EWJV vs. IAU
EWJV (iShares MSCI Japan Value ETF) and IAU (iShares Gold Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - EWJV is a Japan Equities fund tracking the MSCI Japan Value Index, while IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, EWJV returned 13.50%/yr vs 18.02%/yr for IAU. At a 0.18 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. EWJV charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for IAU.
Performance
EWJV vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, EWJV achieves a 12.37% return, which is significantly higher than IAU's -4.73% return.
EWJV
- 1D
- -3.02%
- 1M
- -1.22%
- YTD
- 12.37%
- 6M
- 11.97%
- 1Y
- 37.31%
- 3Y*
- 22.92%
- 5Y*
- 13.50%
- 10Y*
- —
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%
EWJV vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EWJV iShares MSCI Japan Value ETF | 12.37% | 33.96% | 11.59% | 23.60% | -6.02% | 5.48% | 2.41% | 9.40% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | -4.73% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.69% |
Correlation
The correlation between EWJV and IAU is 0.32, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.32 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.29 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 7, 2019 | 0.18 |
The correlation between EWJV and IAU shifts across timeframes, from 0.18 (all time) to 0.32 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
EWJV vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
EWJV
IAU
EWJV vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI Japan Value ETF (EWJV) 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.
| EWJV | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.12 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.53 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.35 | 1.17 | +0.18 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.54 | 0.88 | +1.66 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.55 | 2.37 | +5.18 |
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Drawdowns
EWJV vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum EWJV drawdown since its inception was -30.05%, smaller than the maximum IAU drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EWJV and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| EWJV | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -30.05% | -45.14% | +15.09% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.74% | -24.40% | +9.66% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.74% | -24.40% | +9.66% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.39% | -24.40% | -0.99% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -24.40% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.17% | -23.87% | +17.70% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.18% | -15.97% | +9.79% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.96% | 9.07% | -4.11% |
Volatility
EWJV vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares MSCI Japan Value ETF (EWJV) is 5.81%, while iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a volatility of 8.10%. This indicates that EWJV 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
| EWJV | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.81% | 8.10% | -2.29% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 15.22% | 24.23% | -9.01% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 19.70% | 27.38% | -7.68% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.07% | 18.18% | -0.11% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.57% | 15.98% | +2.59% |
EWJV vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
EWJV has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than IAU's 0.25% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
EWJV vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
EWJV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.06%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EWJV iShares MSCI Japan Value ETF | 5.06% | 5.35% | 4.10% | 3.32% | 2.71% | 2.46% | 1.96% | 4.29% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
EWJV and IAU have a correlation of 0.32, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IAU has higher volatility (8.10%) compared to EWJV (5.81%). In terms of maximum drawdown, EWJV dropped -30.05% vs IAU's -45.14%.
On 5-year performance, IAU leads with 18.02% vs 13.50% for EWJV. On fees, EWJV is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, EWJV has been the lower-risk option at 5.81%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, IAU has performed better with a 18.02% return vs 13.50%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
EWJV is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for IAU.
EWJV has the higher dividend yield at 5.06%, compared with 0.00% for IAU.
EWJV is categorized as Japan Equities, while IAU is Gold. EWJV tracks MSCI Japan Value Index, while IAU tracks LBMA Gold Price. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for EWJV and 0.25% for IAU.
EWJV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.90 vs 0.79), 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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