BUI vs. IAU
BUI (BlackRock Utilities, Infrastructure & Power Opportunities Trust) is a stock, while IAU (iShares Gold Trust) is Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. Over the past 10 years, BUI returned 11.23%/yr vs 12.71%/yr for IAU. At a 0.09 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
BUI vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BUI achieves a 11.75% return, which is significantly higher than IAU's 0.26% return. Over the past 10 years, BUI has underperformed IAU with an annualized return of 11.23%, while IAU has yielded a comparatively higher 12.71% annualized return.
BUI
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.12%
- YTD
- 11.75%
- 6M
- 15.59%
- 1Y
- 26.50%
- 3Y*
- 15.62%
- 5Y*
- 8.51%
- 10Y*
- 11.23%
IAU
- 1D
- 0.20%
- 1M
- -8.43%
- YTD
- 0.26%
- 6M
- 3.08%
- 1Y
- 30.27%
- 3Y*
- 29.88%
- 5Y*
- 17.71%
- 10Y*
- 12.71%
BUI vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BUI BlackRock Utilities, Infrastructure & Power Opportunities Trust | 11.75% | 21.79% | 14.62% | 12.29% | -16.77% | 12.48% | 20.30% | 20.60% | -1.81% | 26.06% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.26% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
Correlation
The correlation between BUI and IAU is 0.21, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.21 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.16 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.12 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 23, 2011 | 0.09 |
The correlation between BUI and IAU shifts across timeframes, from 0.09 (all time) to 0.21 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
BUI vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
BUI
IAU
BUI vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BlackRock Utilities, Infrastructure & Power Opportunities Trust (BUI) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU). 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.
| BUI | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.62 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.00 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.34 | 1.23 | +0.11 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.96 | 1.52 | +0.44 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.62 | 3.80 | +1.82 |
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
| BUI | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.76 | 1.14 | +0.62 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.50 | 0.99 | -0.49 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.52 | 0.80 | -0.28 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.51 | 0.61 | -0.10 |
Drawdowns
BUI vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BUI drawdown since its inception was -46.49%, roughly equal to the maximum IAU drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BUI and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BUI | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -46.49% | -45.14% | -1.35% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.57% | -20.04% | +6.47% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -18.27% | -20.04% | +1.77% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -27.41% | -20.93% | -6.48% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -46.49% | -21.82% | -24.67% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.16% | -19.88% | +12.72% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.02% | -15.97% | +9.95% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.72% | 7.99% | -3.27% |
Volatility
BUI vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for BlackRock Utilities, Infrastructure & Power Opportunities Trust (BUI) is 3.67%, while iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a volatility of 5.64%. This indicates that BUI experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IAU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BUI | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.67% | 5.64% | -1.97% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.28% | 23.33% | -11.05% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.15% | 26.68% | -11.53% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.04% | 18.02% | -0.98% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.82% | 15.94% | +5.88% |
Dividends
BUI vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
BUI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 9.57%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BUI BlackRock Utilities, Infrastructure & Power Opportunities Trust | 9.57% | 10.39% | 6.26% | 6.65% | 6.99% | 5.45% | 5.80% | 6.51% | 7.35% | 6.72% | 7.89% | 8.65% |
IAU iShares 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% |
Frequently Asked Questions
BUI and IAU have a correlation of 0.21, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IAU has higher volatility (5.64%) compared to BUI (3.67%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BUI dropped -46.49% vs IAU's -45.14%.
BUI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.76 vs 1.14), 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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