IQHI vs. USL

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

IQHI (IQ MacKay ESG High Income ETF) and USL (United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - IQHI is a High Yield Bonds fund actively managed by IndexIQ, while USL is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the 12 Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. IQHI is actively managed, while USL is passively managed. Over the past 3 years, IQHI returned 8.27%/yr vs 17.93%/yr for USL. At a 0.04 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IQHI charges 0.40%/yr vs 0.88%/yr for USL.

Performance

IQHI vs. USL - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in IQ MacKay ESG High Income ETF (IQHI) and United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP (USL). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IQHI achieves a 1.34% return, which is significantly lower than USL's 60.58% return.

IQHI

• 1D: -0.42%
• 1M: 0.02%
• YTD: 1.34%
• 6M: 1.86%
• 1Y: 6.75%
• 3Y*: 8.27%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

USL

• 1D: -1.53%
• 1M: -1.98%
• YTD: 60.58%
• 6M: 56.11%
• 1Y: 56.55%
• 3Y*: 17.93%
• 5Y*: 17.05%
• 10Y*: 10.57%

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

IQHI vs. USL - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
IQHI IQ MacKay ESG High Income ETF	1.34%	8.59%	6.98%	12.40%	2.78%
USL United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP	60.58%	-12.37%	8.30%	-1.11%	0.94%

Correlation

The correlation between IQHI and USL is -0.37, 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	-0.37
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	-0.04
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 26, 2022	0.04

The correlation between IQHI and USL shifts across timeframes, from -0.37 (1 year) to 0.04 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

IQHI vs. USL - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	IQHI	USL
Basic Materials	-	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Industrials	-	-
Real Estate	-	-
Technology	-	-
Utilities	-	-
Financial Services	-0.0%	4.5%

Return for Risk

IQHI vs. USL — Risk / Return Rank

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

IQHI

IQHI Risk / Return Rank: 58
IQHI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 54
IQHI Sortino Ratio Rank: 58
IQHI Omega Ratio Rank: 59
IQHI Calmar Ratio Rank: 56
IQHI Martin Ratio Rank: 65

USL

USL Risk / Return Rank: 56
USL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 60
USL Sortino Ratio Rank: 53
USL Omega Ratio Rank: 54
USL Calmar Ratio Rank: 69
USL 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.

IQHI vs. USL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for IQ MacKay ESG High Income ETF (IQHI) and United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP (USL). 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.

	IQHI	USL	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.82	1.99	-0.17
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.71	2.53	+0.18
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.35	1.33	+0.02
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.76	3.39	-0.63
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	11.81	6.85	+4.96
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IQHI vs. USL - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IQHI Sharpe Ratio is 1.82, which is comparable to the USL Sharpe Ratio of 1.99. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IQHI and USL, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	IQHI	USL	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.82	1.99	-0.17
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.57	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.33	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.83	0.01	+1.82

Drawdowns

IQHI vs. USL - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IQHI drawdown since its inception was -4.19%, smaller than the maximum USL drawdown of -89.06%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IQHI and USL.

Drawdown Indicators

	IQHI	USL	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-4.19%	-89.06%	+84.87%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.46%	-16.76%	+14.30%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-3.97%	-23.33%	+19.36%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-33.82%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-66.02%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.62%	-39.10%	+38.48%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.62%	-61.45%	+60.83%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.57%	8.27%	-7.70%

Volatility

IQHI vs. USL - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for IQ MacKay ESG High Income ETF (IQHI) is 1.78%, while United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP (USL) has a volatility of 10.57%. This indicates that IQHI experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than USL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IQHI	USL	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.78%	10.57%	-8.79%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	3.08%	23.34%	-20.26%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.73%	28.59%	-24.86%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	4.89%	30.09%	-25.20%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	4.89%	32.34%	-27.45%

IQHI vs. USL - Expense Ratio Comparison

IQHI has a 0.40% expense ratio, which is lower than USL's 0.88% expense ratio.

Dividends

IQHI vs. USL - Dividend Comparison

IQHI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.61%, while USL has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022
IQHI IQ MacKay ESG High Income ETF	7.61%	7.88%	8.83%	6.92%	1.29%
USL United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IQHI and USL in my portfolio?

IQHI and USL have a correlation of -0.37, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, IQHI or USL?

USL has higher volatility (10.57%) compared to IQHI (1.78%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IQHI dropped -4.19% vs USL's -89.06%.

Which ETF is better, IQHI or USL?

On 3-year performance, USL leads with 17.93% vs 8.27% for IQHI. On fees, IQHI is cheaper at 0.40% per year. On volatility, IQHI has been the lower-risk option at 1.78%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, IQHI or USL?

Over the 3-year period, USL has performed better with a 17.93% return vs 8.27%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, IQHI or USL?

IQHI is cheaper with a 0.40% expense ratio, compared with 0.88% for USL.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, IQHI or USL?

IQHI has the higher dividend yield at 7.61%, compared with 0.00% for USL.

What is the main difference between IQHI and USL?

IQHI is categorized as High Yield Bonds, while USL is Oil & Gas. They also come from different issuers: IndexIQ and Concierge Technologies. Their fees differ too: 0.40% for IQHI and 0.88% for USL.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

USL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.99 vs 1.82), 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.