What this ETF is trying to do

The USCF Energy Commodity Strategy Absolute Return Fund (USE) is an ETF that focuses on energy commodities. Its goal is to provide an "absolute return," which generally means it tries to make a profit regardless of whether the broader market is going up or down.

What the numbers show

As of September 18, 2026, the share price was $36.64. To understand how the price has changed, we can look at the price returns:

• Year-to-Date (YTD): The price return is approximately 59.99%.

• One Year: The price return is approximately 25.66%.

• Three Year: The price return is approximately -3.61%.

The fund also provides "total return" figures, which include both the share-price change and the distributions paid to investors. The one-year total return was approximately 29.45%, and the three-year total return was approximately 42.71%.

For a simple example, if you had invested $10,000 exactly one year ago based on the estimated price of $29.16, your investment would be worth approximately $12,566 based on the price return alone.

Income and distribution explanation

This ETF pays out cash to investors, known as distributions. The distribution yield is approximately 1.91%. Over the last 12 months, the fund made one payout totaling $0.70 per share.

The distribution frequency is listed as irregular or less frequent. It is important for beginners to know that a distribution yield is not the same as a total return. A high yield does not guarantee that the investor made a profit, as the share price can still go down.

NAV erosion explanation

"NAV erosion" happens when the net asset value (the actual value of the fund's holdings) steadily declines over time. This is a risk for income investors because they want their original investment (the principal) to stay stable.

For this ETF, the erosion-risk score is 100, and the erosion severity is labeled as "good." The data states that no price erosion was detected, and the severe erosion-risk flag is false.

Pros

• The fund has shown strong positive total returns over the one-year and three-year periods.

• There is currently no detected price erosion.

• The year-to-date price return is significantly positive.

Cons

• Distributions are irregular and not paid on a steady schedule.

• The three-year price return (excluding distributions) was slightly negative.

Beginner takeaway

The USE ETF has seen strong recent growth in both price and total return. While it provides some cash income through distributions, the payouts are infrequent. Investors should always look at the total return rather than just the distribution yield to see the full picture of how an investment performed.