UNG vs. SCHC
UNG (United States Natural Gas Fund LP) and SCHC (Schwab International Small-Cap Equity ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - UNG is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Natural Gas, while SCHC is a Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities fund tracking the FTSE Custom Developed Small Cap ex-US Liquid Net of Tax (Lux). Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, UNG returned -21.38%/yr vs 8.48%/yr for SCHC. At a 0.05 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. UNG charges 1.28%/yr vs 0.11%/yr for SCHC.
Performance
UNG vs. SCHC - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, UNG achieves a -7.42% return, which is significantly lower than SCHC's 9.25% return. Over the past 10 years, UNG has underperformed SCHC with an annualized return of -21.38%, while SCHC has yielded a comparatively higher 8.48% annualized return.
UNG
- 1D
- 1.70%
- 1M
- 1.70%
- YTD
- -7.42%
- 6M
- -10.84%
- 1Y
- -30.62%
- 3Y*
- -23.83%
- 5Y*
- -24.47%
- 10Y*
- -21.38%
SCHC
- 1D
- 0.71%
- 1M
- -2.36%
- YTD
- 9.25%
- 6M
- 11.25%
- 1Y
- 25.49%
- 3Y*
- 17.06%
- 5Y*
- 6.10%
- 10Y*
- 8.48%
UNG vs. SCHC - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UNG United States Natural Gas Fund LP | -7.42% | -27.07% | -17.11% | -64.04% | 12.89% | 35.76% | -45.43% | -31.77% | 5.96% | -37.58% |
SCHC Schwab International Small-Cap Equity ETF | 9.25% | 37.59% | 1.97% | 14.36% | -21.74% | 12.02% | 10.48% | 23.10% | -18.60% | 29.42% |
Correlation
The correlation between UNG and SCHC is -0.17, 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 | -0.17 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.03 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.05 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.04 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 14, 2010 | 0.05 |
The correlation between UNG and SCHC shifts across timeframes, from -0.17 (1 year) to 0.05 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
UNG vs. SCHC — Risk / Return Rank
UNG
SCHC
UNG vs. SCHC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for United States Natural Gas Fund LP (UNG) and Schwab International Small-Cap Equity ETF (SCHC). 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.
| UNG | SCHC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.97 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.45 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.95 | 1.27 | -0.32 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.67 | 1.93 | -2.60 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.97 | 7.12 | -8.09 |
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Drawdowns
UNG vs. SCHC - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum UNG drawdown since its inception was -99.88%, which is greater than SCHC's maximum drawdown of -43.94%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UNG and SCHC.
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Drawdown Indicators
| UNG | SCHC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -99.88% | -43.94% | -55.94% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -43.86% | -12.48% | -31.38% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -68.16% | -15.52% | -52.64% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -92.49% | -36.48% | -56.01% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -93.55% | -43.94% | -49.61% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -99.86% | -3.49% | -96.37% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -89.96% | -10.04% | -79.92% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 30.28% | 3.38% | +26.90% |
Volatility
UNG vs. SCHC - Volatility Comparison
United States Natural Gas Fund LP (UNG) has a higher volatility of 12.64% compared to Schwab International Small-Cap Equity ETF (SCHC) at 6.31%. This indicates that UNG's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SCHC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| UNG | SCHC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 12.64% | 6.31% | +6.33% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 52.01% | 13.88% | +38.13% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 60.61% | 16.21% | +44.40% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 64.11% | 17.62% | +46.49% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 54.77% | 18.02% | +36.75% |
UNG vs. SCHC - Expense Ratio Comparison
UNG has a 1.28% expense ratio, which is higher than SCHC's 0.11% expense ratio.
Dividends
UNG vs. SCHC - Dividend Comparison
UNG has not paid dividends to shareholders, while SCHC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.35%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SCHC Schwab International Small-Cap Equity ETF | 3.35% | 3.66% | 3.72% | 2.94% | 1.78% | 3.02% | 1.62% | 3.23% | 2.51% | 2.73% | 2.01% | 2.34% |
UNG United States Natural Gas 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
UNG and SCHC have a correlation of -0.17, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
UNG has higher volatility (12.64%) compared to SCHC (6.31%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UNG dropped -99.88% vs SCHC's -43.94%.
On 10-year performance, SCHC leads with 8.48% vs -21.38% for UNG. On fees, SCHC is cheaper at 0.11% per year. On volatility, SCHC has been the lower-risk option at 6.31%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, SCHC has performed better with a 8.48% return vs -21.38%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SCHC is cheaper with a 0.11% expense ratio, compared with 1.28% for UNG.
SCHC has the higher dividend yield at 3.35%, compared with 0.00% for UNG.
UNG is categorized as Oil & Gas, while SCHC is Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities. UNG tracks Front Month Natural Gas, while SCHC tracks FTSE Custom Developed Small Cap ex-US Liquid Net of Tax (Lux). They also come from different issuers: Concierge Technologies and Charles Schwab. Their fees differ too: 1.28% for UNG and 0.11% for SCHC.
SCHC currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.49 vs -0.49), 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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