FBT vs. IGLD
FBT (First Trust Amex Biotechnology Index) and IGLD (FT Cboe Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - FBT is a Health & Biotech Equities fund tracking the NYSE Arca Biotechnology Index, while IGLD is a Precious Metals fund actively managed by First Trust. FBT is passively managed, while IGLD is actively managed. Over the past 5 years, FBT returned 6.79%/yr vs 13.02%/yr for IGLD. At a 0.16 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. FBT charges 0.57%/yr vs 0.85%/yr for IGLD.
Performance
FBT vs. IGLD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FBT achieves a 7.08% return, which is significantly higher than IGLD's 1.69% return.
FBT
- 1D
- 2.92%
- 1M
- 6.19%
- YTD
- 7.08%
- 6M
- 3.95%
- 1Y
- 35.94%
- 3Y*
- 12.40%
- 5Y*
- 6.79%
- 10Y*
- 8.86%
IGLD
- 1D
- -0.81%
- 1M
- -1.33%
- YTD
- 1.69%
- 6M
- 4.44%
- 1Y
- 24.53%
- 3Y*
- 23.01%
- 5Y*
- 13.02%
- 10Y*
- —
FBT vs. IGLD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FBT First Trust Amex Biotechnology Index | 7.08% | 24.25% | 5.88% | 2.55% | -4.83% | 1.50% |
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 FBT 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 | 0.19 |
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
FBT vs. IGLD — Risk / Return Rank
FBT
IGLD
FBT vs. IGLD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Amex Biotechnology Index (FBT) 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.
| FBT | IGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.68 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.09 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.31 | 1.22 | +0.09 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.53 | 1.40 | +1.13 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.43 | 3.82 | +3.60 |
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
| FBT | IGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.74 | 1.06 | +0.68 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.31 | 0.86 | -0.55 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.37 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.51 | 0.94 | -0.43 |
Drawdowns
FBT vs. IGLD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FBT drawdown since its inception was -40.51%, which is greater than IGLD's maximum drawdown of -18.59%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FBT and IGLD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FBT | IGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -40.51% | -18.59% | -21.92% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.26% | -17.56% | +3.30% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -20.05% | -17.56% | -2.49% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.05% | -18.59% | -10.46% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -32.37% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.72% | -15.16% | +14.44% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.17% | -5.24% | -5.93% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.85% | 6.43% | -1.58% |
Volatility
FBT vs. IGLD - Volatility Comparison
First Trust Amex Biotechnology Index (FBT) has a higher volatility of 6.94% compared to FT Cboe Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF (IGLD) at 5.12%. This indicates that FBT'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
| FBT | IGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.94% | 5.12% | +1.82% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 15.87% | 21.01% | -5.14% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.79% | 23.24% | -2.45% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 21.89% | 15.17% | +6.72% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 23.91% | 15.00% | +8.91% |
FBT vs. IGLD - Expense Ratio Comparison
FBT has a 0.57% expense ratio, which is lower than IGLD's 0.85% expense ratio.
Dividends
FBT vs. IGLD - Dividend Comparison
FBT has not paid dividends to shareholders, while IGLD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 17.92%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FBT First Trust Amex Biotechnology Index | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.71% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 1.37% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.12% |
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
FBT 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.
FBT has higher volatility (6.94%) compared to IGLD (5.12%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FBT dropped -40.51% vs IGLD's -18.59%.
On 5-year performance, IGLD leads with 13.02% vs 6.79% for FBT. On fees, FBT is cheaper at 0.57% 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 6.79%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
FBT is cheaper with a 0.57% expense ratio, compared with 0.85% for IGLD.
IGLD has the higher dividend yield at 17.92%, compared with 0.00% for FBT.
FBT is categorized as Health & Biotech Equities, while IGLD is Precious Metals. Their fees differ too: 0.57% for FBT and 0.85% for IGLD.
FBT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.74 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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