USL vs. XLC

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

USL (United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP) and XLC (Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund) are both exchange-traded funds - USL is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the 12 Month Light Sweet Crude Oil, while XLC is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the S&P Communication Services Select Sector Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, USL returned 17.41%/yr vs 8.28%/yr for XLC. At a 0.15 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. USL charges 0.88%/yr vs 0.13%/yr for XLC.

Performance

USL vs. XLC - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP (USL) and Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLC). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, USL achieves a 63.07% return, which is significantly higher than XLC's -4.49% return.

USL

• 1D: 1.55%
• 1M: -1.61%
• YTD: 63.07%
• 6M: 59.66%
• 1Y: 57.86%
• 3Y*: 18.42%
• 5Y*: 17.41%
• 10Y*: 10.91%

XLC

• 1D: -1.31%
• 1M: -3.46%
• YTD: -4.49%
• 6M: -2.02%
• 1Y: 11.67%
• 3Y*: 22.40%
• 5Y*: 8.28%
• 10Y*: —

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

USL vs. XLC - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
USL United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP	63.07%	-12.37%	8.30%	-1.11%	27.10%	62.48%	-25.23%	28.01%	-22.79%
XLC Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund	-4.49%	23.08%	34.71%	52.82%	-37.63%	15.96%	26.90%	31.05%	-16.88%

Correlation

The correlation between USL and XLC is -0.20, 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	-0.20
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	-0.03
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.07
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 20, 2018	0.15

The correlation between USL and XLC shifts across timeframes, from -0.20 (1 year) to 0.15 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

USL vs. XLC - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	USL	XLC
Financial Services	4.5%	-
Basic Materials	-	-
Communication Services	-	95.1%
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Industrials	-	-
Real Estate	-	-
Technology	-	4.7%
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

USL vs. XLC — Risk / Return Rank

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

USL

USL Risk / Return Rank: 56
USL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 59
USL Sortino Ratio Rank: 53
USL Omega Ratio Rank: 54
USL Calmar Ratio Rank: 69
USL Martin Ratio Rank: 43

XLC

XLC Risk / Return Rank: 24
XLC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 24
XLC Sortino Ratio Rank: 25
XLC Omega Ratio Rank: 22
XLC Calmar Ratio Rank: 23
XLC Martin Ratio Rank: 26

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.

USL vs. XLC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP (USL) and Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLC). 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.

	USL	XLC	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.04	0.88	+1.15
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.58	1.36	+1.22
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.34	1.15	+0.18
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.47	1.11	+2.36
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	7.02	3.72	+3.30
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

USL vs. XLC - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current USL Sharpe Ratio is 2.04, which is higher than the XLC Sharpe Ratio of 0.88. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of USL and XLC, 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

	USL	XLC	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.04	0.88	+1.15
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.58	0.40	+0.18
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.34	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.01	0.53	-0.52

Drawdowns

USL vs. XLC - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum USL drawdown since its inception was -89.06%, which is greater than XLC's maximum drawdown of -46.65%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for USL and XLC.

Drawdown Indicators

	USL	XLC	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-89.06%	-46.65%	-42.41%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-16.76%	-10.57%	-6.19%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-23.33%	-17.97%	-5.36%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-33.82%	-46.65%	+12.83%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-66.02%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-38.16%	-6.36%	-31.80%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-61.46%	-10.60%	-50.86%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	8.27%	3.14%	+5.13%

Volatility

USL vs. XLC - Volatility Comparison

United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP (USL) has a higher volatility of 10.53% compared to Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLC) at 3.67%. This indicates that USL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XLC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	USL	XLC	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	10.53%	3.67%	+6.86%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	23.33%	9.57%	+13.76%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	28.54%	13.26%	+15.28%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	30.08%	20.68%	+9.40%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	32.35%	22.20%	+10.15%

USL vs. XLC - Expense Ratio Comparison

USL has a 0.88% expense ratio, which is higher than XLC's 0.13% expense ratio.

Dividends

USL vs. XLC - Dividend Comparison

USL has not paid dividends to shareholders, while XLC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.25%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
USL United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
XLC Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund	1.25%	1.13%	0.99%	0.82%	1.10%	0.74%	0.68%	0.82%	0.64%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both USL and XLC in my portfolio?

USL and XLC have a correlation of -0.20, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, USL or XLC?

USL has higher volatility (10.53%) compared to XLC (3.67%). In terms of maximum drawdown, USL dropped -89.06% vs XLC's -46.65%.

Which ETF is better, USL or XLC?

On 5-year performance, USL leads with 17.41% vs 8.28% for XLC. On fees, XLC is cheaper at 0.13% per year. On volatility, XLC has been the lower-risk option at 3.67%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, USL or XLC?

Over the 5-year period, USL has performed better with a 17.41% return vs 8.28%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, USL or XLC?

XLC is cheaper with a 0.13% expense ratio, compared with 0.88% for USL.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, USL or XLC?

XLC has the higher dividend yield at 1.25%, compared with 0.00% for USL.

What is the main difference between USL and XLC?

USL is categorized as Oil & Gas, while XLC is Large Cap Growth Equities. USL tracks 12 Month Light Sweet Crude Oil, while XLC tracks S&P Communication Services Select Sector Index. They also come from different issuers: Concierge Technologies and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.88% for USL and 0.13% for XLC.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

USL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.04 vs 0.88), 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.