STRL vs. USD

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

STRL (Sterling Construction Company, Inc.) is a stock, while USD (ProShares Ultra Semiconductors) is Leveraged Equities fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Semiconductors Index (200%). Over the past 10 years, STRL returned 68.46%/yr vs 59.63%/yr for USD. At a 0.39 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

STRL vs. USD - Performance Comparison

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

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, STRL achieves a 191.24% return, which is significantly higher than USD's 81.60% return. Over the past 10 years, STRL has outperformed USD with an annualized return of 68.46%, while USD has yielded a comparatively lower 59.63% annualized return.

STRL

• 1D: 1.07%
• 1M: 5.57%
• YTD: 191.24%
• 6M: 174.74%
• 1Y: 332.96%
• 3Y*: 155.47%
• 5Y*: 104.86%
• 10Y*: 68.46%

USD

• 1D: 7.41%
• 1M: -0.05%
• YTD: 81.60%
• 6M: 69.12%
• 1Y: 218.18%
• 3Y*: 115.96%
• 5Y*: 65.20%
• 10Y*: 59.63%

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

STRL vs. USD - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
STRL Sterling Construction Company, Inc.	191.24%	81.79%	91.57%	168.08%	24.71%	41.32%	32.17%	29.29%	-33.11%	92.43%
USD ProShares Ultra Semiconductors	81.60%	62.08%	139.64%	228.79%	-68.57%	104.27%	68.16%	110.37%	-26.88%	81.72%

Correlation

The correlation between STRL and USD is 0.55, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.55
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.51
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.49
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.40
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 1, 2007	0.39

The correlation between STRL and USD shifts across timeframes, from 0.39 (all time) to 0.55 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

STRL vs. USD — Risk / Return Rank

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

STRL

STRL Risk / Return Rank: 97
STRL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 98
STRL Sortino Ratio Rank: 96
STRL Omega Ratio Rank: 95
STRL Calmar Ratio Rank: 98
STRL Martin Ratio Rank: 98

USD

USD Risk / Return Rank: 88
USD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 95
USD Sortino Ratio Rank: 79
USD Omega Ratio Rank: 81
USD Calmar Ratio Rank: 94
USD Martin Ratio Rank: 91

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. USD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Sterling Construction Company, Inc. (STRL) and ProShares Ultra Semiconductors (USD). 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	USD	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	4.13	3.43	+0.69
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	4.20	3.15	+1.05
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.56	1.43	+0.13
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	10.82	6.91	+3.91
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	30.19	19.73	+10.46
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. USD - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current STRL Sharpe Ratio is 4.13, which is comparable to the USD Sharpe Ratio of 3.43. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of STRL and USD, 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	USD	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.13	3.43	+0.69
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.85	0.85	+1.00
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	1.29	0.86	+0.43
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.27	0.47	-0.20

Drawdowns

STRL vs. USD - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum STRL drawdown since its inception was -92.51%, roughly equal to the maximum USD drawdown of -88.63%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for STRL and USD.

Drawdown Indicators

	STRL	USD	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-92.51%	-88.63%	-3.88%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-31.02%	-31.80%	+0.78%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-47.67%	-64.46%	+16.79%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-47.67%	-77.85%	+30.18%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-59.60%	-77.85%	+18.25%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-10.25%	-16.10%	+5.85%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-46.31%	-32.34%	-13.97%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	11.09%	11.11%	-0.02%

Volatility

STRL vs. USD - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Sterling Construction Company, Inc. (STRL) is 24.22%, while ProShares Ultra Semiconductors (USD) has a volatility of 28.47%. This indicates that STRL experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than USD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	STRL	USD	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	24.22%	28.47%	-4.25%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	63.81%	50.89%	+12.92%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	81.49%	64.16%	+17.33%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	56.99%	77.00%	-20.01%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	53.42%	69.51%	-16.09%

Dividends

STRL vs. USD - Dividend Comparison

STRL has not paid dividends to shareholders, while USD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.25%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
STRL Sterling Construction Company, Inc.	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
USD ProShares Ultra Semiconductors	0.25%	0.39%	0.10%	0.05%	0.30%	0.00%	0.14%	0.72%	0.93%	0.32%	0.46%	0.39%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both STRL and USD in my portfolio?

STRL and USD have a correlation of 0.55, 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 USD?

USD has higher volatility (28.47%) compared to STRL (24.22%). In terms of maximum drawdown, STRL dropped -92.51% vs USD's -88.63%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

STRL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (4.13 vs 3.43), 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.