EPHE vs. IAU
EPHE (iShares MSCI Philippines ETF) and IAU (iShares Gold Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - EPHE is a Asia Pacific Equities fund tracking the MSCI Philippines Investable Market Index, while IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, EPHE returned -2.80%/yr vs 11.76%/yr for IAU. At a 0.12 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. EPHE charges 0.59%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for IAU.
Performance
EPHE vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, EPHE achieves a 1.87% return, which is significantly higher than IAU's -4.73% return. Over the past 10 years, EPHE has underperformed IAU with an annualized return of -2.80%, while IAU has yielded a comparatively higher 11.76% annualized return.
EPHE
- 1D
- 0.69%
- 1M
- 2.70%
- YTD
- 1.87%
- 6M
- 1.83%
- 1Y
- -1.42%
- 3Y*
- 1.74%
- 5Y*
- -2.44%
- 10Y*
- -2.80%
IAU
- 1D
- -1.87%
- 1M
- -8.82%
- YTD
- -4.73%
- 6M
- -8.68%
- 1Y
- 21.45%
- 3Y*
- 28.61%
- 5Y*
- 18.02%
- 10Y*
- 11.76%
EPHE vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EPHE iShares MSCI Philippines ETF | 1.87% | 1.56% | -1.41% | 1.27% | -15.87% | -2.23% | -3.95% | 8.50% | -17.50% | 20.20% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | -4.73% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
Correlation
The correlation between EPHE and IAU is 0.17, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.16 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 29, 2010 | 0.12 |
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Return for Risk
EPHE vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
EPHE
IAU
EPHE vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI Philippines ETF (EPHE) 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| EPHE | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.86 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.09 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.01 | 1.17 | -0.16 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.09 | 0.88 | -0.97 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.16 | 2.37 | -2.53 |
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Drawdowns
EPHE vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum EPHE drawdown since its inception was -53.82%, which is greater than IAU's maximum drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EPHE and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| EPHE | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -53.82% | -45.14% | -8.68% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -15.90% | -24.40% | +8.50% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -21.42% | -24.40% | +2.98% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -32.96% | -24.40% | -8.56% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -51.62% | -24.40% | -27.22% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -32.64% | -23.87% | -8.77% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -21.02% | -15.97% | -5.05% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.76% | 9.07% | -0.31% |
Volatility
EPHE vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
iShares MSCI Philippines ETF (EPHE) has a higher volatility of 9.46% compared to iShares Gold Trust (IAU) at 8.10%. This indicates that EPHE's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier 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
| EPHE | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.46% | 8.10% | +1.36% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 15.63% | 24.23% | -8.60% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.50% | 27.38% | -6.88% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.42% | 18.18% | +0.24% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.29% | 15.98% | +6.31% |
EPHE vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
EPHE has a 0.59% expense ratio, which is higher than IAU's 0.25% expense ratio.
Dividends
EPHE vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
EPHE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.73%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EPHE iShares MSCI Philippines ETF | 2.73% | 2.11% | 2.32% | 2.01% | 1.73% | 1.05% | 0.72% | 0.78% | 0.45% | 0.36% | 0.71% | 1.03% |
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
EPHE and IAU have a correlation of 0.17, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
EPHE has higher volatility (9.46%) compared to IAU (8.10%). In terms of maximum drawdown, EPHE dropped -53.82% vs IAU's -45.14%.
On 10-year performance, IAU leads with 11.76% vs -2.80% for EPHE. On fees, IAU is cheaper at 0.25% per year. On volatility, IAU has been the lower-risk option at 8.10%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, IAU has performed better with a 11.76% return vs -2.80%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IAU is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 0.59% for EPHE.
EPHE has the higher dividend yield at 2.73%, compared with 0.00% for IAU.
EPHE is categorized as Asia Pacific Equities, while IAU is Gold. EPHE tracks MSCI Philippines Investable Market Index, while IAU tracks LBMA Gold Price. Their fees differ too: 0.59% for EPHE and 0.25% for IAU.
IAU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.79 vs -0.07), 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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