UGA vs. LDSF
UGA (United States Gasoline Fund, LP) and LDSF (First Trust Low Duration Strategic Focus ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - UGA is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Near-Month NYMEX RBOB Gasoline Futures Contract, while LDSF is a Short-Term Bond fund actively managed by First Trust. UGA is passively managed, while LDSF is actively managed. Over the past 5 years, UGA returned 24.07%/yr vs 2.53%/yr for LDSF. Their -0.04 correlation means they have often moved in opposite directions in the past. UGA charges 1.02%/yr vs 0.87%/yr for LDSF.
Performance
UGA vs. LDSF - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, UGA achieves a 72.77% return, which is significantly higher than LDSF's 1.29% return.
UGA
- 1D
- -0.56%
- 1M
- 0.07%
- 6M
- 54.03%
- YTD
- 72.77%
- 1Y
- 71.49%
- 3Y*
- 14.87%
- 5Y*
- 24.07%
- 10Y*
- 16.28%
- ALL TIME*
- 4.25%
LDSF
- 1D
- 0.05%
- 1M
- 0.21%
- 6M
- 0.96%
- YTD
- 1.29%
- 1Y
- 3.96%
- 3Y*
- 5.38%
- 5Y*
- 2.53%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 2.58%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $422.02K | $367.43K | $432.60K | |
| $8.67M | $6.11M | $4.99M |
UGA vs. LDSF - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UGA United States Gasoline Fund, LP | 72.77% | -2.00% | 3.77% | 1.27% | 46.34% | 68.49% | -24.88% | 36.55% |
LDSF First Trust Low Duration Strategic Focus ETF | 1.29% | 6.82% | 4.20% | 6.53% | -5.47% | -0.28% | 2.48% | 4.52% |
Correlation
The correlation between UGA and LDSF is -0.42, 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. | -0.42 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | -0.21 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | -0.08 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 7, 2019 | -0.04 |
Over the past year, the inverse relationship between UGA and LDSF has strengthened: their correlation has moved from -0.04 to -0.42, meaning they now move in opposite directions more often than their long-term average.
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Return for Risk
UGA vs. LDSF — Risk / Return Rank
UGA
LDSF
UGA vs. LDSF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for United States Gasoline Fund, LP (UGA) and First Trust Low Duration Strategic Focus ETF (LDSF). 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.
| UGA | LDSF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.04 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.38 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.32 | 1.38 | -0.06 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.54 | 2.28 | +1.25 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.75 | 9.54 | +0.21 |
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Drawdowns
UGA vs. LDSF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum UGA drawdown since its inception was -86.59%, which is greater than LDSF's maximum drawdown of -8.56%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UGA and LDSF.
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Drawdown Indicators
| UGA | LDSF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -86.59% | -8.56% | -78.03% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -20.32% | -1.74% | -18.58% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -26.68% | -1.74% | -24.94% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -38.11% | -7.83% | -30.28% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -75.89% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -14.67% | 0.00% | -14.67% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -36.52% | -1.43% | -35.09% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.36% | 0.42% | +6.94% |
Volatility
UGA vs. LDSF - Volatility Comparison
United States Gasoline Fund, LP (UGA) has a higher volatility of 13.00% compared to First Trust Low Duration Strategic Focus ETF (LDSF) at 0.57%. This indicates that UGA's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than LDSF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| UGA | LDSF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 13.00% | 0.57% | +12.43% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 32.16% | 1.79% | +30.37% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 36.60% | 2.07% | +34.53% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 34.71% | 3.09% | +31.62% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 37.31% | 3.16% | +34.15% |
UGA vs. LDSF - Expense Ratio Comparison
UGA has a 1.02% expense ratio, which is higher than LDSF's 0.87% expense ratio.
Dividends
UGA vs. LDSF - Dividend Comparison
UGA has not paid dividends to shareholders, while LDSF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.66%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LDSF First Trust Low Duration Strategic Focus ETF | 4.66% | 4.52% | 4.53% | 4.08% | 2.61% | 1.97% | 2.65% | 3.06% |
UGA United States Gasoline Fund, LP | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
UGA and LDSF have a correlation of -0.42, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
UGA has higher volatility (13.00%) compared to LDSF (0.57%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UGA dropped -86.59% vs LDSF's -8.56%.
On 5-year performance, UGA leads with 24.07% vs 2.53% for LDSF. On fees, LDSF is cheaper at 0.87% per year. On volatility, LDSF has been the lower-risk option at 0.57%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, UGA has performed better with a 24.07% return vs 2.53%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
LDSF is cheaper with a 0.87% expense ratio, compared with 1.02% for UGA.
LDSF has the higher dividend yield at 4.66%, compared with 0.00% for UGA.
UGA is categorized as Oil & Gas, while LDSF is Short-Term Bond. They also come from different issuers: USCF and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 1.02% for UGA and 0.87% for LDSF.
UGA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.96 vs 1.92), 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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