PSET vs. USO
PSET (Principal Quality ETF) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - PSET is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the NASDAQ US Price Setters, while USO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, PSET returned 12.73%/yr vs 4.07%/yr for USO. At a 0.07 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. PSET charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.
Performance
PSET vs. USO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PSET achieves a -0.49% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 103.67% return. Over the past 10 years, PSET has outperformed USO with an annualized return of 12.73%, while USO has yielded a comparatively lower 4.07% annualized return.
PSET
- 1D
- -0.77%
- 1M
- 2.67%
- YTD
- -0.49%
- 6M
- -0.66%
- 1Y
- 7.57%
- 3Y*
- 12.93%
- 5Y*
- 8.86%
- 10Y*
- 12.73%
USO
- 1D
- 2.62%
- 1M
- -4.57%
- YTD
- 103.67%
- 6M
- 99.35%
- 1Y
- 101.55%
- 3Y*
- 29.98%
- 5Y*
- 24.41%
- 10Y*
- 4.07%
PSET vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PSET Principal Quality ETF | -0.49% | 7.27% | 17.65% | 24.07% | -16.52% | 29.59% | 16.20% | 34.85% | -2.29% | 24.63% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 103.67% | -8.46% | 13.35% | -4.94% | 28.97% | 64.68% | -67.79% | 32.61% | -19.57% | 2.47% |
Correlation
The correlation between PSET and USO is -0.31, 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 | -0.31 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.10 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.03 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.07 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 23, 2016 | 0.07 |
The correlation between PSET and USO shifts across timeframes, from -0.31 (1 year) to 0.07 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
PSET vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank
PSET
USO
PSET vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Principal Quality ETF (PSET) 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.
| PSET | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.71 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.97 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.11 | 1.38 | -0.27 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.59 | 5.01 | -4.42 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.98 | 9.42 | -7.43 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| PSET | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.60 | 2.31 | -1.71 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.51 | 0.68 | -0.17 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.71 | 0.10 | +0.60 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.71 | -0.18 | +0.89 |
Drawdowns
PSET vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PSET drawdown since its inception was -34.74%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PSET and USO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PSET | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -34.74% | -98.19% | +63.45% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.94% | -20.39% | +7.45% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -21.96% | -26.05% | +4.09% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.61% | -36.23% | +10.62% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -34.74% | -86.75% | +52.01% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.59% | -85.01% | +82.42% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.59% | -75.30% | +70.71% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.82% | 10.82% | -7.00% |
Volatility
PSET vs. USO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Principal Quality ETF (PSET) is 3.01%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 14.87%. This indicates that PSET 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.
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Volatility by Period
| PSET | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.01% | 14.87% | -11.86% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.67% | 38.23% | -28.56% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.67% | 44.20% | -31.53% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.51% | 36.06% | -18.55% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.06% | 39.00% | -20.94% |
PSET vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison
PSET has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than USO's 0.86% expense ratio.
Dividends
PSET vs. USO - Dividend Comparison
PSET's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.63%, while USO has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PSET Principal Quality ETF | 0.63% | 0.59% | 0.69% | 0.85% | 1.47% | 0.89% | 1.09% | 1.52% | 1.33% | 1.02% | 1.26% |
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% |
Frequently Asked Questions
PSET and USO have a correlation of -0.31, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
USO has higher volatility (14.87%) compared to PSET (3.01%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PSET dropped -34.74% vs USO's -98.19%.
On 10-year performance, PSET leads with 12.73% vs 4.07% for USO. On fees, PSET is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, PSET has been the lower-risk option at 3.01%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, PSET has performed better with a 12.73% return vs 4.07%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
PSET is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.86% for USO.
PSET has the higher dividend yield at 0.63%, compared with 0.00% for USO.
PSET is categorized as Large Cap Growth Equities, while USO is Oil & Gas. PSET tracks NASDAQ US Price Setters, while USO tracks Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. They also come from different issuers: Principal and USCF. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for PSET and 0.86% for USO.
USO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.31 vs 0.60), 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.
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