MKC vs USO: Correlation
How closely do McCormick & Company (MKC) and United States Oil Fund (USO) trade together? Their weekly returns over three years give a correlation of -0.32, which is negative.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are MKC and USO?
Over the past 3 years, MKC and USO moved with a correlation of -0.32, which is negative, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. Lately the two have drifted apart, with the 1-year correlation at -0.54 versus -0.32 over 3 years. Over 5 years the correlation is -0.15, and the annualized covariance of weekly returns is -335.2 %².
USO is close to the least connected end of MKC's tracked universe, ranking #34 of 34. Their recent paths diverged sharply: over the last 12 months USO outperformed by 94.4 percentage points (-20.3% for MKC against +74.1% for USO). Do not treat this figure as fixed: across three years the rolling one-year correlation ranged all the way from -0.59 to 0.21.
How is this computed?
Pearson correlation on weekly returns: ρ(A,B) = cov(rA, rB) / (σA · σB), over windows of 52, 156 and 260 weeks. Covariance is annualized (×52) and expressed in %². Full definitions on the methodology page.
MKC vs USO: side by side
| MKC (McCormick & Company) | USO (United States Oil Fund) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | -20.3% | +74.1% |
| 5-year return | -28.5% | +168.6% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 26.5% | 39.4% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.24 | -0.20 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -44.3% | -32.5% |
| Market cap | $14.7B | – |
| P/E (trailing) | 9.2 | – |
| Dividend yield | 3.38% | – |
| Sector / category | Consumer Staples | ETF · Commodities |
Year-by-year returns
| Year | MKC | USO |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -12.7% | +29.0% |
| 2023 | -15.7% | -4.9% |
| 2024 | +14.0% | +13.4% |
| 2025 | -8.3% | -8.5% |
| 2026 | -18.5% | +88.0% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are MKC and USO good diversifiers for each other?
Yes. With a correlation of -0.32, MKC and USO have moved largely independently, which makes them a genuinely diversifying pair by historical standards.
FAQ
What is the correlation between MKC and USO?
Using weekly returns as of 2026-08-27: -0.32 over 3 years, with -0.54 over the last year and -0.15 over 5 years.
Is USO a good diversifier for MKC?
Yes. With a correlation of -0.32, MKC and USO have moved largely independently, which makes them a genuinely diversifying pair by historical standards.
What does a correlation of -0.32 mean?
A reading of -0.32 sits on a scale from −1 (opposite moves) through 0 (unrelated) to +1 (identical moves). Correlation captures direction, not magnitude or performance.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/mkc-vs-uso.json
Drop this badge in a README or notebook; it updates with the data:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/mkc-vs-uso/)
No key needed, free to use. Full endpoint list in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: MKC correlations · USO correlations
