ESGU vs. OILK

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

ESGU (iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF) and OILK (ProShares K-1 Free Crude Oil Strategy ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ESGU is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the MSCI USA Extended ESG Focus Index, while OILK is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Bloomberg Commodity Balanced WTI Crude Oil Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, ESGU returned 12.74%/yr vs 17.73%/yr for OILK. At a 0.17 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. ESGU charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.68%/yr for OILK.

Performance

ESGU vs. OILK - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF (ESGU) and ProShares K-1 Free Crude Oil Strategy ETF (OILK). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ESGU achieves a 11.06% return, which is significantly lower than OILK's 64.22% return.

ESGU

• 1D: -0.79%
• 1M: 5.51%
• YTD: 11.06%
• 6M: 10.93%
• 1Y: 27.83%
• 3Y*: 22.00%
• 5Y*: 12.74%
• 10Y*: —

OILK

• 1D: 1.40%
• 1M: -1.65%
• YTD: 64.22%
• 6M: 60.70%
• 1Y: 58.99%
• 3Y*: 19.03%
• 5Y*: 17.73%
• 10Y*: —

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

ESGU vs. OILK - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
ESGU iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF	11.06%	16.90%	24.31%	25.79%	-20.27%	26.89%	22.54%	31.72%	-4.32%	21.07%
OILK ProShares K-1 Free Crude Oil Strategy ETF	64.22%	-11.86%	8.18%	-0.97%	27.57%	63.71%	-61.09%	30.48%	-20.40%	2.82%

Correlation

The correlation between ESGU and OILK is -0.30, 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	-0.30
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	-0.04
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.09
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 7, 2016	0.17

The correlation between ESGU and OILK shifts across timeframes, from -0.30 (1 year) to 0.17 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

ESGU vs. OILK - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	ESGU	OILK
Technology	38.7%	-
Financial Services	11.5%	-
Communication Services	9.8%	-
Consumer Cyclical	9.4%	100.0%
Healthcare	8.4%	-
Industrials	8.4%	-
Consumer Defensive	3.9%	-
Energy	3.5%	-
Utilities	2.4%	-
Real Estate	2.1%	-
Basic Materials	1.6%	-

Return for Risk

ESGU vs. OILK — Risk / Return Rank

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

ESGU

ESGU Risk / Return Rank: 67
ESGU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 68
ESGU Sortino Ratio Rank: 66
ESGU Omega Ratio Rank: 67
ESGU Calmar Ratio Rank: 60
ESGU Martin Ratio Rank: 72

OILK

OILK Risk / Return Rank: 55
OILK Sharpe Ratio Rank: 60
OILK Sortino Ratio Rank: 53
OILK Omega Ratio Rank: 54
OILK Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
OILK Martin Ratio Rank: 42

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.

ESGU vs. OILK - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF (ESGU) and ProShares K-1 Free Crude Oil Strategy ETF (OILK). 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.

	ESGU	OILK	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.30	2.06	+0.24
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.12	2.59	+0.53
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.41	1.34	+0.07
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.02	3.42	-0.40
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	13.75	6.91	+6.83
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ESGU vs. OILK - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ESGU Sharpe Ratio is 2.30, which is comparable to the OILK Sharpe Ratio of 2.06. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ESGU and OILK, 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

	ESGU	OILK	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.30	2.06	+0.24
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.74	0.59	+0.15
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.83	0.12	+0.72

Drawdowns

ESGU vs. OILK - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ESGU drawdown since its inception was -33.87%, smaller than the maximum OILK drawdown of -83.76%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ESGU and OILK.

Drawdown Indicators

	ESGU	OILK	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-33.87%	-83.76%	+49.89%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.26%	-17.35%	+8.09%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.32%	-23.42%	+4.10%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-26.15%	-34.69%	+8.54%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.79%	-3.66%	+2.87%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.89%	-32.61%	+27.72%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.03%	8.56%	-6.53%

Volatility

ESGU vs. OILK - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF (ESGU) is 2.92%, while ProShares K-1 Free Crude Oil Strategy ETF (OILK) has a volatility of 10.44%. This indicates that ESGU experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than OILK based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ESGU	OILK	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.92%	10.44%	-7.52%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.20%	23.26%	-14.06%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.16%	28.75%	-16.59%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.32%	30.12%	-12.80%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.60%	35.97%	-17.37%

ESGU vs. OILK - Expense Ratio Comparison

ESGU has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than OILK's 0.68% expense ratio.

Dividends

ESGU vs. OILK - Dividend Comparison

ESGU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.92%, less than OILK's 8.18% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
ESGU iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF	0.92%	0.99%	1.18%	1.43%	1.58%	1.06%	1.27%	1.32%	1.73%	1.82%
OILK ProShares K-1 Free Crude Oil Strategy ETF	8.18%	4.79%	3.11%	5.80%	17.32%	68.82%	0.13%	0.94%	0.58%	6.17%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ESGU and OILK in my portfolio?

ESGU and OILK have a correlation of -0.30, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ESGU or OILK?

OILK has higher volatility (10.44%) compared to ESGU (2.92%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ESGU dropped -33.87% vs OILK's -83.76%.

Which ETF is better, ESGU or OILK?

On 5-year performance, OILK leads with 17.73% vs 12.74% for ESGU. On fees, ESGU is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, ESGU has been the lower-risk option at 2.92%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, ESGU or OILK?

Over the 5-year period, OILK has performed better with a 17.73% return vs 12.74%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, ESGU or OILK?

ESGU is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.68% for OILK.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, ESGU or OILK?

OILK has the higher dividend yield at 8.18%, compared with 0.92% for ESGU.

What is the main difference between ESGU and OILK?

ESGU is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while OILK is Oil & Gas. ESGU tracks MSCI USA Extended ESG Focus Index, while OILK tracks Bloomberg Commodity Balanced WTI Crude Oil Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and ProShares. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for ESGU and 0.68% for OILK.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

ESGU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.30 vs 2.06), 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.