LDDR vs. USO

Last updated Aug 4, 2026

LDDR (LifeX 2035 Income Bucket ETF) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - LDDR is a Target Retirement Date fund actively managed by Stone Ridge, while USO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. LDDR is actively managed, while USO is passively managed. Over the past year, LDDR returned 1.42% vs 57.66% for USO. Their -0.34 correlation means they have often moved in opposite directions in the past. LDDR charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.

Performance

LDDR vs. USO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in LifeX 2035 Income Bucket ETF (LDDR) 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, LDDR achieves a -0.40% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 76.58% return.

LDDR

• 1D: 0.12%
• 1M: -0.55%
• 6M: -0.28%
• YTD: -0.40%
• 1Y: 1.42%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 3.97%

USO

• 1D: -5.46%
• 1M: 17.45%
• 6M: 62.11%
• YTD: 76.58%
• 1Y: 57.66%
• 3Y*: 18.29%
• 5Y*: 20.94%
• 10Y*: 4.47%
• ALL TIME*: -7.11%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
LDDR LifeX 2035 Income Bucket ETF	$32.58K	$36.70K	$75.17K
USO United States Oil Fund LP	$981.29M	$906.75M	$905.81M

LDDR vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
LDDR LifeX 2035 Income Bucket ETF	-0.40%	6.74%
USO United States Oil Fund LP	76.58%	-11.24%

Correlation

The correlation between LDDR and USO is -0.42, meaning they have often moved in opposite directions in the past. This relationship can weaken or reverse as market conditions change.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	-0.42
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 6, 2025	-0.34

Return for Risk

LDDR vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

LDDR

LDDR Risk / Return Rank: 19
LDDR Sharpe Ratio Rank: 21
LDDR Sortino Ratio Rank: 19
LDDR Omega Ratio Rank: 18
LDDR Calmar Ratio Rank: 20
LDDR Martin Ratio Rank: 20

USO

USO Risk / Return Rank: 49
USO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 49
USO Sortino Ratio Rank: 52
USO Omega Ratio Rank: 50
USO Calmar Ratio Rank: 49
USO Martin Ratio Rank: 46

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

LDDR vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for LifeX 2035 Income Bucket ETF (LDDR) 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	LDDR	USO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.48	1.23	-0.75
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.70	1.87	-1.17
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.08	1.23	-0.15
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.57	1.78	-1.21
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.33	5.23	-3.91

LDDR vs. USO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current LDDR Sharpe Ratio is 0.48, which is lower than the USO Sharpe Ratio of 1.23. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of LDDR 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.

Drawdowns

LDDR vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum LDDR drawdown since its inception was -2.50%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LDDR and USO.

Drawdown Indicators

	LDDR	USO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-2.50%	-98.19%	+95.69%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.50%	-32.49%	+29.99%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-32.49%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-36.23%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-86.75%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.93%	-87.01%	+85.08%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.78%	-75.38%	+74.60%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.07%	11.24%	-10.17%

Volatility

LDDR vs. USO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for LifeX 2035 Income Bucket ETF (LDDR) is 0.77%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 18.95%. This indicates that LDDR 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

	LDDR	USO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.77%	18.95%	-18.18%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.37%	43.21%	-40.84%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.99%	47.21%	-44.22%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	3.93%	37.13%	-33.20%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	3.93%	39.32%	-35.39%

LDDR vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison

LDDR has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is lower than USO's 0.86% expense ratio.

Dividends

LDDR vs. USO - Dividend Comparison

LDDR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 12.83%, while USO has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025
LDDR LifeX 2035 Income Bucket ETF	12.83%	14.63%
USO United States Oil Fund LP	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both LDDR and USO in my portfolio?

LDDR and USO have a correlation of -0.42, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, LDDR or USO?

USO has higher volatility (18.95%) compared to LDDR (0.77%). In terms of maximum drawdown, LDDR dropped -2.50% vs USO's -98.19%.

Which ETF is better, LDDR or USO?

On 1-year performance, USO leads with 57.66% vs 1.42% for LDDR. On fees, LDDR is cheaper at 0.25% per year. On volatility, LDDR has been the lower-risk option at 0.77%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, LDDR or USO?

Over the 1-year period, USO has performed better with a 57.66% return vs 1.42%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, LDDR or USO?

LDDR is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 0.86% for USO.

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

LDDR has the higher dividend yield at 12.83%, compared with 0.00% for USO.

What is the main difference between LDDR and USO?

LDDR is categorized as Target Retirement Date, while USO is Oil & Gas. They also come from different issuers: Stone Ridge and USCF. Their fees differ too: 0.25% for LDDR and 0.86% for USO.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

USO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.23 vs 0.48), 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.