EDOW vs. USO
EDOW (First Trust Dow 30 Equal Weight ETF) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - EDOW is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Dow Jones Industrail Average Equal Weight TR, while USO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, EDOW returned 9.82%/yr vs 20.59%/yr for USO. Their 0.18 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. EDOW charges 0.50%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.
Performance
EDOW vs. USO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, EDOW achieves a 10.49% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 86.77% return.
EDOW
- 1D
- 0.78%
- 1M
- 0.84%
- 6M
- 7.82%
- YTD
- 10.49%
- 1Y
- 21.11%
- 3Y*
- 15.32%
- 5Y*
- 9.82%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 11.57%
USO
- 1D
- 1.33%
- 1M
- 24.23%
- 6M
- 62.44%
- YTD
- 86.77%
- 1Y
- 66.76%
- 3Y*
- 20.97%
- 5Y*
- 20.59%
- 10Y*
- 5.64%
- ALL TIME*
- -6.85%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $755.60K | $679.73K | $683.44K | |
| $968.42M | $871.56M | $931.57M |
EDOW vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EDOW First Trust Dow 30 Equal Weight ETF | 10.49% | 15.46% | 13.17% | 15.47% | -7.45% | 18.82% | 6.64% | 24.69% | -2.04% | 11.90% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 86.77% | -8.46% | 13.35% | -4.94% | 28.97% | 64.68% | -67.79% | 32.61% | -19.57% | 19.38% |
Correlation
The correlation between EDOW and USO is -0.34, meaning they have often moved in opposite directions in the past. This relationship can weaken or reverse as market conditions change.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | -0.34 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | -0.11 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.05 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 9, 2017 | 0.18 |
The correlation between EDOW and USO shifts across timeframes, from -0.34 (1 year) to 0.18 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
EDOW vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank
EDOW
USO
EDOW vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Dow 30 Equal Weight ETF (EDOW) 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.
| EDOW | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.51 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.73 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.33 | 1.25 | +0.08 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.30 | 1.93 | +0.38 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.62 | 5.60 | +3.03 |
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Drawdowns
EDOW vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum EDOW drawdown since its inception was -33.72%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EDOW and USO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| EDOW | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -33.72% | -98.19% | +64.47% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.73% | -32.49% | +23.76% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -15.51% | -32.49% | +16.98% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.98% | -36.23% | +14.25% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -86.75% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.42% | -86.26% | +85.84% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.02% | -75.38% | +71.36% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.33% | 12.03% | -9.70% |
Volatility
EDOW vs. USO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for First Trust Dow 30 Equal Weight ETF (EDOW) is 3.75%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 17.73%. This indicates that EDOW 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
| EDOW | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.75% | 17.73% | -13.98% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 8.52% | 42.79% | -34.27% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 10.93% | 46.91% | -35.98% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.23% | 37.06% | -22.83% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.65% | 39.29% | -21.64% |
EDOW vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison
EDOW has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is lower than USO's 0.86% expense ratio.
Dividends
EDOW vs. USO - Dividend Comparison
EDOW's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.24%, while USO has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EDOW First Trust Dow 30 Equal Weight ETF | 1.24% | 1.31% | 1.65% | 1.93% | 1.91% | 1.52% | 1.84% | 1.88% | 1.82% | 0.75% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
EDOW 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 (17.73%) compared to EDOW (3.75%). In terms of maximum drawdown, EDOW dropped -33.72% vs USO's -98.19%.
On 5-year performance, USO leads with 20.59% vs 9.82% for EDOW. On fees, EDOW is cheaper at 0.50% per year. On volatility, EDOW has been the lower-risk option at 3.75%. 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 20.59% return vs 9.82%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
EDOW is cheaper with a 0.50% expense ratio, compared with 0.86% for USO.
EDOW has the higher dividend yield at 1.24%, compared with 0.00% for USO.
EDOW is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while USO is Oil & Gas. EDOW tracks Dow Jones Industrail Average Equal Weight TR, while USO tracks Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and USCF. Their fees differ too: 0.50% for EDOW and 0.86% for USO.
EDOW currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.85 vs 1.34), 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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