USG vs. FFA

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

USG (USCF Gold Strategy Plus Income Fund) and FFA (First Trust Enhanced Equity Income Fund) are both mutual funds - USG is a Gold fund actively managed by USCF, while FFA is a Derivative Income fund actively managed by First Trust. Both are actively managed. Over the past 3 years, USG returned 27.07%/yr vs 18.55%/yr for FFA. At a 0.08 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. USG charges 0.45%/yr vs 1.22%/yr for FFA.

Performance

USG vs. FFA - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in USCF Gold Strategy Plus Income Fund (USG) and First Trust Enhanced Equity Income Fund (FFA). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, USG achieves a 3.28% return, which is significantly lower than FFA's 6.61% return.

USG

• 1D: 0.88%
• 1M: -1.47%
• YTD: 3.28%
• 6M: 5.26%
• 1Y: 26.90%
• 3Y*: 27.07%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

FFA

• 1D: 0.57%
• 1M: 3.60%
• YTD: 6.61%
• 6M: 9.59%
• 1Y: 25.12%
• 3Y*: 18.55%
• 5Y*: 10.51%
• 10Y*: 13.62%

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

USG vs. FFA - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
USG USCF Gold Strategy Plus Income Fund	3.28%	52.02%	23.70%	8.49%	2.12%	3.12%
FFA First Trust Enhanced Equity Income Fund	6.61%	14.23%	21.46%	24.73%	-20.26%	1.02%

Correlation

The correlation between USG and FFA is 0.23, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.23
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.14
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 4, 2021	0.08

The correlation between USG and FFA shifts across timeframes, from 0.08 (all time) to 0.23 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

USG vs. FFA — Risk / Return Rank

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

USG

USG Risk / Return Rank: 17
USG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 17
USG Sortino Ratio Rank: 15
USG Omega Ratio Rank: 22
USG Calmar Ratio Rank: 18
USG Martin Ratio Rank: 14

FFA

FFA Risk / Return Rank: 52
FFA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 53
FFA Sortino Ratio Rank: 52
FFA Omega Ratio Rank: 53
FFA Calmar Ratio Rank: 44
FFA Martin Ratio Rank: 60

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.

USG vs. FFA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for USCF Gold Strategy Plus Income Fund (USG) and First Trust Enhanced Equity Income Fund (FFA). 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.

	USG	FFA	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.16	2.11	-0.95
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.58	2.98	-1.40
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.24	1.39	-0.15
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.47	2.49	-1.01
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.94	11.66	-7.72
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

USG vs. FFA - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current USG Sharpe Ratio is 1.16, which is lower than the FFA Sharpe Ratio of 2.11. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of USG and FFA, 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

	USG	FFA	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.16	2.11	-0.95
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.61	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.69	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.21	0.43	+0.78

Drawdowns

USG vs. FFA - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum USG drawdown since its inception was -18.35%, smaller than the maximum FFA drawdown of -57.51%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for USG and FFA.

Drawdown Indicators

	USG	FFA	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-18.35%	-57.51%	+39.16%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-18.35%	-10.15%	-8.20%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.35%	-19.94%	+1.59%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-29.96%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-44.35%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-15.61%	-0.39%	-15.22%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.35%	-8.42%	+4.07%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.84%	2.16%	+4.68%

Volatility

USG vs. FFA - Volatility Comparison

USCF Gold Strategy Plus Income Fund (USG) has a higher volatility of 5.07% compared to First Trust Enhanced Equity Income Fund (FFA) at 2.94%. This indicates that USG's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FFA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	USG	FFA	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.07%	2.94%	+2.13%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	21.55%	9.41%	+12.14%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	23.22%	11.95%	+11.27%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.78%	17.34%	-1.56%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.78%	19.71%	-3.93%

USG vs. FFA - Expense Ratio Comparison

USG has a 0.45% expense ratio, which is lower than FFA's 1.22% expense ratio.

Dividends

USG vs. FFA - Dividend Comparison

USG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 26.66%, more than FFA's 6.56% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
FFA First Trust Enhanced Equity Income Fund	6.56%	6.70%	6.59%	6.90%	7.99%	5.92%	6.47%	6.61%	8.82%	6.83%	7.07%	7.12%
USG USCF Gold Strategy Plus Income Fund	26.66%	27.33%	7.48%	8.16%	2.85%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both USG and FFA in my portfolio?

USG and FFA have a correlation of 0.23, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, USG or FFA?

USG has higher volatility (5.07%) compared to FFA (2.94%). In terms of maximum drawdown, USG dropped -18.35% vs FFA's -57.51%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

FFA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.11 vs 1.16), 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.