PSEC vs. USO

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

PSEC (Prospect Capital Corporation) is a stock, while USO (United States Oil Fund LP) is Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. Over the past 10 years, PSEC returned -0.02%/yr vs 3.57%/yr for USO. At a 0.21 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

PSEC vs. USO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Prospect Capital Corporation (PSEC) 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, PSEC achieves a -4.53% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 97.72% return. Over the past 10 years, PSEC has underperformed USO with an annualized return of -0.02%, while USO has yielded a comparatively higher 3.57% annualized return.

PSEC

• 1D: 0.88%
• 1M: -15.82%
• YTD: -4.53%
• 6M: -5.70%
• 1Y: -14.39%
• 3Y*: -17.17%
• 5Y*: -13.49%
• 10Y*: -0.02%

USO

• 1D: -2.92%
• 1M: -5.15%
• YTD: 97.72%
• 6M: 91.54%
• 1Y: 97.20%
• 3Y*: 28.78%
• 5Y*: 23.67%
• 10Y*: 3.57%

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

PSEC vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PSEC Prospect Capital Corporation	-4.53%	-28.86%	-18.16%	-4.13%	-8.61%	70.00%	-3.54%	13.83%	4.09%	-9.44%
USO United States Oil Fund LP	97.72%	-8.46%	13.35%	-4.94%	28.97%	64.68%	-67.79%	32.61%	-19.57%	2.47%

Correlation

The correlation between PSEC and USO is -0.09, 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	-0.09
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.02
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.12
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.15
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 11, 2006	0.21

The correlation between PSEC and USO shifts across timeframes, from -0.09 (1 year) to 0.21 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

PSEC vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank

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

PSEC

PSEC Risk / Return Rank: 22
PSEC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 23
PSEC Sortino Ratio Rank: 22
PSEC Omega Ratio Rank: 22
PSEC Calmar Ratio Rank: 23
PSEC Martin Ratio Rank: 22

USO

USO Risk / Return Rank: 66
USO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 68
USO Sortino Ratio Rank: 61
USO Omega Ratio Rank: 62
USO Calmar Ratio Rank: 86
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.

PSEC vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Prospect Capital Corporation (PSEC) 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.

	PSEC	USO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.43	2.21	-2.63
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-0.42	2.80	-3.22
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.95	1.37	-0.42
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.53	4.79	-5.33
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.99	9.00	-9.98
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PSEC vs. USO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PSEC Sharpe Ratio is -0.43, which is lower than the USO Sharpe Ratio of 2.21. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PSEC 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

	PSEC	USO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.43	2.21	-2.63
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.48	0.66	-1.14
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	-0.00	0.09	-0.09
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.08	-0.18	+0.26

Drawdowns

PSEC vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PSEC drawdown since its inception was -61.51%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PSEC and USO.

Drawdown Indicators

	PSEC	USO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-61.51%	-98.19%	+36.68%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-27.04%	-20.39%	-6.65%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-50.64%	-26.05%	-24.59%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-57.21%	-36.23%	-20.98%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-57.21%	-86.75%	+29.54%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-53.93%	-85.45%	+31.52%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-15.61%	-75.30%	+59.69%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	14.64%	10.84%	+3.80%

Volatility

PSEC vs. USO - Volatility Comparison

Prospect Capital Corporation (PSEC) and United States Oil Fund LP (USO) have volatilities of 15.52% and 14.97%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PSEC	USO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	15.52%	14.97%	+0.55%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	27.33%	38.35%	-11.02%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	33.80%	44.32%	-10.52%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	28.07%	36.09%	-8.02%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	27.36%	39.00%	-11.64%

Dividends

PSEC vs. USO - Dividend Comparison

PSEC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 23.25%, while USO has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PSEC Prospect Capital Corporation	23.25%	20.85%	16.01%	12.02%	10.30%	8.56%	13.31%	11.18%	11.41%	13.45%	11.98%	14.72%
USO United States Oil Fund LP	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PSEC and USO in my portfolio?

PSEC and USO have a correlation of -0.09, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PSEC or USO?

PSEC has higher volatility (15.52%) compared to USO (14.97%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PSEC dropped -61.51% vs USO's -98.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

USO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.21 vs -0.43), 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.