EOCT vs. USO

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

EOCT (Innovator Emerging Markets Power Buffer ETF - October) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - EOCT is a Options Trading fund actively managed by Innovator, while USO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. EOCT is actively managed, while USO is passively managed. Over the past 3 years, EOCT returned 13.41%/yr vs 27.76%/yr for USO. At a 0.11 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. EOCT charges 0.89%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.

Performance

EOCT vs. USO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Innovator Emerging Markets Power Buffer ETF - October (EOCT) 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, EOCT achieves a 7.67% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 92.34% return.

EOCT

• 1D: -0.03%
• 1M: 0.70%
• YTD: 7.67%
• 6M: 9.16%
• 1Y: 24.21%
• 3Y*: 13.41%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

USO

• 1D: -2.72%
• 1M: -0.69%
• YTD: 92.34%
• 6M: 84.96%
• 1Y: 90.22%
• 3Y*: 27.76%
• 5Y*: 22.99%
• 10Y*: 3.13%

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

EOCT vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
EOCT Innovator Emerging Markets Power Buffer ETF - October	7.67%	22.03%	9.66%	6.26%	-10.75%	-0.50%
USO United States Oil Fund LP	92.34%	-8.46%	13.35%	-4.94%	28.97%	2.07%

Correlation

The correlation between EOCT and USO is -0.27, 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	-0.27
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.02
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 4, 2021	0.11

The correlation between EOCT and USO shifts across timeframes, from -0.27 (1 year) to 0.11 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

EOCT vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank

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

EOCT

EOCT Risk / Return Rank: 84
EOCT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 84
EOCT Sortino Ratio Rank: 85
EOCT Omega Ratio Rank: 86
EOCT Calmar Ratio Rank: 80
EOCT Martin Ratio Rank: 83

USO

USO Risk / Return Rank: 63
USO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 62
USO Sortino Ratio Rank: 58
USO Omega Ratio Rank: 58
USO Calmar Ratio Rank: 84
USO Martin Ratio Rank: 51

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.

EOCT vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Innovator Emerging Markets Power Buffer ETF - October (EOCT) 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.

	EOCT	USO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.69	2.04	+0.65
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.77	2.66	+1.11
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.52	1.35	+0.18
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.10	4.45	-0.35
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	16.46	8.33	+8.13
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

EOCT vs. USO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current EOCT Sharpe Ratio is 2.69, which is higher than the USO Sharpe Ratio of 2.04. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of EOCT 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

	EOCT	USO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.69	2.04	+0.65
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.64	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.08	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.60	-0.18	+0.79

Drawdowns

EOCT vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum EOCT drawdown since its inception was -20.35%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EOCT and USO.

Drawdown Indicators

	EOCT	USO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-20.35%	-98.19%	+77.84%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-5.93%	-20.39%	+14.46%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-10.76%	-26.05%	+15.29%
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	-0.25%	-85.85%	+85.60%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.69%	-75.30%	+69.61%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.47%	10.87%	-9.40%

Volatility

EOCT vs. USO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Innovator Emerging Markets Power Buffer ETF - October (EOCT) is 1.70%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 13.30%. This indicates that EOCT 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

	EOCT	USO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.70%	13.30%	-11.60%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	6.69%	38.49%	-31.80%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	9.06%	44.41%	-35.35%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	11.30%	36.09%	-24.79%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	11.30%	39.01%	-27.71%

EOCT vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison

EOCT has a 0.89% expense ratio, which is higher than USO's 0.86% expense ratio.

Dividends

EOCT vs. USO - Dividend Comparison

Neither EOCT nor USO has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both EOCT and USO in my portfolio?

EOCT and USO have a correlation of -0.27, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, EOCT or USO?

USO has higher volatility (13.30%) compared to EOCT (1.70%). In terms of maximum drawdown, EOCT dropped -20.35% vs USO's -98.19%.

Which ETF is better, EOCT or USO?

On 3-year performance, USO leads with 27.76% vs 13.41% for EOCT. On fees, USO is cheaper at 0.86% per year. On volatility, EOCT has been the lower-risk option at 1.70%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, EOCT or USO?

Over the 3-year period, USO has performed better with a 27.76% return vs 13.41%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, EOCT or USO?

USO is cheaper with a 0.86% expense ratio, compared with 0.89% for EOCT.

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

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

What is the main difference between EOCT and USO?

EOCT is categorized as Options Trading, while USO is Oil & Gas. They also come from different issuers: Innovator and USCF. Their fees differ too: 0.89% for EOCT and 0.86% for USO.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

EOCT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.69 vs 2.04), 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.