CORO vs. IAU

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

CORO (iShares International Country Rotation Active ETF) and IAU (iShares Gold Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - CORO is a Tactical Allocation fund actively managed by iShares, while IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. CORO is actively managed, while IAU is passively managed. Over the past year, CORO returned 38.35% vs 32.38% for IAU. At a 0.33 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. CORO charges 0.55%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for IAU.

Performance

CORO vs. IAU - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares International Country Rotation Active ETF (CORO) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CORO achieves a 18.94% return, which is significantly higher than IAU's 4.00% return.

CORO

• 1D: 0.68%
• 1M: 6.27%
• YTD: 18.94%
• 6M: 21.98%
• 1Y: 38.35%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

IAU

• 1D: 0.18%
• 1M: -2.65%
• YTD: 4.00%
• 6M: 6.47%
• 1Y: 32.38%
• 3Y*: 31.72%
• 5Y*: 18.82%
• 10Y*: 13.42%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

CORO vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
CORO iShares International Country Rotation Active ETF	18.94%	35.09%	-3.56%
IAU iShares Gold Trust	4.00%	63.95%	-1.06%

Correlation

The correlation between CORO and IAU is 0.39, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.39
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 5, 2024	0.33

Return for Risk

CORO vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

CORO

CORO Risk / Return Rank: 73
CORO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 76
CORO Sortino Ratio Rank: 73
CORO Omega Ratio Rank: 76
CORO Calmar Ratio Rank: 69
CORO Martin Ratio Rank: 73

IAU

IAU Risk / Return Rank: 34
IAU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 34
IAU Sortino Ratio Rank: 30
IAU Omega Ratio Rank: 37
IAU Calmar Ratio Rank: 37
IAU Martin Ratio Rank: 31

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

CORO vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares International Country Rotation Active ETF (CORO) 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.

	CORO	IAU	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.50	1.23	+1.27
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.37	1.63	+1.75
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.46	1.25	+0.21
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.53	1.87	+1.66
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	14.13	4.69	+9.44
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

CORO vs. IAU - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CORO Sharpe Ratio is 2.50, which is higher than the IAU Sharpe Ratio of 1.23. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CORO and IAU, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	CORO	IAU	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.50	1.23	+1.27
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	1.05	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.85	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	2.08	0.63	+1.45

Drawdowns

CORO vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CORO drawdown since its inception was -14.13%, smaller than the maximum IAU drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CORO and IAU.

Drawdown Indicators

	CORO	IAU	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-14.13%	-45.14%	+31.01%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.25%	-19.18%	+7.93%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-19.18%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-20.93%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-21.82%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-16.88%	+16.88%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.74%	-15.96%	+14.22%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.81%	7.63%	-4.82%

Volatility

CORO vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares International Country Rotation Active ETF (CORO) is 5.36%, while iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a volatility of 5.78%. This indicates that CORO 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.

Volatility by Period

	CORO	IAU	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.36%	5.78%	-0.42%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	13.18%	23.00%	-9.82%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.43%	26.51%	-11.08%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.66%	17.96%	-1.30%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.66%	15.90%	+0.76%

CORO vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison

CORO has a 0.55% expense ratio, which is higher than IAU's 0.25% expense ratio.

Dividends

CORO vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison

CORO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.69%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024
CORO iShares International Country Rotation Active ETF	2.69%	3.20%	1.53%
IAU iShares Gold Trust	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both CORO and IAU in my portfolio?

CORO and IAU have a correlation of 0.39, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, CORO or IAU?

IAU has higher volatility (5.78%) compared to CORO (5.36%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CORO dropped -14.13% vs IAU's -45.14%.

Which ETF is better, CORO or IAU?

On 1-year performance, CORO leads with 38.35% vs 32.38% for IAU. On fees, IAU is cheaper at 0.25% per year. On volatility, CORO has been the lower-risk option at 5.36%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, CORO or IAU?

Over the 1-year period, CORO has performed better with a 38.35% return vs 32.38%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, CORO or IAU?

IAU is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 0.55% for CORO.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, CORO or IAU?

CORO has the higher dividend yield at 2.69%, compared with 0.00% for IAU.

What is the main difference between CORO and IAU?

CORO is categorized as Tactical Allocation, while IAU is Gold. Their fees differ too: 0.55% for CORO and 0.25% for IAU.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

CORO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.50 vs 1.23), 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.