LCTU vs. USO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

LCTU (BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - LCTU is a ESG fund actively managed by BlackRock, while USO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. LCTU is actively managed, while USO is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, LCTU returned 12.37%/yr vs 24.41%/yr for USO. At a 0.07 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. LCTU charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.

Performance

LCTU vs. USO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF (LCTU) 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, LCTU achieves a 9.04% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 103.67% return.

LCTU

• 1D: -0.74%
• 1M: 5.23%
• YTD: 9.04%
• 6M: 9.21%
• 1Y: 25.72%
• 3Y*: 21.17%
• 5Y*: 12.37%
• 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%

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

LCTU vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
LCTU BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF	9.04%	16.96%	24.00%	25.38%	-20.02%	17.49%
USO United States Oil Fund LP	103.67%	-8.46%	13.35%	-4.94%	28.97%	33.17%

Correlation

The correlation between LCTU and USO is -0.34, 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	-0.34
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	-0.08
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.07
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 9, 2021	0.07

The correlation between LCTU and USO shifts across timeframes, from -0.34 (1 year) to 0.07 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

LCTU vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank

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

LCTU

LCTU Risk / Return Rank: 61
LCTU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 62
LCTU Sortino Ratio Rank: 61
LCTU Omega Ratio Rank: 62
LCTU Calmar Ratio Rank: 55
LCTU Martin Ratio Rank: 67

USO

USO Risk / Return Rank: 66
USO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 69
USO Sortino Ratio Rank: 60
USO Omega Ratio Rank: 61
USO Calmar Ratio Rank: 87
USO Martin Ratio Rank: 54

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.

LCTU vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF (LCTU) 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.

	LCTU	USO	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.10	2.31	-0.21
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.89	2.89	0.00
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.38	1.38	-0.01
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.75	5.01	-2.25
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	12.25	9.42	+2.83
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

LCTU vs. USO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current LCTU Sharpe Ratio is 2.10, which is comparable to the USO Sharpe Ratio of 2.31. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of LCTU 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.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	LCTU	USO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.10	2.31	-0.21
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.72	0.68	+0.04
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.10	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.76	-0.18	+0.93

Drawdowns

LCTU vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum LCTU drawdown since its inception was -25.93%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LCTU and USO.

Drawdown Indicators

	LCTU	USO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-25.93%	-98.19%	+72.26%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.38%	-20.39%	+11.01%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.83%	-26.05%	+6.22%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-25.93%	-36.23%	+10.30%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-86.75%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.74%	-85.01%	+84.27%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.32%	-75.30%	+68.98%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.11%	10.82%	-8.71%

Volatility

LCTU vs. USO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF (LCTU) is 3.04%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 14.87%. This indicates that LCTU 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

	LCTU	USO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.04%	14.87%	-11.83%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.36%	38.23%	-28.87%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.30%	44.20%	-31.90%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.15%	36.06%	-18.91%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.02%	39.00%	-21.98%

LCTU vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison

LCTU has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than USO's 0.86% expense ratio.

Dividends

LCTU vs. USO - Dividend Comparison

LCTU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.93%, while USO has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
LCTU BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF	0.93%	1.02%	1.27%	1.46%	1.63%	2.20%
USO United States Oil Fund LP	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both LCTU and USO in my portfolio?

LCTU and USO have a correlation of -0.34, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, LCTU or USO?

USO has higher volatility (14.87%) compared to LCTU (3.04%). In terms of maximum drawdown, LCTU dropped -25.93% vs USO's -98.19%.

Which ETF is better, LCTU or USO?

On 5-year performance, USO leads with 24.41% vs 12.37% for LCTU. On fees, LCTU is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, LCTU has been the lower-risk option at 3.04%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, LCTU or USO?

Over the 5-year period, USO has performed better with a 24.41% return vs 12.37%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, LCTU or USO?

LCTU is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.86% for USO.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, LCTU or USO?

LCTU has the higher dividend yield at 0.93%, compared with 0.00% for USO.

What is the main difference between LCTU and USO?

LCTU is categorized as ESG, while USO is Oil & Gas. They also come from different issuers: BlackRock and USCF. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for LCTU and 0.86% for USO.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

USO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.31 vs 2.10), 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.