CWO.NEO vs. IAU
CWO.NEO (iShares Emerging Markets Fundamental Index ETF) and IAU (iShares Gold Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - CWO.NEO is a Emerging Markets Equities fund tracking the FTSE RAFI Emerging Markets Index, while IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, CWO.NEO returned 11.43%/yr vs 14.13%/yr for IAU. At a correlation of -0.02, they often move in opposite directions. CWO.NEO charges 0.73%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for IAU.
Performance
CWO.NEO vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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Different Trading Currencies
CWO.NEO is traded in CAD, while IAU is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the IAU values have been converted to CAD using the latest available exchange rates.
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CWO.NEO achieves a 13.80% return, which is significantly higher than IAU's 4.29% return. Over the past 10 years, CWO.NEO has underperformed IAU with an annualized return of 11.43%, while IAU has yielded a comparatively higher 14.13% annualized return.
CWO.NEO
- 1D
- -1.42%
- 1M
- 4.14%
- YTD
- 13.80%
- 6M
- 13.05%
- 1Y
- 35.32%
- 3Y*
- 23.05%
- 5Y*
- 11.55%
- 10Y*
- 11.43%
IAU
- 1D
- -0.58%
- 1M
- 0.34%
- YTD
- 4.29%
- 6M
- 5.10%
- 1Y
- 33.91%
- 3Y*
- 32.81%
- 5Y*
- 21.71%
- 10Y*
- 14.13%
CWO.NEO vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CWO.NEO iShares Emerging Markets Fundamental Index ETF | 13.80% | 26.34% | 22.33% | 9.56% | -9.03% | 7.13% | -3.12% | 10.86% | -0.29% | 17.16% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 4.29% | 56.43% | 37.75% | 10.35% | 6.45% | -4.87% | 22.92% | 12.18% | 6.57% | 5.72% |
Correlation
The correlation between CWO.NEO and IAU is 0.22, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.16 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.12 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.02 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 23, 2009 | -0.02 |
The correlation between CWO.NEO and IAU shifts across timeframes, from -0.02 (all time) to 0.22 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
CWO.NEO vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
CWO.NEO
IAU
CWO.NEO vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Emerging Markets Fundamental Index ETF (CWO.NEO) 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.
| CWO.NEO | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.94 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.29 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.43 | 1.27 | +0.16 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.26 | 1.98 | +1.28 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.37 | 4.86 | +7.52 |
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
| CWO.NEO | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.29 | 1.35 | +0.94 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.70 | 1.30 | -0.60 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.66 | 0.93 | -0.27 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.45 | 0.66 | -0.21 |
Drawdowns
CWO.NEO vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CWO.NEO drawdown since its inception was -31.99%, roughly equal to the maximum IAU drawdown of -33.38%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CWO.NEO and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CWO.NEO | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -31.99% | -33.38% | +1.39% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.90% | -17.22% | +6.32% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -17.12% | -17.22% | +0.10% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.80% | -17.36% | -7.44% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -31.97% | -22.84% | -9.13% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.42% | -15.37% | +13.95% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.29% | -11.38% | +1.09% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.86% | 7.00% | -4.14% |
Volatility
CWO.NEO vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
iShares Emerging Markets Fundamental Index ETF (CWO.NEO) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU) have volatilities of 5.40% and 5.36%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CWO.NEO | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.40% | 5.36% | +0.04% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.46% | 21.69% | -9.23% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.50% | 25.20% | -9.70% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.65% | 16.79% | -0.14% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.52% | 15.32% | +2.20% |
CWO.NEO vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
CWO.NEO has a 0.73% expense ratio, which is higher than IAU's 0.25% expense ratio.
Dividends
CWO.NEO vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
CWO.NEO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.45%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CWO.NEO iShares Emerging Markets Fundamental Index ETF | 2.45% | 2.79% | 3.50% | 4.14% | 5.03% | 4.61% | 2.64% | 3.01% | 3.22% | 2.60% | 2.57% | 3.23% |
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
CWO.NEO and IAU have a correlation of 0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, IAU is cheaper at 0.25% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
IAU is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 0.73% for CWO.NEO.
CWO.NEO is categorized as Emerging Markets Equities, while IAU is Gold. CWO.NEO tracks FTSE RAFI Emerging Markets Index, while IAU tracks LBMA Gold Price. Their fees differ too: 0.73% for CWO.NEO and 0.25% for IAU.
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