ITAN vs. USL

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

ITAN (Sparkline Intangible Value ETF) and USL (United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - ITAN is a Large Cap Value Equities fund actively managed by Sparkline Capital, while USL is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the 12 Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. ITAN is actively managed, while USL is passively managed. Over the past 3 years, ITAN returned 23.37%/yr vs 18.42%/yr for USL. At a 0.09 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. ITAN charges 0.50%/yr vs 0.88%/yr for USL.

Performance

ITAN vs. USL - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Sparkline Intangible Value ETF (ITAN) 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, ITAN achieves a 14.61% return, which is significantly lower than USL's 63.07% return.

ITAN

• 1D: -1.15%
• 1M: 7.43%
• YTD: 14.61%
• 6M: 16.38%
• 1Y: 38.08%
• 3Y*: 23.37%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

USL

• 1D: 1.55%
• 1M: -1.61%
• YTD: 63.07%
• 6M: 59.66%
• 1Y: 57.86%
• 3Y*: 18.42%
• 5Y*: 17.41%
• 10Y*: 10.91%

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

ITAN vs. USL - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
ITAN Sparkline Intangible Value ETF	14.61%	20.46%	17.76%	34.58%	-24.33%	6.97%
USL United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP	63.07%	-12.37%	8.30%	-1.11%	27.10%	8.97%

Correlation

The correlation between ITAN and USL is -0.29, 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	-0.29
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	-0.05
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 30, 2021	0.09

The correlation between ITAN and USL shifts across timeframes, from -0.29 (1 year) to 0.09 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

ITAN vs. USL - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	ITAN	USL
Technology	30.5%	-
Communication Services	16.4%	-
Healthcare	14.8%	-
Industrials	13.8%	-
Consumer Cyclical	13.6%	-
Financial Services	4.6%	4.5%
Consumer Defensive	3.3%	-
Basic Materials	1.6%	-
Energy	0.9%	-
Real Estate	0.4%	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

ITAN vs. USL — Risk / Return Rank

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

ITAN

ITAN Risk / Return Rank: 80
ITAN Sharpe Ratio Rank: 81
ITAN Sortino Ratio Rank: 80
ITAN Omega Ratio Rank: 75
ITAN Calmar Ratio Rank: 81
ITAN Martin Ratio Rank: 82

USL

USL Risk / Return Rank: 56
USL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 59
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.

ITAN vs. USL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Sparkline Intangible Value ETF (ITAN) 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.

	ITAN	USL	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.67	2.04	+0.63
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.62	2.58	+1.04
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.45	1.34	+0.11
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.24	3.47	+0.77
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	16.36	7.02	+9.34
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ITAN vs. USL - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ITAN Sharpe Ratio is 2.67, which is higher than the USL Sharpe Ratio of 2.04. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ITAN 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

	ITAN	USL	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.67	2.04	+0.63
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.58	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.34	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.65	0.01	+0.64

Drawdowns

ITAN vs. USL - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ITAN drawdown since its inception was -30.41%, smaller than the maximum USL drawdown of -89.06%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ITAN and USL.

Drawdown Indicators

	ITAN	USL	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-30.41%	-89.06%	+58.65%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.03%	-16.76%	+7.73%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-20.47%	-23.33%	+2.86%
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	-1.56%	-38.16%	+36.60%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.62%	-61.46%	+53.84%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.33%	8.27%	-5.94%

Volatility

ITAN vs. USL - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Sparkline Intangible Value ETF (ITAN) is 4.02%, while United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP (USL) has a volatility of 10.53%. This indicates that ITAN 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

	ITAN	USL	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.02%	10.53%	-6.51%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.42%	23.33%	-12.91%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.36%	28.54%	-14.18%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	19.05%	30.08%	-11.03%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.05%	32.35%	-13.30%

ITAN vs. USL - Expense Ratio Comparison

ITAN has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is lower than USL's 0.88% expense ratio.

Dividends

ITAN vs. USL - Dividend Comparison

ITAN's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.00%, while USL has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
ITAN Sparkline Intangible Value ETF	1.00%	0.94%	1.14%	1.01%	0.57%	0.45%
USL United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ITAN and USL in my portfolio?

ITAN and USL have a correlation of -0.29, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ITAN or USL?

USL has higher volatility (10.53%) compared to ITAN (4.02%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ITAN dropped -30.41% vs USL's -89.06%.

Which ETF is better, ITAN or USL?

On 3-year performance, ITAN leads with 23.37% vs 18.42% for USL. On fees, ITAN is cheaper at 0.50% per year. On volatility, ITAN has been the lower-risk option at 4.02%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, ITAN or USL?

Over the 3-year period, ITAN has performed better with a 23.37% return vs 18.42%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, ITAN or USL?

ITAN is cheaper with a 0.50% expense ratio, compared with 0.88% for USL.

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

ITAN has the higher dividend yield at 1.00%, compared with 0.00% for USL.

What is the main difference between ITAN and USL?

ITAN is categorized as Large Cap Value Equities, while USL is Oil & Gas. They also come from different issuers: Sparkline Capital and Concierge Technologies. Their fees differ too: 0.50% for ITAN and 0.88% for USL.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

ITAN currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.67 vs 2.04), 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.