FAD vs. IGLD
FAD (First Trust Multi Cap Growth AlphaDEX Fund) and IGLD (FT Cboe Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - FAD is a Mid Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the NASDAQ AlphaDEX Multi Cap Growth Index, while IGLD is a Precious Metals fund actively managed by First Trust. FAD is passively managed, while IGLD is actively managed. Over the past 5 years, FAD returned 11.25%/yr vs 13.02%/yr for IGLD. At a 0.16 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. FAD charges 0.63%/yr vs 0.85%/yr for IGLD.
Performance
FAD vs. IGLD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FAD achieves a 17.25% return, which is significantly higher than IGLD's 1.69% return.
FAD
- 1D
- -0.15%
- 1M
- 6.70%
- YTD
- 17.25%
- 6M
- 17.16%
- 1Y
- 34.52%
- 3Y*
- 24.16%
- 5Y*
- 11.25%
- 10Y*
- 14.53%
IGLD
- 1D
- -0.81%
- 1M
- -1.33%
- YTD
- 1.69%
- 6M
- 4.44%
- 1Y
- 24.53%
- 3Y*
- 23.01%
- 5Y*
- 13.02%
- 10Y*
- —
FAD vs. IGLD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FAD First Trust Multi Cap Growth AlphaDEX Fund | 17.25% | 17.23% | 23.85% | 19.07% | -24.06% | 17.04% |
IGLD FT Cboe Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF | 1.69% | 47.46% | 19.36% | 9.24% | -2.34% | 4.30% |
Correlation
The correlation between FAD and IGLD 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 | 0.18 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 4, 2021 | 0.16 |
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Return for Risk
FAD vs. IGLD — Risk / Return Rank
FAD
IGLD
FAD vs. IGLD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Multi Cap Growth AlphaDEX Fund (FAD) and FT Cboe Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF (IGLD). 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.
| FAD | IGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.82 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.13 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.32 | 1.22 | +0.10 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.25 | 1.40 | +1.85 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.54 | 3.82 | +8.72 |
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
| FAD | IGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.88 | 1.06 | +0.82 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.55 | 0.86 | -0.31 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.69 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.50 | 0.94 | -0.44 |
Drawdowns
FAD vs. IGLD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FAD drawdown since its inception was -54.33%, which is greater than IGLD's maximum drawdown of -18.59%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FAD and IGLD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FAD | IGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -54.33% | -18.59% | -35.74% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.66% | -17.56% | +6.90% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -23.55% | -17.56% | -5.99% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -31.99% | -18.59% | -13.40% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -37.25% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.15% | -15.16% | +15.01% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.64% | -5.24% | -4.40% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.76% | 6.43% | -3.67% |
Volatility
FAD vs. IGLD - Volatility Comparison
First Trust Multi Cap Growth AlphaDEX Fund (FAD) has a higher volatility of 6.01% compared to FT Cboe Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF (IGLD) at 5.12%. This indicates that FAD's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IGLD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FAD | IGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.01% | 5.12% | +0.89% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 14.14% | 21.01% | -6.87% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 18.50% | 23.24% | -4.74% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.53% | 15.17% | +5.36% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.18% | 15.00% | +6.18% |
FAD vs. IGLD - Expense Ratio Comparison
FAD has a 0.63% expense ratio, which is lower than IGLD's 0.85% expense ratio.
Dividends
FAD vs. IGLD - Dividend Comparison
FAD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.09%, less than IGLD's 17.92% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FAD First Trust Multi Cap Growth AlphaDEX Fund | 0.09% | 0.09% | 0.59% | 0.51% | 0.60% | 0.09% | 0.32% | 0.48% | 0.20% | 0.22% | 0.64% | 0.41% |
IGLD FT Cboe Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF | 17.92% | 9.91% | 20.81% | 7.85% | 4.45% | 2.24% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FAD and IGLD 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.
FAD has higher volatility (6.01%) compared to IGLD (5.12%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FAD dropped -54.33% vs IGLD's -18.59%.
On 5-year performance, IGLD leads with 13.02% vs 11.25% for FAD. On fees, FAD is cheaper at 0.63% per year. On volatility, IGLD has been the lower-risk option at 5.12%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, IGLD has performed better with a 13.02% return vs 11.25%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
FAD is cheaper with a 0.63% expense ratio, compared with 0.85% for IGLD.
IGLD has the higher dividend yield at 17.92%, compared with 0.09% for FAD.
FAD is categorized as Mid Cap Growth Equities, while IGLD is Precious Metals. Their fees differ too: 0.63% for FAD and 0.85% for IGLD.
FAD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.88 vs 1.06), 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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