MicroSectorsTM Oil & Gas Exploration… (OILU) Performance
OILU total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +175.9% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +171.1% total return
- 3 years
- +13.4% a year
- Since first price
- +22.5% a year since 2021
OILU trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | OILU total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | +31.6% | +31.6% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | +42.1% | +42.1% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +42.6% | +42.6% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +175.9% | +175.9% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +171.1% | +171.1% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +45.8%+13.4%/yr | +45.8% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| Since inceptionNov 11, 2021 | +173.1%+22.5%/yr | +173.1% | — | — | — |
Total return from adjusted closes (distributions reinvested, before tax). Periods of 3 years or more are also shown annualized. Price only excludes distributions.
Growth of $10,000: OILU vs SPY
From Nov 11, 2021: OILU grew to $27,309, SPY to $17,520.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
OILU returns by calendar year
1 of 4 full years positive. Best 2022 (+151.1%), worst 2023 (−32.5%). 2026 is year to date.
OILU annual returns table
| Year | OILU | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +175.9% | −46.5% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | −16.5% | −54.9% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | −21.6% | −53.7% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | −32.5% | −51.5% | +26.2% | +54.9% | +5.7% |
| 2022 | +151.1% | −63.6% | −18.2% | −32.6% | −13.0% |
Largest drop = deepest fall from a high within that calendar year.
Calendar-year return vs largest drop within the year
Most years include a sizable fall at some point even when the year ends higher.
OILU largest drawdowns
Now 25.8% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 7, 2022 | −81.0% | Apr 10, 2025 | not yet | 2.8 years | 4.4 years so far |
| Apr 18, 2022 | −26.6% | Apr 25, 2022 | May 4, 2022 | 7 days | 16 days |
| May 6, 2022 | −25.5% | May 9, 2022 | May 25, 2022 | 3 days | 19 days |
| Nov 16, 2021 | −25.0% | Dec 20, 2021 | Jan 4, 2022 | 34 days | 49 days |
| Mar 10, 2022 | −22.0% | Mar 16, 2022 | Mar 23, 2022 | 6 days | 13 days |
| Feb 11, 2022 | −17.5% | Feb 22, 2022 | Feb 28, 2022 | 11 days | 17 days |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
OILU risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | Since 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | −0.7% | +19.5% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 64.3% | 81.2% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.24 | 0.56 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.38 | 1.00 |
| Best month | +42.3% | +76.7% |
| Worst month | −44.4% | −48.1% |
| Best 12 months | +175.2% | +226.5% |
| Worst 12 months | −58.7% | −59.7% |
| Positive months | 47% | 53% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | -0.06 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | -0.01 | — |
From monthly total returns. Sharpe and Sortino use 1–3 month T-bills (BIL) as the risk-free rate, so they need history from 2007 on.
OILU rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 48 | −59.7% | −14.0% | +226.5% | 42% |
| 3-year (a year) | 24 | −35.8% | −6.9% | +24.4% | 33% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2021. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
OILU performance overview
MicroSectorsTM Oil & Gas Exploration… (OILU) returned +171.1% over the past year, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2021 it has returned +22.5% a year, turning $10,000 into about $27,309. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −81.0%, from Jun 7, 2022 to Apr 10, 2025; the fund has not yet regained that high. OILU finished 1 of its 4 full calendar years with a gain; the best year was 2022 (+151.1%) and the worst 2023 (−32.5%). Volatility has been 81.2% a year.
Related: OILU chart, OILU holdings, OILU valuation. See the OILU overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
OILU performance FAQ
What is the OILU return over the past year?
OILU returned +171.1% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 171.1%.
How much would $10,000 invested in OILU be worth?
$10,000 invested in OILU at its first recorded close on November 11, 2021 would be worth about $27,309 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for OILU?
The worst calendar year was 2023, with a total return of −32.5%. The best was 2022 at +151.1%.
What is the biggest drawdown of OILU?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −81.0% between June 7, 2022 and April 10, 2025. It has not yet recovered to that high; it is 25.8% below its peak.
How volatile is OILU?
Over the past 3 years OILU had an annualized volatility of 64.3% and a Sharpe ratio of 0.24 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).