STRL vs. UCO

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

STRL (Sterling Construction Company, Inc.) is a stock, while UCO (ProShares Ultra Bloomberg Crude Oil) is Leveraged Commodities fund tracking the Dow Jones-UBS Crude Oil Sub-Index (200%). Over the past 10 years, STRL returned 69.42%/yr vs -11.98%/yr for UCO. At a 0.16 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

STRL vs. UCO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Sterling Construction Company, Inc. (STRL) and ProShares Ultra Bloomberg Crude Oil (UCO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, STRL achieves a 224.51% return, which is significantly higher than UCO's 139.34% return. Over the past 10 years, STRL has outperformed UCO with an annualized return of 69.42%, while UCO has yielded a comparatively lower -11.98% annualized return.

STRL

• 1D: 3.84%
• 1M: 23.29%
• YTD: 224.51%
• 6M: 199.06%
• 1Y: 412.74%
• 3Y*: 171.02%
• 5Y*: 108.72%
• 10Y*: 69.42%

UCO

• 1D: -3.93%
• 1M: -5.57%
• YTD: 139.34%
• 6M: 124.58%
• 1Y: 115.57%
• 3Y*: 24.38%
• 5Y*: 21.18%
• 10Y*: -11.98%

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

STRL vs. UCO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
STRL Sterling Construction Company, Inc.	224.51%	81.79%	91.57%	168.08%	24.71%	41.32%	32.17%	29.29%	-33.11%	92.43%
UCO ProShares Ultra Bloomberg Crude Oil	139.34%	-29.75%	5.36%	-13.89%	39.71%	139.26%	-92.91%	53.83%	-43.26%	0.34%

Correlation

The correlation between STRL and UCO is -0.14, 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	-0.14
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	-0.04
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.07
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.11
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 26, 2008	0.16

The correlation between STRL and UCO shifts across timeframes, from -0.14 (1 year) to 0.16 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

STRL vs. UCO — Risk / Return Rank

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

STRL

STRL Risk / Return Rank: 98
STRL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 99
STRL Sortino Ratio Rank: 97
STRL Omega Ratio Rank: 96
STRL Calmar Ratio Rank: 98
STRL Martin Ratio Rank: 98

UCO

UCO Risk / Return Rank: 54
UCO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 62
UCO Sortino Ratio Rank: 50
UCO Omega Ratio Rank: 51
UCO Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
UCO Martin Ratio Rank: 40

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.

STRL vs. UCO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Sterling Construction Company, Inc. (STRL) and ProShares Ultra Bloomberg Crude Oil (UCO). 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.

	STRL	UCO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	5.16	2.03	+3.13
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	4.76	2.39	+2.37
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.64	1.31	+0.33
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	13.42	3.34	+10.07
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	37.58	6.32	+31.25
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

STRL vs. UCO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current STRL Sharpe Ratio is 5.16, which is higher than the UCO Sharpe Ratio of 2.03. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of STRL and UCO, 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

	STRL	UCO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	5.16	2.03	+3.13
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.93	0.36	+1.57
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	1.31	-0.17	+1.48
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.27	-0.34	+0.62

Drawdowns

STRL vs. UCO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum STRL drawdown since its inception was -92.51%, smaller than the maximum UCO drawdown of -99.95%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for STRL and UCO.

Drawdown Indicators

	STRL	UCO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-92.51%	-99.95%	+7.44%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-31.02%	-34.77%	+3.75%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-47.67%	-50.38%	+2.71%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-47.67%	-67.24%	+19.57%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-59.60%	-98.75%	+39.15%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-99.26%	+99.26%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-46.32%	-85.49%	+39.17%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	11.05%	18.34%	-7.29%

Volatility

STRL vs. UCO - Volatility Comparison

Sterling Construction Company, Inc. (STRL) has a higher volatility of 24.41% compared to ProShares Ultra Bloomberg Crude Oil (UCO) at 20.99%. This indicates that STRL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than UCO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	STRL	UCO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	24.41%	20.99%	+3.42%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	62.59%	46.57%	+16.02%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	80.59%	57.26%	+23.33%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	56.75%	59.81%	-3.06%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	53.30%	71.35%	-18.05%

Dividends

STRL vs. UCO - Dividend Comparison

Neither STRL nor UCO has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both STRL and UCO in my portfolio?

STRL and UCO have a correlation of -0.14, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, STRL or UCO?

STRL has higher volatility (24.41%) compared to UCO (20.99%). In terms of maximum drawdown, STRL dropped -92.51% vs UCO's -99.95%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

STRL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (5.16 vs 2.03), 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.