NEARX vs. USERX

Last updated Jun 24, 2026

NEARX (U.S. Global Investors Near-Term Tax Free Fund) and USERX (U.S. Global Investors Gold & Precious Metals Fund) are both mutual funds - NEARX is a Municipal Bonds fund managed by US Global, while USERX is a Gold fund managed by US Global. Over the past 10 years, NEARX returned 1.06%/yr vs 13.56%/yr for USERX. At a 0.01 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. NEARX charges 0.45%/yr vs 1.52%/yr for USERX.

Performance

NEARX vs. USERX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in U.S. Global Investors Near-Term Tax Free Fund (NEARX) and U.S. Global Investors Gold & Precious Metals Fund (USERX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NEARX achieves a 1.04% return, which is significantly higher than USERX's -3.81% return. Over the past 10 years, NEARX has underperformed USERX with an annualized return of 1.06%, while USERX has yielded a comparatively higher 13.56% annualized return.

NEARX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 1.18%
• YTD: 1.04%
• 6M: 1.27%
• 1Y: 3.01%
• 3Y*: 2.98%
• 5Y*: 0.85%
• 10Y*: 1.06%

USERX

• 1D: -0.36%
• 1M: -3.43%
• YTD: -3.81%
• 6M: -7.68%
• 1Y: 64.56%
• 3Y*: 46.28%
• 5Y*: 17.80%
• 10Y*: 13.56%

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

NEARX vs. USERX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
NEARX U.S. Global Investors Near-Term Tax Free Fund	1.04%	3.47%	2.19%	3.04%	-5.25%	-0.46%	2.94%	2.40%	1.58%	1.48%
USERX U.S. Global Investors Gold & Precious Metals Fund	-3.81%	167.44%	16.75%	1.44%	-17.44%	-10.80%	37.16%	51.34%	-14.24%	13.07%

Correlation

The correlation between NEARX and USERX is 0.08, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.08
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.04
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.07
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.06
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 30, 1990	0.01

Return for Risk

NEARX vs. USERX — Risk / Return Rank

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

NEARX

NEARX Risk / Return Rank: 37
NEARX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 20
NEARX Sortino Ratio Rank: 24
NEARX Omega Ratio Rank: 82
NEARX Calmar Ratio Rank: 34
NEARX Martin Ratio Rank: 24

USERX

USERX Risk / Return Rank: 25
USERX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 29
USERX Sortino Ratio Rank: 22
USERX Omega Ratio Rank: 28
USERX Calmar Ratio Rank: 27
USERX Martin Ratio Rank: 20

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.

NEARX vs. USERX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for U.S. Global Investors Near-Term Tax Free Fund (NEARX) and U.S. Global Investors Gold & Precious Metals Fund (USERX). 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.

	NEARX	USERX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.19	1.43	-0.24
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.87	1.82	+0.05
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.50	1.26	+0.24
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.08	1.80	+0.28
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	5.39	4.67	+0.71

NEARX vs. USERX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NEARX Sharpe Ratio is 1.19, which is comparable to the USERX Sharpe Ratio of 1.43. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NEARX and USERX, 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

NEARX vs. USERX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NEARX drawdown since its inception was -80.12%, smaller than the maximum USERX drawdown of -97.74%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NEARX and USERX.

Drawdown Indicators

	NEARX	USERX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-80.12%	-97.74%	+17.62%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-1.45%	-36.89%	+35.44%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-1.45%	-36.89%	+35.44%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-6.91%	-40.91%	+34.00%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-6.91%	-43.45%	+36.54%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.29%	-47.40%	+47.11%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-20.80%	-75.01%	+54.21%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.56%	14.17%	-13.61%

Volatility

NEARX vs. USERX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for U.S. Global Investors Near-Term Tax Free Fund (NEARX) is 0.68%, while U.S. Global Investors Gold & Precious Metals Fund (USERX) has a volatility of 16.96%. This indicates that NEARX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than USERX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NEARX	USERX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.68%	16.96%	-16.28%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.79%	39.30%	-37.51%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.55%	46.49%	-43.94%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	2.50%	33.75%	-31.25%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	2.55%	34.21%	-31.66%

NEARX vs. USERX - Expense Ratio Comparison

NEARX has a 0.45% expense ratio, which is lower than USERX's 1.52% expense ratio.

Dividends

NEARX vs. USERX - Dividend Comparison

NEARX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.49%, less than USERX's 6.03% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
NEARX U.S. Global Investors Near-Term Tax Free Fund	2.49%	2.45%	2.65%	2.50%	1.10%	0.88%	1.10%	1.46%	2.01%	1.47%	1.36%	1.83%
USERX U.S. Global Investors Gold & Precious Metals Fund	6.03%	2.95%	1.48%	0.00%	0.00%	2.13%	2.68%	0.00%	1.76%	0.00%	0.88%	0.47%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NEARX and USERX in my portfolio?

NEARX and USERX have a correlation of 0.08, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, NEARX or USERX?

USERX has higher volatility (16.96%) compared to NEARX (0.68%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NEARX dropped -80.12% vs USERX's -97.74%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

USERX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.43 vs 1.19), 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.