ILDR vs. USO
ILDR (First Trust Innovation Leaders ETF) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - ILDR is a Technology Equities fund actively managed by First Trust, while USO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. ILDR is actively managed, while USO is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, ILDR returned 14.40%/yr vs 24.41%/yr for USO. At a 0.04 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. ILDR charges 0.75%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.
Performance
ILDR vs. USO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ILDR achieves a 21.58% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 103.67% return.
ILDR
- 1D
- -1.06%
- 1M
- 13.98%
- YTD
- 21.58%
- 6M
- 21.69%
- 1Y
- 47.41%
- 3Y*
- 31.44%
- 5Y*
- 14.40%
- 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%
ILDR vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ILDR First Trust Innovation Leaders ETF | 21.58% | 29.22% | 29.31% | 39.34% | -34.95% | 7.29% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 103.67% | -8.46% | 13.35% | -4.94% | 28.97% | 20.27% |
Correlation
The correlation between ILDR and USO is -0.25, 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 | -0.25 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.05 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.04 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 27, 2021 | 0.04 |
The correlation between ILDR and USO shifts across timeframes, from -0.25 (1 year) to 0.04 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
ILDR vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank
ILDR
USO
ILDR vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Innovation Leaders ETF (ILDR) 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.
| ILDR | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.05 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.04 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.37 | 1.38 | -0.02 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.69 | 5.01 | -2.32 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.00 | 9.42 | -0.41 |
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
| ILDR | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.26 | 2.31 | -0.05 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.56 | 0.68 | -0.13 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.10 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.56 | -0.18 | +0.74 |
Drawdowns
ILDR vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ILDR drawdown since its inception was -44.61%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ILDR and USO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ILDR | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -44.61% | -98.19% | +53.58% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -17.70% | -20.39% | +2.69% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -26.43% | -26.05% | -0.38% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -44.61% | -36.23% | -8.38% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -86.75% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.06% | -85.01% | +83.95% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -14.98% | -75.30% | +60.32% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.28% | 10.82% | -5.54% |
Volatility
ILDR vs. USO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for First Trust Innovation Leaders ETF (ILDR) is 6.23%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 14.87%. This indicates that ILDR 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.
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Volatility by Period
| ILDR | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.23% | 14.87% | -8.64% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.21% | 38.23% | -22.02% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.11% | 44.20% | -23.09% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 26.07% | 36.06% | -9.99% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 26.02% | 39.00% | -12.98% |
ILDR vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison
ILDR has a 0.75% expense ratio, which is lower than USO's 0.86% expense ratio.
Dividends
ILDR vs. USO - Dividend Comparison
Neither ILDR nor USO has paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ILDR First Trust Innovation Leaders ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.16% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
ILDR and USO have a correlation of -0.25, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
USO has higher volatility (14.87%) compared to ILDR (6.23%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ILDR dropped -44.61% vs USO's -98.19%.
On 5-year performance, USO leads with 24.41% vs 14.40% for ILDR. On fees, ILDR is cheaper at 0.75% per year. On volatility, ILDR has been the lower-risk option at 6.23%. 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 14.40%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
ILDR is cheaper with a 0.75% expense ratio, compared with 0.86% for USO.
ILDR and USO have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.
ILDR is categorized as Technology Equities, while USO is Oil & Gas. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and USCF. Their fees differ too: 0.75% for ILDR and 0.86% for USO.
USO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.31 vs 2.26), 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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