PRNEX vs. USERX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

PRNEX (T. Rowe Price New Era Fund) and USERX (U.S. Global Investors Gold & Precious Metals Fund) are both mutual funds - PRNEX is a Energy Equities fund managed by T. Rowe Price, while USERX is a Precious Metals fund managed by US Global. Over the past 10 years, PRNEX returned 8.96%/yr vs 15.38%/yr for USERX. At a 0.37 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. PRNEX charges 0.56%/yr vs 1.52%/yr for USERX.

Performance

PRNEX vs. USERX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in T. Rowe Price New Era Fund (PRNEX) 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, PRNEX achieves a 23.27% return, which is significantly higher than USERX's 4.58% return. Over the past 10 years, PRNEX has underperformed USERX with an annualized return of 8.96%, while USERX has yielded a comparatively higher 15.38% annualized return.

PRNEX

• 1D: 1.86%
• 1M: -0.02%
• YTD: 23.27%
• 6M: 22.45%
• 1Y: 41.40%
• 3Y*: 17.07%
• 5Y*: 11.57%
• 10Y*: 8.96%

USERX

• 1D: 1.42%
• 1M: 4.23%
• YTD: 4.58%
• 6M: 12.99%
• 1Y: 75.95%
• 3Y*: 48.36%
• 5Y*: 18.56%
• 10Y*: 15.38%

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

PRNEX vs. USERX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PRNEX T. Rowe Price New Era Fund	23.27%	18.85%	4.41%	1.02%	7.14%	25.35%	-2.63%	16.91%	-16.23%	10.57%
USERX U.S. Global Investors Gold & Precious Metals Fund	4.58%	167.44%	16.75%	1.44%	-17.44%	-10.80%	37.16%	51.34%	-14.24%	13.07%

Correlation

The correlation between PRNEX and USERX is 0.44, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.44
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.45
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.49
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.37
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 3, 1980	0.37

The correlation between PRNEX and USERX shifts across timeframes, from 0.37 (all time) to 0.49 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

PRNEX vs. USERX — Risk / Return Rank

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

PRNEX

PRNEX Risk / Return Rank: 90
PRNEX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 90
PRNEX Sortino Ratio Rank: 84
PRNEX Omega Ratio Rank: 79
PRNEX Calmar Ratio Rank: 98
PRNEX Martin Ratio Rank: 97

USERX

USERX Risk / Return Rank: 32
USERX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 37
USERX Sortino Ratio Rank: 25
USERX Omega Ratio Rank: 32
USERX Calmar Ratio Rank: 41
USERX Martin Ratio Rank: 25

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.

PRNEX vs. USERX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for T. Rowe Price New Era Fund (PRNEX) 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.

	PRNEX	USERX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.97	1.77	+1.20
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.98	2.10	+1.88
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.52	1.30	+0.22
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	8.70	2.42	+6.27
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	26.94	6.24	+20.70
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PRNEX vs. USERX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PRNEX Sharpe Ratio is 2.97, which is higher than the USERX Sharpe Ratio of 1.77. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PRNEX 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.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	PRNEX	USERX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.97	1.77	+1.20
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.62	0.56	+0.06
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.44	0.45	-0.02
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.38	0.01	+0.37

Drawdowns

PRNEX vs. USERX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PRNEX drawdown since its inception was -66.56%, smaller than the maximum USERX drawdown of -97.74%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PRNEX and USERX.

Drawdown Indicators

	PRNEX	USERX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-66.56%	-97.74%	+31.18%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.90%	-32.20%	+27.30%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-20.19%	-32.20%	+12.01%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-21.50%	-43.45%	+21.95%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-49.64%	-43.45%	-6.19%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.89%	-42.81%	+41.92%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-16.30%	-75.03%	+58.73%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.58%	12.46%	-10.88%

Volatility

PRNEX vs. USERX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for T. Rowe Price New Era Fund (PRNEX) is 4.13%, while U.S. Global Investors Gold & Precious Metals Fund (USERX) has a volatility of 14.30%. This indicates that PRNEX 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

	PRNEX	USERX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.13%	14.30%	-10.17%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.44%	36.60%	-25.16%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.41%	44.33%	-29.92%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.67%	33.19%	-14.52%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	20.61%	33.96%	-13.35%

PRNEX vs. USERX - Expense Ratio Comparison

PRNEX has a 0.56% expense ratio, which is lower than USERX's 1.52% expense ratio.

Dividends

PRNEX vs. USERX - Dividend Comparison

PRNEX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.33%, more than USERX's 5.55% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PRNEX T. Rowe Price New Era Fund	7.33%	9.04%	4.81%	11.46%	4.47%	2.07%	2.54%	2.18%	1.69%	1.89%	1.28%	2.68%
USERX U.S. Global Investors Gold & Precious Metals Fund	5.55%	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 PRNEX and USERX in my portfolio?

PRNEX and USERX have a correlation of 0.44, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PRNEX or USERX?

USERX has higher volatility (14.30%) compared to PRNEX (4.13%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PRNEX dropped -66.56% vs USERX's -97.74%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PRNEX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.97 vs 1.77), 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.