VTC vs. USO
VTC (Vanguard Total Corporate Bond ETF) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - VTC is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate Bond Index, while USO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VTC returned 0.51%/yr vs 24.41%/yr for USO. At a correlation of -0.09, they often move in opposite directions. VTC charges 0.04%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.
Performance
VTC vs. USO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VTC achieves a 0.60% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 103.67% return.
VTC
- 1D
- -0.22%
- 1M
- 0.63%
- YTD
- 0.60%
- 6M
- 0.33%
- 1Y
- 5.99%
- 3Y*
- 5.22%
- 5Y*
- 0.51%
- 10Y*
- —
USO
- 1D
- 2.62%
- 1M
- -4.57%
- YTD
- 103.67%
- 6M
- 99.35%
- 1Y
- 101.55%
- 3Y*
- 29.98%
- 5Y*
- 24.41%
- 10Y*
- 4.07%
VTC vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VTC Vanguard Total Corporate Bond ETF | 0.60% | 7.58% | 2.15% | 8.58% | -15.68% | -1.41% | 9.30% | 14.60% | -2.55% | 0.84% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 103.67% | -8.46% | 13.35% | -4.94% | 28.97% | 64.68% | -67.79% | 32.61% | -19.57% | 4.80% |
Correlation
The correlation between VTC and USO is -0.40, 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 | -0.40 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.20 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.13 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 10, 2017 | -0.09 |
Over the past year, the inverse relationship between VTC and USO has strengthened: their correlation has moved from -0.09 to -0.40, meaning they now move in opposite directions more often than their long-term average.
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Return for Risk
VTC vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank
VTC
USO
VTC vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Total Corporate Bond ETF (VTC) and United States Oil Fund LP (USO). 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.
| VTC | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.93 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.87 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.24 | 1.38 | -0.14 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.09 | 5.01 | -2.92 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.63 | 9.42 | -2.79 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| VTC | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.38 | 2.31 | -0.93 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.07 | 0.68 | -0.61 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.10 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.32 | -0.18 | +0.49 |
Drawdowns
VTC vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VTC drawdown since its inception was -22.05%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VTC and USO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VTC | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -22.05% | -98.19% | +76.14% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.88% | -20.39% | +17.51% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -6.46% | -26.05% | +19.59% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -22.05% | -36.23% | +14.18% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -86.75% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.99% | -85.01% | +84.02% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.84% | -75.30% | +69.46% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.90% | 10.82% | -9.92% |
Volatility
VTC vs. USO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Total Corporate Bond ETF (VTC) is 1.43%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 14.87%. This indicates that VTC experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than USO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VTC | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.43% | 14.87% | -13.44% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.22% | 38.23% | -35.01% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.37% | 44.20% | -39.83% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 7.08% | 36.06% | -28.98% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 7.68% | 39.00% | -31.32% |
VTC vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison
VTC has a 0.04% expense ratio, which is lower than USO's 0.86% expense ratio.
Dividends
VTC vs. USO - Dividend Comparison
VTC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.93%, while USO has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VTC Vanguard Total Corporate Bond ETF | 4.93% | 4.76% | 4.50% | 3.80% | 3.13% | 2.36% | 2.69% | 3.34% | 3.53% | 0.55% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VTC and USO have a correlation of -0.40, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
USO has higher volatility (14.87%) compared to VTC (1.43%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VTC dropped -22.05% vs USO's -98.19%.
On 5-year performance, USO leads with 24.41% vs 0.51% for VTC. On fees, VTC is cheaper at 0.04% per year. On volatility, VTC has been the lower-risk option at 1.43%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, USO has performed better with a 24.41% return vs 0.51%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VTC is cheaper with a 0.04% expense ratio, compared with 0.86% for USO.
VTC has the higher dividend yield at 4.93%, compared with 0.00% for USO.
VTC is categorized as Corporate Bonds, while USO is Oil & Gas. VTC tracks Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate Bond Index, while USO tracks Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and USCF. Their fees differ too: 0.04% for VTC and 0.86% for USO.
USO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.31 vs 1.38), 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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