HSY vs. USO

Last updated Jun 13, 2026

HSY (The Hershey Company) is a stock, while USO (United States Oil Fund LP) is Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. Over the past 10 years, HSY returned 9.11%/yr vs 2.94%/yr for USO. At a 0.07 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

HSY vs. USO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in The Hershey Company (HSY) 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, HSY achieves a 1.25% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 81.36% return. Over the past 10 years, HSY has outperformed USO with an annualized return of 9.11%, while USO has yielded a comparatively lower 2.94% annualized return.

HSY

• 1D: 0.45%
• 1M: -3.82%
• YTD: 1.25%
• 6M: 1.34%
• 1Y: 10.63%
• 3Y*: -8.39%
• 5Y*: 3.29%
• 10Y*: 9.11%

USO

• 1D: -2.64%
• 1M: -12.29%
• YTD: 81.36%
• 6M: 82.28%
• 1Y: 56.36%
• 3Y*: 26.38%
• 5Y*: 21.14%
• 10Y*: 2.94%

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

HSY vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
HSY The Hershey Company	1.25%	10.98%	-6.51%	-17.88%	21.86%	29.58%	5.90%	40.20%	-2.92%	12.33%
USO United States Oil Fund LP	81.36%	-8.46%	13.35%	-4.94%	28.97%	64.68%	-67.79%	32.61%	-19.57%	2.47%

Correlation

The correlation between HSY and USO is -0.08, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.08
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	-0.07
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.03
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.01
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 10, 2006	0.07

The correlation between HSY and USO shifts across timeframes, from -0.08 (1 year) to 0.07 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

HSY vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank

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

HSY

HSY Risk / Return Rank: 50
HSY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 54
HSY Sortino Ratio Rank: 48
HSY Omega Ratio Rank: 46
HSY Calmar Ratio Rank: 51
HSY Martin Ratio Rank: 52

USO

USO Risk / Return Rank: 53
USO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 50
USO Sortino Ratio Rank: 49
USO Omega Ratio Rank: 50
USO Calmar Ratio Rank: 74
USO Martin Ratio Rank: 43

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.

HSY vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for The Hershey Company (HSY) 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	HSY	USO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.32	1.51	-1.19
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.66	2.15	-1.49
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.08	1.28	-0.20
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.35	3.31	-2.96
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	0.87	6.09	-5.21

HSY vs. USO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current HSY Sharpe Ratio is 0.32, which is lower than the USO Sharpe Ratio of 1.51. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of HSY 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.

Drawdowns

HSY vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum HSY drawdown since its inception was -49.15%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for HSY and USO.

Drawdown Indicators

	HSY	USO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-49.15%	-98.19%	+49.04%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-25.01%	-20.39%	-4.62%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-42.23%	-26.05%	-16.18%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-45.25%	-36.23%	-9.02%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-45.25%	-86.75%	+41.50%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-28.02%	-86.65%	+58.63%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-13.10%	-75.30%	+62.20%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	10.00%	11.06%	-1.06%

Volatility

HSY vs. USO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for The Hershey Company (HSY) is 9.48%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 13.27%. This indicates that HSY 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

	HSY	USO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	9.48%	13.27%	-3.79%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	20.08%	38.99%	-18.91%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	27.49%	44.64%	-17.15%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	22.77%	36.20%	-13.43%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	23.44%	39.03%	-15.59%

Dividends

HSY vs. USO - Dividend Comparison

HSY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.11%, while USO has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
HSY The Hershey Company	3.11%	3.01%	3.24%	2.39%	1.67%	1.76%	2.07%	2.03%	2.57%	2.24%	2.32%	2.50%
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%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both HSY and USO in my portfolio?

HSY and USO have a correlation of -0.08, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, HSY or USO?

USO has higher volatility (13.27%) compared to HSY (9.48%). In terms of maximum drawdown, HSY dropped -49.15% vs USO's -98.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

USO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.51 vs 0.32), 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.