ESGU vs. USOY
ESGU (iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF) and USOY (Defiance Oil Enhanced Options Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ESGU is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the MSCI USA Extended ESG Focus Index, while USOY is a Derivative Income fund actively managed by Defiance. ESGU is passively managed, while USOY is actively managed. Over the past year, ESGU returned 27.83% vs 57.29% for USOY. At a correlation of -0.08, they often move in opposite directions. ESGU charges 0.15%/yr vs 1.22%/yr for USOY.
Performance
ESGU vs. USOY - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ESGU achieves a 11.06% return, which is significantly lower than USOY's 62.18% return.
ESGU
- 1D
- -0.79%
- 1M
- 5.51%
- YTD
- 11.06%
- 6M
- 10.93%
- 1Y
- 27.83%
- 3Y*
- 22.00%
- 5Y*
- 12.74%
- 10Y*
- —
USOY
- 1D
- 1.45%
- 1M
- -3.43%
- YTD
- 62.18%
- 6M
- 59.35%
- 1Y
- 57.29%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
ESGU vs. USOY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
ESGU iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF | 11.06% | 16.90% | 13.41% |
USOY Defiance Oil Enhanced Options Income ETF | 62.18% | -7.93% | 7.27% |
Correlation
The correlation between ESGU and USOY 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 (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 13, 2024 | -0.08 |
Over the past year, the inverse relationship between ESGU and USOY has strengthened: their correlation has moved from -0.08 to -0.30, meaning they now move in opposite directions more often than their long-term average.
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Return for Risk
ESGU vs. USOY — Risk / Return Rank
ESGU
USOY
ESGU vs. USOY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF (ESGU) and Defiance Oil Enhanced Options Income ETF (USOY). 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 | USOY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.41 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.82 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.41 | 1.35 | +0.07 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.02 | 4.03 | -1.01 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 13.75 | 7.74 | +6.00 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| ESGU | USOY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.30 | 1.89 | +0.41 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.74 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.83 | 0.99 | -0.16 |
Drawdowns
ESGU vs. USOY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ESGU drawdown since its inception was -33.87%, which is greater than USOY's maximum drawdown of -17.46%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ESGU and USOY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ESGU | USOY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -33.87% | -17.46% | -16.41% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.26% | -14.29% | +5.03% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.32% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.15% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.79% | -5.11% | +4.32% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.89% | -6.47% | +1.58% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.03% | 7.42% | -5.39% |
Volatility
ESGU vs. USOY - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF (ESGU) is 2.92%, while Defiance Oil Enhanced Options Income ETF (USOY) has a volatility of 11.62%. This indicates that ESGU experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than USOY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ESGU | USOY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.92% | 11.62% | -8.70% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.20% | 27.18% | -17.98% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.16% | 30.44% | -18.28% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.32% | 26.13% | -8.81% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.60% | 26.13% | -7.53% |
ESGU vs. USOY - Expense Ratio Comparison
ESGU has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than USOY's 1.22% expense ratio.
Dividends
ESGU vs. USOY - Dividend Comparison
ESGU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.92%, less than USOY's 54.16% 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% |
USOY Defiance Oil Enhanced Options Income ETF | 54.16% | 104.32% | 48.60% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
ESGU and USOY 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.
USOY has higher volatility (11.62%) compared to ESGU (2.92%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ESGU dropped -33.87% vs USOY's -17.46%.
On 1-year performance, USOY leads with 57.29% vs 27.83% 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.
Over the 1-year period, USOY has performed better with a 57.29% return vs 27.83%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
ESGU is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 1.22% for USOY.
USOY has the higher dividend yield at 54.16%, compared with 0.92% for ESGU.
ESGU is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while USOY is Derivative Income. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Defiance. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for ESGU and 1.22% for USOY.
ESGU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.30 vs 1.89), 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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