SYLD vs. USO
SYLD (Cambria Shareholder Yield ETF) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - SYLD is a Mid Cap Value Equities fund actively managed by Cambria, while USO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. SYLD is actively managed, while USO is passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SYLD returned 12.98%/yr vs 4.07%/yr for USO. At a 0.28 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SYLD charges 0.59%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.
Performance
SYLD vs. USO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SYLD achieves a 13.63% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 103.67% return. Over the past 10 years, SYLD has outperformed USO with an annualized return of 12.98%, while USO has yielded a comparatively lower 4.07% annualized return.
SYLD
- 1D
- -0.53%
- 1M
- 0.34%
- YTD
- 13.63%
- 6M
- 12.35%
- 1Y
- 25.51%
- 3Y*
- 13.47%
- 5Y*
- 5.75%
- 10Y*
- 12.98%
USO
- 1D
- 2.62%
- 1M
- -4.57%
- YTD
- 103.67%
- 6M
- 99.35%
- 1Y
- 101.55%
- 3Y*
- 29.98%
- 5Y*
- 24.41%
- 10Y*
- 4.07%
SYLD vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SYLD Cambria Shareholder Yield ETF | 13.63% | 3.94% | 3.37% | 16.46% | -6.14% | 48.59% | 13.61% | 26.98% | -13.51% | 20.03% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 103.67% | -8.46% | 13.35% | -4.94% | 28.97% | 64.68% | -67.79% | 32.61% | -19.57% | 2.47% |
Correlation
The correlation between SYLD and USO is -0.09, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.09 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 15, 2013 | 0.28 |
The correlation between SYLD and USO shifts across timeframes, from -0.09 (1 year) to 0.28 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SYLD vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank
SYLD
USO
SYLD vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Cambria Shareholder Yield ETF (SYLD) 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.
| SYLD | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.66 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.35 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.29 | 1.38 | -0.09 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.70 | 5.01 | -1.31 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.02 | 9.42 | +0.60 |
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
| SYLD | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.65 | 2.31 | -0.66 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.28 | 0.68 | -0.40 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.57 | 0.10 | +0.46 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.57 | -0.18 | +0.75 |
Drawdowns
SYLD vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SYLD drawdown since its inception was -45.36%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SYLD and USO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SYLD | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.36% | -98.19% | +52.83% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -6.93% | -20.39% | +13.46% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -26.62% | -26.05% | -0.57% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.62% | -36.23% | +9.61% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -45.36% | -86.75% | +41.39% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.31% | -85.01% | +83.70% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.66% | -75.30% | +69.64% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.55% | 10.82% | -8.27% |
Volatility
SYLD vs. USO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Cambria Shareholder Yield ETF (SYLD) is 3.13%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 14.87%. This indicates that SYLD 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
| SYLD | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.13% | 14.87% | -11.74% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.94% | 38.23% | -28.29% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.55% | 44.20% | -28.65% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.62% | 36.06% | -15.44% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.96% | 39.00% | -16.04% |
SYLD vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison
SYLD has a 0.59% expense ratio, which is lower than USO's 0.86% expense ratio.
Dividends
SYLD vs. USO - Dividend Comparison
SYLD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.86%, while USO has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SYLD Cambria Shareholder Yield ETF | 1.86% | 2.25% | 2.04% | 1.92% | 2.20% | 2.37% | 1.99% | 2.08% | 2.52% | 1.57% | 1.92% | 6.93% |
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% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SYLD and USO have a correlation of -0.09, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
USO has higher volatility (14.87%) compared to SYLD (3.13%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SYLD dropped -45.36% vs USO's -98.19%.
On 10-year performance, SYLD leads with 12.98% vs 4.07% for USO. On fees, SYLD is cheaper at 0.59% per year. On volatility, SYLD has been the lower-risk option at 3.13%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, SYLD has performed better with a 12.98% return vs 4.07%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SYLD is cheaper with a 0.59% expense ratio, compared with 0.86% for USO.
SYLD has the higher dividend yield at 1.86%, compared with 0.00% for USO.
SYLD is categorized as Mid Cap Value Equities, while USO is Oil & Gas. They also come from different issuers: Cambria and USCF. Their fees differ too: 0.59% for SYLD and 0.86% for USO.
USO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.31 vs 1.65), 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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