GEM vs. USOY
GEM (Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF) and USOY (Defiance Oil Enhanced Options Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - GEM is a Emerging Markets Equities fund tracking the Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity Index, while USOY is a Derivative Income fund actively managed by Defiance. GEM is passively managed, while USOY is actively managed. Over the past year, GEM returned 54.83% vs 57.29% for USOY. At a correlation of -0.04, they often move in opposite directions. GEM charges 0.45%/yr vs 1.22%/yr for USOY.
Performance
GEM vs. USOY - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GEM achieves a 27.56% return, which is significantly lower than USOY's 62.18% return.
GEM
- 1D
- -1.04%
- 1M
- 9.44%
- YTD
- 27.56%
- 6M
- 30.41%
- 1Y
- 54.83%
- 3Y*
- 23.85%
- 5Y*
- 7.91%
- 10Y*
- 10.00%
USOY
- 1D
- 1.45%
- 1M
- -3.43%
- YTD
- 62.18%
- 6M
- 59.35%
- 1Y
- 57.29%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
GEM vs. USOY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
GEM Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF | 27.56% | 33.43% | 1.07% |
USOY Defiance Oil Enhanced Options Income ETF | 62.18% | -7.93% | 7.27% |
Correlation
The correlation between GEM and USOY is -0.31, 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 | -0.31 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 13, 2024 | -0.04 |
Over the past year, the inverse relationship between GEM and USOY has strengthened: their correlation has moved from -0.04 to -0.31, meaning they now move in opposite directions more often than their long-term average.
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Return for Risk
GEM vs. USOY — Risk / Return Rank
GEM
USOY
GEM vs. USOY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF (GEM) 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.
| GEM | USOY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.93 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.38 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.51 | 1.35 | +0.16 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.08 | 4.03 | +0.05 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 15.81 | 7.74 | +8.07 |
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
| GEM | USOY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.82 | 1.89 | +0.93 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.45 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.53 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.53 | 0.99 | -0.46 |
Drawdowns
GEM vs. USOY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GEM drawdown since its inception was -37.02%, which is greater than USOY's maximum drawdown of -17.46%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GEM and USOY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GEM | USOY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -37.02% | -17.46% | -19.56% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.50% | -14.29% | +0.79% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -16.54% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -35.43% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -37.02% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.04% | -5.11% | +4.07% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -12.01% | -6.47% | -5.54% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.48% | 7.42% | -3.94% |
Volatility
GEM vs. USOY - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF (GEM) is 8.60%, while Defiance Oil Enhanced Options Income ETF (USOY) has a volatility of 11.62%. This indicates that GEM 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
| GEM | USOY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.60% | 11.62% | -3.02% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.96% | 27.18% | -10.22% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 19.51% | 30.44% | -10.93% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.70% | 26.13% | -8.43% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.03% | 26.13% | -7.10% |
GEM vs. USOY - Expense Ratio Comparison
GEM has a 0.45% expense ratio, which is lower than USOY's 1.22% expense ratio.
Dividends
GEM vs. USOY - Dividend Comparison
GEM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.80%, less than USOY's 54.16% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GEM Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta Emerging Markets Equity ETF | 1.80% | 2.30% | 2.58% | 2.97% | 2.96% | 3.00% | 1.63% | 3.13% | 2.08% | 1.81% | 1.98% | 0.25% |
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% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
GEM and USOY have a correlation of -0.31, 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 GEM (8.60%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GEM dropped -37.02% vs USOY's -17.46%.
On 1-year performance, USOY leads with 57.29% vs 54.83% for GEM. On fees, GEM is cheaper at 0.45% per year. On volatility, GEM has been the lower-risk option at 8.60%. 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 54.83%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
GEM is cheaper with a 0.45% expense ratio, compared with 1.22% for USOY.
USOY has the higher dividend yield at 54.16%, compared with 1.80% for GEM.
GEM is categorized as Emerging Markets Equities, while USOY is Derivative Income. They also come from different issuers: Goldman Sachs and Defiance. Their fees differ too: 0.45% for GEM and 1.22% for USOY.
GEM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.82 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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