DNOV vs. USO

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

DNOV (FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - November) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - DNOV 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 5 years, DNOV returned 8.18%/yr vs 23.92%/yr for USO. At a 0.11 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. DNOV charges 0.85%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.

Performance

DNOV vs. USO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - November (DNOV) 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, DNOV achieves a 4.96% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 98.48% return.

DNOV

• 1D: 0.04%
• 1M: 1.74%
• YTD: 4.96%
• 6M: 5.56%
• 1Y: 18.05%
• 3Y*: 13.20%
• 5Y*: 8.18%
• 10Y*: —

USO

• 1D: 1.31%
• 1M: -3.87%
• YTD: 98.48%
• 6M: 95.54%
• 1Y: 97.37%
• 3Y*: 28.86%
• 5Y*: 23.92%
• 10Y*: 3.80%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

DNOV vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
DNOV FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - November	4.96%	13.93%	10.71%	18.52%	-7.50%	6.03%	7.49%	1.47%
USO United States Oil Fund LP	98.48%	-8.46%	13.35%	-4.94%	28.97%	64.68%	-67.79%	7.65%

Correlation

The correlation between DNOV and USO is -0.31, 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	-0.31
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	-0.06
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.05
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 19, 2019	0.11

The correlation between DNOV and USO shifts across timeframes, from -0.31 (1 year) to 0.11 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

DNOV vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank

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

DNOV

DNOV Risk / Return Rank: 90
DNOV Sharpe Ratio Rank: 90
DNOV Sortino Ratio Rank: 93
DNOV Omega Ratio Rank: 93
DNOV Calmar Ratio Rank: 82
DNOV Martin Ratio Rank: 92

USO

USO Risk / Return Rank: 66
USO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 66
USO Sortino Ratio Rank: 59
USO Omega Ratio Rank: 61
USO Calmar Ratio Rank: 88
USO Martin Ratio Rank: 55

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.

DNOV vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - November (DNOV) 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.

	DNOV	USO	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	3.17	2.22	+0.95
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	4.78	2.81	+1.97
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.67	1.37	+0.30
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.37	5.12	-0.75
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	23.48	9.66	+13.82
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

DNOV vs. USO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current DNOV Sharpe Ratio is 3.17, which is higher than the USO Sharpe Ratio of 2.22. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of DNOV 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

	DNOV	USO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.17	2.22	+0.95
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.08	0.67	+0.41
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.10	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.92	-0.18	+1.10

Drawdowns

DNOV vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum DNOV drawdown since its inception was -15.03%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DNOV and USO.

Drawdown Indicators

	DNOV	USO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-15.03%	-98.19%	+83.16%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.18%	-20.39%	+16.21%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-9.98%	-26.05%	+16.07%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-9.98%	-36.23%	+26.25%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-86.75%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-85.39%	+85.39%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.01%	-75.30%	+73.29%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.78%	10.81%	-10.03%

Volatility

DNOV vs. USO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for FT Vest U.S. Equity Deep Buffer ETF - November (DNOV) is 0.85%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 15.03%. This indicates that DNOV 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

	DNOV	USO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.85%	15.03%	-14.18%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	4.21%	38.18%	-33.97%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	5.73%	44.26%	-38.53%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	7.62%	36.04%	-28.42%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	9.04%	39.00%	-29.96%

DNOV vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison

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

Dividends

DNOV vs. USO - Dividend Comparison

Neither DNOV nor USO has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both DNOV and USO in my portfolio?

DNOV and USO have a correlation of -0.31, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, DNOV or USO?

USO has higher volatility (15.03%) compared to DNOV (0.85%). In terms of maximum drawdown, DNOV dropped -15.03% vs USO's -98.19%.

Which ETF is better, DNOV or USO?

On 5-year performance, USO leads with 23.92% vs 8.18% for DNOV. On fees, DNOV is cheaper at 0.85% per year. On volatility, DNOV has been the lower-risk option at 0.85%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, DNOV or USO?

Over the 5-year period, USO has performed better with a 23.92% return vs 8.18%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, DNOV or USO?

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

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

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

What is the main difference between DNOV and USO?

DNOV is categorized as Defined Outcome, while USO is Oil & Gas. DNOV 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 DNOV and 0.86% for USO.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

DNOV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.17 vs 2.22), 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.