QLTY vs. USO

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

QLTY (GMO U.S. Quality ETF) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - QLTY is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the S&P 500, while USO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, QLTY returned 28.67% vs 97.37% for USO. At a correlation of -0.12, they often move in opposite directions. QLTY charges 0.50%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.

Performance

QLTY vs. USO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in GMO U.S. Quality ETF (QLTY) 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, QLTY achieves a 7.91% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 98.48% return.

QLTY

• 1D: -0.17%
• 1M: 3.91%
• YTD: 7.91%
• 6M: 8.88%
• 1Y: 28.67%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 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)

QLTY vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
QLTY GMO U.S. Quality ETF	7.91%	21.26%	21.02%	5.68%
USO United States Oil Fund LP	98.48%	-8.46%	13.35%	-6.57%

Correlation

The correlation between QLTY and USO is -0.35, 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	-0.35
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 16, 2023	-0.12

Over the past year, the inverse relationship between QLTY and USO has strengthened: their correlation has moved from -0.12 to -0.35, meaning they now move in opposite directions more often than their long-term average.

Return for Risk

QLTY vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank

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

QLTY

QLTY Risk / Return Rank: 64
QLTY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
QLTY Sortino Ratio Rank: 72
QLTY Omega Ratio Rank: 69
QLTY Calmar Ratio Rank: 49
QLTY Martin Ratio Rank: 57

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.

QLTY vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for GMO U.S. Quality ETF (QLTY) 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.

	QLTY	USO	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.35	2.22	+0.13
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.33	2.81	+0.51
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.42	1.37	+0.04
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.48	5.12	-2.64
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	10.13	9.66	+0.47
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

QLTY vs. USO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current QLTY Sharpe Ratio is 2.35, which is comparable to the USO Sharpe Ratio of 2.22. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of QLTY 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

	QLTY	USO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.35	2.22	+0.13
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.67	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.10	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.55	-0.18	+1.72

Drawdowns

QLTY vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum QLTY drawdown since its inception was -17.00%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for QLTY and USO.

Drawdown Indicators

	QLTY	USO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-17.00%	-98.19%	+81.19%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.71%	-20.39%	+8.68%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-26.05%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-36.23%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-86.75%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.22%	-85.39%	+85.17%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.05%	-75.30%	+73.25%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.86%	10.81%	-7.95%

Volatility

QLTY vs. USO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for GMO U.S. Quality ETF (QLTY) is 2.65%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 15.03%. This indicates that QLTY 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

	QLTY	USO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.65%	15.03%	-12.38%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.24%	38.18%	-28.94%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.25%	44.26%	-32.01%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.65%	36.04%	-21.39%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.65%	39.00%	-24.35%

QLTY vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison

QLTY has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is lower than USO's 0.86% expense ratio.

Dividends

QLTY vs. USO - Dividend Comparison

QLTY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.71%, while USO has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023
QLTY GMO U.S. Quality ETF	0.71%	0.73%	0.79%	0.15%
USO United States Oil Fund LP	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both QLTY and USO in my portfolio?

QLTY and USO have a correlation of -0.35, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, QLTY or USO?

USO has higher volatility (15.03%) compared to QLTY (2.65%). In terms of maximum drawdown, QLTY dropped -17.00% vs USO's -98.19%.

Which ETF is better, QLTY or USO?

On 1-year performance, USO leads with 97.37% vs 28.67% for QLTY. On fees, QLTY is cheaper at 0.50% per year. On volatility, QLTY has been the lower-risk option at 2.65%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, QLTY or USO?

Over the 1-year period, USO has performed better with a 97.37% return vs 28.67%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, QLTY or USO?

QLTY is cheaper with a 0.50% expense ratio, compared with 0.86% for USO.

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

QLTY has the higher dividend yield at 0.71%, compared with 0.00% for USO.

What is the main difference between QLTY and USO?

QLTY is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while USO is Oil & Gas. QLTY tracks S&P 500, while USO tracks Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. They also come from different issuers: GMO and USCF. Their fees differ too: 0.50% for QLTY and 0.86% for USO.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

QLTY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.35 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.