VIS vs. USL

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

VIS (Vanguard Industrials ETF) and USL (United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - VIS is a Industrials Equities fund tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Industrials 25/50 Index, while USL is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the 12 Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VIS returned 14.09%/yr vs 10.74%/yr for USL. At a 0.29 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VIS charges 0.10%/yr vs 0.88%/yr for USL.

Performance

VIS vs. USL - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Industrials ETF (VIS) and United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP (USL). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VIS achieves a 14.99% return, which is significantly lower than USL's 60.58% return. Over the past 10 years, VIS has outperformed USL with an annualized return of 14.09%, while USL has yielded a comparatively lower 10.74% annualized return.

VIS

• 1D: 1.16%
• 1M: 1.40%
• YTD: 14.99%
• 6M: 16.70%
• 1Y: 28.58%
• 3Y*: 22.65%
• 5Y*: 12.78%
• 10Y*: 14.09%

USL

• 1D: 1.21%
• 1M: 0.73%
• YTD: 60.58%
• 6M: 58.21%
• 1Y: 56.66%
• 3Y*: 17.81%
• 5Y*: 17.18%
• 10Y*: 10.74%

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

VIS vs. USL - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VIS Vanguard Industrials ETF	14.99%	18.57%	16.85%	22.50%	-8.57%	20.80%	12.34%	30.09%	-14.01%	21.47%
USL United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP	60.58%	-12.37%	8.30%	-1.11%	27.10%	62.48%	-25.23%	28.01%	-14.15%	2.55%

Correlation

The correlation between VIS and USL is -0.21, 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	-0.21
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	-0.00
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.13
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.21
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 7, 2007	0.30

The correlation between VIS and USL shifts across timeframes, from -0.21 (1 year) to 0.29 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

VIS vs. USL - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	VIS	USL
Industrials	89.4%	-
Technology	4.5%	-
Utilities	4.3%	-
Consumer Cyclical	1.1%	-
Financial Services	0.2%	4.5%
Energy	0.1%	-
Basic Materials	0.1%	-
Communication Services	0.0%	-
Real Estate	0.0%	-
Healthcare	0.0%	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-

Return for Risk

VIS vs. USL — Risk / Return Rank

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

VIS

VIS Risk / Return Rank: 50
VIS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 50
VIS Sortino Ratio Rank: 51
VIS Omega Ratio Rank: 47
VIS Calmar Ratio Rank: 46
VIS Martin Ratio Rank: 55

USL

USL Risk / Return Rank: 56
USL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 58
USL Sortino Ratio Rank: 52
USL Omega Ratio Rank: 53
USL Calmar Ratio Rank: 72
USL Martin Ratio Rank: 45

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.

VIS vs. USL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Industrials ETF (VIS) and United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP (USL). 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.

	VIS	USL	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.75	2.00	-0.25
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.51	2.54	-0.03
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.30	1.33	-0.03
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.31	3.67	-1.36
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	9.60	7.44	+2.16
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VIS vs. USL - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VIS Sharpe Ratio is 1.75, which is comparable to the USL Sharpe Ratio of 2.00. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VIS and USL, 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

	VIS	USL	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.75	2.00	-0.25
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.70	0.57	+0.13
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.69	0.33	+0.36
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.52	0.01	+0.51

Drawdowns

VIS vs. USL - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VIS drawdown since its inception was -63.51%, smaller than the maximum USL drawdown of -89.06%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VIS and USL.

Drawdown Indicators

	VIS	USL	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-63.51%	-89.06%	+25.55%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.29%	-16.76%	+4.47%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-20.80%	-23.33%	+2.53%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-22.96%	-33.82%	+10.86%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-42.42%	-66.02%	+23.60%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.91%	-39.10%	+38.19%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.38%	-61.46%	+53.08%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.95%	8.26%	-5.31%

Volatility

VIS vs. USL - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard Industrials ETF (VIS) is 5.29%, while United States 12 Month Oil Fund LP (USL) has a volatility of 11.15%. This indicates that VIS experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than USL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VIS	USL	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.29%	11.15%	-5.86%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	13.55%	23.30%	-9.75%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	16.42%	28.65%	-12.23%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.35%	30.07%	-11.72%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	20.43%	32.35%	-11.92%

VIS vs. USL - Expense Ratio Comparison

VIS has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is lower than USL's 0.88% expense ratio.

Dividends

VIS vs. USL - Dividend Comparison

VIS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.89%, while USL has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
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%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
VIS Vanguard Industrials ETF	0.89%	1.01%	1.23%	1.36%	1.52%	1.11%	1.38%	1.68%	1.90%	1.60%	1.81%	1.94%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VIS and USL in my portfolio?

VIS and USL have a correlation of -0.21, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VIS or USL?

USL has higher volatility (11.15%) compared to VIS (5.29%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VIS dropped -63.51% vs USL's -89.06%.

Which ETF is better, VIS or USL?

On 10-year performance, VIS leads with 14.09% vs 10.74% for USL. On fees, VIS is cheaper at 0.10% per year. On volatility, VIS has been the lower-risk option at 5.29%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, VIS or USL?

Over the 10-year period, VIS has performed better with a 14.09% return vs 10.74%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, VIS or USL?

VIS is cheaper with a 0.10% expense ratio, compared with 0.88% for USL.

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

VIS has the higher dividend yield at 0.89%, compared with 0.00% for USL.

What is the main difference between VIS and USL?

VIS is categorized as Industrials Equities, while USL is Oil & Gas. VIS tracks MSCI US Investable Market Industrials 25/50 Index, while USL tracks 12 Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and Concierge Technologies. Their fees differ too: 0.10% for VIS and 0.88% for USL.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

USL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.00 vs 1.75), 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.