RETL vs. USO
RETL (Direxion Daily Retail Bull 3X Shares) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - RETL is a Leveraged Equities fund tracking the Russell 1000 Retail Index (300%), while USO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, RETL returned -4.91%/yr vs 5.64%/yr for USO. Their 0.16 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. RETL charges 0.99%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.
Performance
RETL vs. USO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, RETL achieves a 4.29% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 86.77% return. Over the past 10 years, RETL has underperformed USO with an annualized return of -4.91%, while USO has yielded a comparatively higher 5.64% annualized return.
RETL
- 1D
- -2.65%
- 1M
- 4.48%
- 6M
- 1.86%
- YTD
- 4.29%
- 1Y
- 25.37%
- 3Y*
- 6.42%
- 5Y*
- -25.86%
- 10Y*
- -4.91%
- ALL TIME*
- 14.86%
USO
- 1D
- 1.33%
- 1M
- 24.23%
- 6M
- 62.44%
- YTD
- 86.77%
- 1Y
- 66.76%
- 3Y*
- 20.97%
- 5Y*
- 20.59%
- 10Y*
- 5.64%
- ALL TIME*
- -6.85%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $3.76M | $4.05M | $5.48M | |
| $968.42M | $871.56M | $931.57M |
RETL vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RETL Direxion Daily Retail Bull 3X Shares | 4.29% | -5.98% | 9.59% | 33.62% | -80.80% | 101.03% | 63.63% | 23.41% | -35.21% | -1.31% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 86.77% | -8.46% | 13.35% | -4.94% | 28.97% | 64.68% | -67.79% | 32.61% | -19.57% | 2.47% |
Correlation
The correlation between RETL and USO is -0.31, meaning they have often moved in opposite directions in the past. This relationship can weaken or reverse as market conditions change.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | -0.31 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | -0.08 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.04 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.14 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 14, 2010 | 0.16 |
The correlation between RETL and USO shifts across timeframes, from -0.31 (1 year) to 0.16 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
RETL vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank
RETL
USO
RETL vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Direxion Daily Retail Bull 3X Shares (RETL) 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| RETL | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.97 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.02 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.11 | 1.25 | -0.14 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.59 | 1.93 | -1.34 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.15 | 5.60 | -4.45 |
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Drawdowns
RETL vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum RETL drawdown since its inception was -92.00%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RETL and USO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| RETL | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -92.00% | -98.19% | +6.19% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -38.08% | -32.49% | -5.59% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -62.72% | -32.49% | -30.23% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -92.00% | -36.23% | -55.77% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -92.00% | -86.75% | -5.25% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -82.09% | -86.26% | +4.17% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -37.99% | -75.38% | +37.39% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 19.45% | 12.03% | +7.42% |
Volatility
RETL vs. USO - Volatility Comparison
Direxion Daily Retail Bull 3X Shares (RETL) and United States Oil Fund LP (USO) have volatilities of 17.87% and 17.73%, 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.
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Volatility by Period
| RETL | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 17.87% | 17.73% | +0.14% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 44.19% | 42.79% | +1.40% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 61.62% | 46.91% | +14.71% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 79.45% | 37.06% | +42.39% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 80.05% | 39.29% | +40.76% |
RETL vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison
RETL has a 0.99% expense ratio, which is higher than USO's 0.86% expense ratio.
Dividends
RETL vs. USO - Dividend Comparison
RETL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.48%, while USO has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RETL Direxion Daily Retail Bull 3X Shares | 0.48% | 0.58% | 1.13% | 1.35% | 0.71% | 0.22% | 0.19% | 0.92% | 1.19% | 0.01% | 2.60% |
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
RETL 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.
RETL has higher volatility (17.87%) compared to USO (17.73%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RETL dropped -92.00% vs USO's -98.19%.
On 10-year performance, USO leads with 5.64% vs -4.91% for RETL. On fees, USO is cheaper at 0.86% per year. On volatility, USO has been the lower-risk option at 17.73%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, USO has performed better with a 5.64% return vs -4.91%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
USO is cheaper with a 0.86% expense ratio, compared with 0.99% for RETL.
RETL has the higher dividend yield at 0.48%, compared with 0.00% for USO.
RETL is categorized as Leveraged Equities, while USO is Oil & Gas. RETL tracks Russell 1000 Retail Index (300%), while USO tracks Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. They also come from different issuers: Direxion and USCF. Their fees differ too: 0.99% for RETL and 0.86% for USO.
USO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.34 vs 0.36), 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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