FLKR vs. USO
FLKR (Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - FLKR is a Asia Pacific Equities fund tracking the FTSE South Korea RIC Capped Index, while USO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, FLKR returned 19.48%/yr vs 24.41%/yr for USO. At a 0.14 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. FLKR charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.
Performance
FLKR vs. USO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FLKR achieves a 114.41% return, which is significantly higher than USO's 103.67% return.
FLKR
- 1D
- -0.79%
- 1M
- 29.00%
- YTD
- 114.41%
- 6M
- 130.14%
- 1Y
- 238.40%
- 3Y*
- 51.14%
- 5Y*
- 19.48%
- 10Y*
- —
USO
- 1D
- 2.62%
- 1M
- -4.57%
- YTD
- 103.67%
- 6M
- 99.35%
- 1Y
- 101.55%
- 3Y*
- 29.98%
- 5Y*
- 24.41%
- 10Y*
- 4.07%
FLKR vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FLKR Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF | 114.41% | 91.91% | -18.84% | 19.16% | -27.50% | -7.54% | 42.64% | 8.88% | -21.30% | 2.84% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 103.67% | -8.46% | 13.35% | -4.94% | 28.97% | 64.68% | -67.79% | 32.61% | -19.57% | 4.34% |
Correlation
The correlation between FLKR and USO is -0.26, 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 | -0.26 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.03 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.07 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 7, 2017 | 0.14 |
The correlation between FLKR and USO shifts across timeframes, from -0.26 (1 year) to 0.14 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
FLKR vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank
FLKR
USO
FLKR vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF (FLKR) 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.
| FLKR | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 5.83 | 2.31 | +3.52 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 5.23 | 2.89 | +2.33 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.73 | 1.38 | +0.35 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 10.42 | 5.01 | +5.42 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 38.67 | 9.42 | +29.25 |
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
| FLKR | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 5.83 | 2.31 | +3.52 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.69 | 0.68 | +0.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.10 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.55 | -0.18 | +0.73 |
Drawdowns
FLKR vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FLKR drawdown since its inception was -50.06%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FLKR and USO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FLKR | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -50.06% | -98.19% | +48.13% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -23.03% | -20.39% | -2.64% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -26.39% | -26.05% | -0.34% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -49.51% | -36.23% | -13.28% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -86.75% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.77% | -85.01% | +83.24% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -22.07% | -75.30% | +53.23% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 6.20% | 10.82% | -4.62% |
Volatility
FLKR vs. USO - Volatility Comparison
Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF (FLKR) has a higher volatility of 20.21% compared to United States Oil Fund LP (USO) at 14.87%. This indicates that FLKR's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier 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
| FLKR | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 20.21% | 14.87% | +5.34% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 36.52% | 38.23% | -1.71% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 41.18% | 44.20% | -3.02% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 28.19% | 36.06% | -7.87% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 27.56% | 39.00% | -11.44% |
FLKR vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison
FLKR has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is lower than USO's 0.86% expense ratio.
Dividends
FLKR vs. USO - Dividend Comparison
FLKR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.80%, while USO has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FLKR Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF | 1.80% | 3.87% | 7.08% | 2.28% | 3.13% | 2.12% | 0.99% | 2.09% | 1.86% | 1.02% |
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
FLKR and USO have a correlation of -0.26, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FLKR has higher volatility (20.21%) compared to USO (14.87%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FLKR dropped -50.06% vs USO's -98.19%.
On 5-year performance, USO leads with 24.41% vs 19.48% for FLKR. On fees, FLKR is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, USO has been the lower-risk option at 14.87%. 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 24.41% return vs 19.48%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
FLKR is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.86% for USO.
FLKR has the higher dividend yield at 1.80%, compared with 0.00% for USO.
FLKR is categorized as Asia Pacific Equities, while USO is Oil & Gas. FLKR tracks FTSE South Korea RIC Capped Index, while USO tracks Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. They also come from different issuers: Franklin Templeton and USCF. Their fees differ too: 0.09% for FLKR and 0.86% for USO.
FLKR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (5.83 vs 2.31), 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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