BAR vs. VAW
Compare and contrast key facts about GraniteShares Gold Trust (BAR) and Vanguard Materials ETF (VAW).
BAR and VAW are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. BAR is a passively managed fund by GraniteShares that tracks the performance of the LBMA Gold Price PM ($/ozt). It was launched on Aug 31, 2017. VAW is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the MSCI US Investable Market Materials 25/50 Index. It was launched on Jan 26, 2004. Both BAR and VAW are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
BAR vs. VAW - Performance Comparison
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BAR vs. VAW - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BAR GraniteShares Gold Trust | 10.45% | 64.12% | 26.97% | 12.96% | -0.55% | -3.92% | 25.02% | 18.16% | -1.87% | -1.15% |
VAW Vanguard Materials ETF | 10.45% | 12.30% | 0.48% | 13.67% | -11.80% | 27.43% | 19.44% | 23.53% | -17.49% | 11.06% |
Returns By Period
As of year-to-date, both investments have demonstrated similar returns, with BAR at 10.45% and VAW at 10.45%.
BAR
- 1D
- 1.73%
- 1M
- -10.66%
- YTD
- 10.45%
- 6M
- 23.08%
- 1Y
- 52.47%
- 3Y*
- 33.99%
- 5Y*
- 22.26%
- 10Y*
- —
VAW
- 1D
- 1.35%
- 1M
- -5.90%
- YTD
- 10.45%
- 6M
- 13.21%
- 1Y
- 22.50%
- 3Y*
- 10.54%
- 5Y*
- 7.38%
- 10Y*
- 10.70%
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BAR vs. VAW - Expense Ratio Comparison
BAR has a 0.17% expense ratio, which is higher than VAW's 0.10% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Return for Risk
BAR vs. VAW — Risk / Return Rank
BAR
VAW
BAR vs. VAW - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for GraniteShares Gold Trust (BAR) and Vanguard Materials ETF (VAW). 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.
| BAR | VAW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.91 | 1.06 | +0.85 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.34 | 1.59 | +0.75 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.35 | 1.21 | +0.14 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.72 | 1.60 | +1.12 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.96 | 5.48 | +4.48 |
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
| BAR | VAW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.91 | 1.06 | +0.85 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 1.27 | 0.38 | +0.89 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.51 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.98 | 0.39 | +0.59 |
Correlation
The correlation between BAR and VAW is 0.16, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.
Dividends
BAR vs. VAW - Dividend Comparison
BAR has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VAW's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.40%.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BAR GraniteShares Gold Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VAW Vanguard Materials ETF | 1.40% | 1.55% | 1.70% | 1.72% | 1.98% | 1.44% | 1.67% | 1.94% | 2.03% | 1.63% | 1.67% | 2.30% |
Drawdowns
BAR vs. VAW - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BAR drawdown since its inception was -21.53%, smaller than the maximum VAW drawdown of -62.17%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BAR and VAW.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BAR | VAW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -21.53% | -62.17% | +40.64% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -19.19% | -14.33% | -4.86% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -20.91% | -25.50% | +4.59% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -41.13% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -11.72% | -6.10% | -5.62% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.30% | -9.67% | +3.37% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.24% | 4.17% | +1.07% |
Volatility
BAR vs. VAW - Volatility Comparison
GraniteShares Gold Trust (BAR) has a higher volatility of 10.44% compared to Vanguard Materials ETF (VAW) at 6.71%. This indicates that BAR's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VAW based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BAR | VAW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 10.44% | 6.71% | +3.73% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 24.17% | 13.38% | +10.79% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.65% | 21.41% | +6.24% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.65% | 19.57% | -1.92% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.31% | 21.14% | -4.83% |