IQM vs. USO
IQM (Franklin Intelligent Machines ETF) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - IQM is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund actively managed by Franklin Templeton, while USO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. IQM is actively managed, while USO is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, IQM returned 22.22%/yr vs 24.41%/yr for USO. At a 0.08 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IQM charges 0.50%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.
Performance
IQM vs. USO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IQM achieves a 40.18% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 103.67% return.
IQM
- 1D
- -0.37%
- 1M
- 11.94%
- YTD
- 40.18%
- 6M
- 38.57%
- 1Y
- 75.07%
- 3Y*
- 37.62%
- 5Y*
- 22.22%
- 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%
IQM vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IQM Franklin Intelligent Machines ETF | 40.18% | 30.76% | 31.03% | 41.06% | -33.36% | 25.18% | 78.48% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 103.67% | -8.46% | 13.35% | -4.94% | 28.97% | 64.68% | -57.81% |
Correlation
The correlation between IQM and USO is -0.21, 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 | -0.21 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.04 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.05 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 28, 2020 | 0.08 |
The correlation between IQM and USO shifts across timeframes, from -0.21 (1 year) to 0.08 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
IQM vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank
IQM
USO
IQM vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Franklin Intelligent Machines ETF (IQM) 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.
| IQM | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.36 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.21 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.43 | 1.38 | +0.04 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 5.13 | 5.01 | +0.12 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 16.79 | 9.42 | +7.37 |
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
| IQM | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.67 | 2.31 | +0.36 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.77 | 0.68 | +0.09 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.10 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.96 | -0.18 | +1.14 |
Drawdowns
IQM vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IQM drawdown since its inception was -44.91%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IQM and USO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IQM | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -44.91% | -98.19% | +53.28% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.71% | -20.39% | +5.68% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -30.42% | -26.05% | -4.37% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -44.91% | -36.23% | -8.68% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -86.75% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.37% | -85.01% | +84.64% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -12.25% | -75.30% | +63.05% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.49% | 10.82% | -6.33% |
Volatility
IQM vs. USO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Franklin Intelligent Machines ETF (IQM) is 9.20%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 14.87%. This indicates that IQM 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
| IQM | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.20% | 14.87% | -5.67% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 22.92% | 38.23% | -15.31% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 28.27% | 44.20% | -15.93% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 28.91% | 36.06% | -7.15% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 30.72% | 39.00% | -8.28% |
IQM vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison
IQM has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is lower than USO's 0.86% expense ratio.
Dividends
IQM vs. USO - Dividend Comparison
Neither IQM nor USO has paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IQM Franklin Intelligent Machines ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.17% | 0.01% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IQM and USO have a correlation of -0.21, 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 IQM (9.20%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IQM dropped -44.91% vs USO's -98.19%.
On 5-year performance, USO leads with 24.41% vs 22.22% for IQM. On fees, IQM is cheaper at 0.50% per year. On volatility, IQM has been the lower-risk option at 9.20%. 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 22.22%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IQM is cheaper with a 0.50% expense ratio, compared with 0.86% for USO.
IQM and USO have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.
IQM is categorized as Large Cap Growth Equities, while USO is Oil & Gas. They also come from different issuers: Franklin Templeton and USCF. Their fees differ too: 0.50% for IQM and 0.86% for USO.
IQM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.67 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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