SDVY vs. USO
SDVY (First Trust SMID Cap Rising Dividend Achievers ETF) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - SDVY is a Small Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the NASDAQ US Small Mid Cap Rising Dividend Achievers™ Index, while USO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, SDVY returned 8.70%/yr vs 23.92%/yr for USO. At a 0.19 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SDVY charges 0.60%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.
Performance
SDVY vs. USO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SDVY achieves a 8.17% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 98.48% return.
SDVY
- 1D
- 0.73%
- 1M
- -1.83%
- YTD
- 8.17%
- 6M
- 9.36%
- 1Y
- 22.12%
- 3Y*
- 17.44%
- 5Y*
- 8.70%
- 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%
SDVY vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SDVY First Trust SMID Cap Rising Dividend Achievers ETF | 8.17% | 8.83% | 11.19% | 28.58% | -11.98% | 29.13% | 11.72% | 25.62% | -15.26% | 5.78% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 98.48% | -8.46% | 13.35% | -4.94% | 28.97% | 64.68% | -67.79% | 32.61% | -19.57% | 7.42% |
Correlation
The correlation between SDVY and USO is -0.23, 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 | -0.23 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.03 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.15 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 6, 2017 | 0.19 |
The correlation between SDVY and USO shifts across timeframes, from -0.23 (1 year) to 0.19 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SDVY vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank
SDVY
USO
SDVY vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust SMID Cap Rising Dividend Achievers ETF (SDVY) 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.
| SDVY | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.45 | 2.22 | -0.77 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.23 | 2.81 | -0.59 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.26 | 1.37 | -0.12 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.36 | 5.12 | -2.76 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.17 | 9.66 | -1.49 |
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
| SDVY | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.45 | 2.22 | -0.77 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.42 | 0.67 | -0.25 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.10 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.44 | -0.18 | +0.62 |
Drawdowns
SDVY vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SDVY drawdown since its inception was -44.70%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SDVY and USO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SDVY | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -44.70% | -98.19% | +53.49% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.28% | -20.39% | +11.11% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -25.92% | -26.05% | +0.13% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.92% | -36.23% | +10.31% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -86.75% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.66% | -85.39% | +82.73% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.71% | -75.30% | +67.59% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.68% | 10.81% | -8.13% |
Volatility
SDVY vs. USO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for First Trust SMID Cap Rising Dividend Achievers ETF (SDVY) is 4.26%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 15.03%. This indicates that SDVY 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
| SDVY | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.26% | 15.03% | -10.77% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.88% | 38.18% | -27.30% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.34% | 44.26% | -28.92% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 21.04% | 36.04% | -15.00% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 24.83% | 39.00% | -14.17% |
SDVY vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison
SDVY has a 0.60% expense ratio, which is lower than USO's 0.86% expense ratio.
Dividends
SDVY vs. USO - Dividend Comparison
SDVY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.20%, while USO has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SDVY First Trust SMID Cap Rising Dividend Achievers ETF | 1.20% | 1.69% | 1.60% | 1.90% | 2.28% | 1.09% | 1.48% | 1.69% | 1.57% | 0.29% |
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% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SDVY and USO have a correlation of -0.23, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
USO has higher volatility (15.03%) compared to SDVY (4.26%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SDVY dropped -44.70% vs USO's -98.19%.
On 5-year performance, USO leads with 23.92% vs 8.70% for SDVY. On fees, SDVY is cheaper at 0.60% per year. On volatility, SDVY has been the lower-risk option at 4.26%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, USO has performed better with a 23.92% return vs 8.70%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SDVY is cheaper with a 0.60% expense ratio, compared with 0.86% for USO.
SDVY has the higher dividend yield at 1.20%, compared with 0.00% for USO.
SDVY is categorized as Small Cap Blend Equities, while USO is Oil & Gas. SDVY tracks NASDAQ US Small Mid Cap Rising Dividend Achievers™ Index, while USO tracks Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and USCF. Their fees differ too: 0.60% for SDVY and 0.86% for USO.
USO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.22 vs 1.45), 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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