 7.72%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, USO has performed better with a 17.42% return vs 7.20%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
DFNV is cheaper with a 0.69% expense ratio, compared with 0.86% for USO.
DFNV has the higher dividend yield at 0.40%, compared with 0.00% for USO.
DFNV is categorized as Technology Equities, while USO is Oil & Gas. DFNV tracks TrimTabs Donoghue Forlines Risk Managed Free Cash Flow Innovation Index, while USO tracks Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. They also come from different issuers: TrimTabs and USCF. Their fees differ too: 0.69% for DFNV and 0.86% for USO.
USO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.05 vs -0.03), 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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