OVLH vs. USO

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

OVLH (Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - OVLH is a Equity Hedged fund actively managed by Liquid Strategies, while USO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. OVLH is actively managed, while USO is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, OVLH returned 10.03%/yr vs 23.92%/yr for USO. At a 0.06 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. OVLH charges 0.80%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.

Performance

OVLH vs. USO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF (OVLH) 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, OVLH achieves a 7.87% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 98.48% return.

OVLH

• 1D: 0.14%
• 1M: 4.10%
• YTD: 7.87%
• 6M: 7.79%
• 1Y: 19.78%
• 3Y*: 17.03%
• 5Y*: 10.03%
• 10Y*: —

USO

• 1D: 1.31%
• 1M: -3.87%
• YTD: 98.48%
• 6M: 95.54%
• 1Y: 97.37%
• 3Y*: 28.86%
• 5Y*: 23.92%
• 10Y*: 3.80%

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

OVLH vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
OVLH Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF	7.87%	15.77%	18.44%	16.93%	-16.16%	20.91%
USO United States Oil Fund LP	98.48%	-8.46%	13.35%	-4.94%	28.97%	53.82%

Correlation

The correlation between OVLH and USO 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	-0.07
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.06
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 19, 2021	0.06

The correlation between OVLH and USO shifts across timeframes, from -0.29 (1 year) to 0.06 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

OVLH vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank

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

OVLH

OVLH Risk / Return Rank: 69
OVLH Sharpe Ratio Rank: 70
OVLH Sortino Ratio Rank: 73
OVLH Omega Ratio Rank: 70
OVLH Calmar Ratio Rank: 62
OVLH Martin Ratio Rank: 69

USO

USO Risk / Return Rank: 66
USO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 66
USO Sortino Ratio Rank: 59
USO Omega Ratio Rank: 61
USO Calmar Ratio Rank: 88
USO Martin Ratio Rank: 55

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.

OVLH vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF (OVLH) 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.

	OVLH	USO	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.36	2.22	+0.14
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.38	2.81	+0.56
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.42	1.37	+0.05
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.14	5.12	-1.98
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	12.94	9.66	+3.28
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

OVLH vs. USO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current OVLH Sharpe Ratio is 2.36, which is comparable to the USO Sharpe Ratio of 2.22. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of OVLH 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

	OVLH	USO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.36	2.22	+0.14
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.86	0.67	+0.19
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.10	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.94	-0.18	+1.12

Drawdowns

OVLH vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum OVLH drawdown since its inception was -20.69%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for OVLH and USO.

Drawdown Indicators

	OVLH	USO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-20.69%	-98.19%	+77.50%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.36%	-20.39%	+14.03%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-9.57%	-26.05%	+16.48%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-20.69%	-36.23%	+15.54%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-86.75%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-85.39%	+85.39%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.03%	-75.30%	+70.27%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.54%	10.81%	-9.27%

Volatility

OVLH vs. USO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF (OVLH) is 2.18%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 15.03%. This indicates that OVLH 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

	OVLH	USO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.18%	15.03%	-12.85%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	6.20%	38.18%	-31.98%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	8.43%	44.26%	-35.83%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	11.71%	36.04%	-24.33%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	11.79%	39.00%	-27.21%

OVLH vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison

OVLH has a 0.80% expense ratio, which is lower than USO's 0.86% expense ratio.

Dividends

OVLH vs. USO - Dividend Comparison

OVLH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.28%, while USO has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
OVLH Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF	0.28%	0.30%	0.32%	0.83%	0.79%	0.40%
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 OVLH and USO in my portfolio?

OVLH and USO 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, OVLH or USO?

USO has higher volatility (15.03%) compared to OVLH (2.18%). In terms of maximum drawdown, OVLH dropped -20.69% vs USO's -98.19%.

Which ETF is better, OVLH or USO?

On 5-year performance, USO leads with 23.92% vs 10.03% for OVLH. On fees, OVLH is cheaper at 0.80% per year. On volatility, OVLH has been the lower-risk option at 2.18%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, OVLH or USO?

Over the 5-year period, USO has performed better with a 23.92% return vs 10.03%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, OVLH or USO?

OVLH is cheaper with a 0.80% expense ratio, compared with 0.86% for USO.

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

OVLH has the higher dividend yield at 0.28%, compared with 0.00% for USO.

What is the main difference between OVLH and USO?

OVLH is categorized as Equity Hedged, while USO is Oil & Gas. They also come from different issuers: Liquid Strategies and USCF. Their fees differ too: 0.80% for OVLH and 0.86% for USO.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

OVLH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.36 vs 2.22), 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.