FSZ vs. IAU
Compare and contrast key facts about First Trust Switzerland AlphaDEX Fund (FSZ) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU).
FSZ and IAU are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. FSZ is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the NASDAQ AlphaDEX Switzerland Index. It was launched on Feb 14, 2012. IAU is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the LBMA Gold Price. It was launched on Jan 21, 2005. Both FSZ and IAU are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
FSZ vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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FSZ vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FSZ First Trust Switzerland AlphaDEX Fund | -0.28% | 30.10% | -1.85% | 21.30% | -20.12% | 20.18% | 13.83% | 25.88% | -15.22% | 31.30% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 8.61% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FSZ achieves a -0.28% return, which is significantly lower than IAU's 8.61% return. Over the past 10 years, FSZ has underperformed IAU with an annualized return of 9.39%, while IAU has yielded a comparatively higher 14.08% annualized return.
FSZ
- 1D
- 1.51%
- 1M
- -7.05%
- YTD
- -0.28%
- 6M
- 4.35%
- 1Y
- 20.25%
- 3Y*
- 11.56%
- 5Y*
- 7.17%
- 10Y*
- 9.39%
IAU
- 1D
- 3.80%
- 1M
- -11.01%
- YTD
- 8.61%
- 6M
- 21.15%
- 1Y
- 49.53%
- 3Y*
- 33.12%
- 5Y*
- 21.78%
- 10Y*
- 14.08%
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FSZ vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
FSZ has a 0.80% expense ratio, which is higher than IAU's 0.25% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
FSZ vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
FSZ
IAU
FSZ vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Switzerland AlphaDEX Fund (FSZ) 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.
| FSZ | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.29 | 1.80 | -0.51 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.78 | 2.24 | -0.45 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.25 | 1.33 | -0.08 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.72 | 2.69 | -0.97 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.84 | 9.97 | -5.13 |
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
| FSZ | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.29 | 1.80 | -0.51 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.37 | 1.24 | -0.86 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.50 | 0.89 | -0.39 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.51 | 0.64 | -0.13 |
Correlation
The correlation between FSZ and IAU is 0.14, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.
Dividends
FSZ vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
FSZ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.44%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FSZ First Trust Switzerland AlphaDEX Fund | 2.44% | 1.80% | 1.80% | 2.11% | 3.50% | 1.62% | 1.53% | 2.01% | 2.29% | 1.49% | 1.93% | 1.08% |
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% |
Drawdowns
FSZ vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FSZ drawdown since its inception was -33.97%, smaller than the maximum IAU drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FSZ and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FSZ | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -33.97% | -45.14% | +11.17% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.39% | -19.18% | +8.79% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -33.96% | -20.93% | -13.03% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -33.97% | -21.82% | -12.15% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.26% | -13.20% | +5.94% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.02% | -15.98% | +8.96% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.70% | 5.18% | -1.48% |
Volatility
FSZ vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for First Trust Switzerland AlphaDEX Fund (FSZ) is 5.05%, while iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a volatility of 11.02%. This indicates that FSZ 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
| FSZ | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.05% | 11.02% | -5.97% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.14% | 24.11% | -14.97% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.87% | 27.62% | -11.75% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 19.33% | 17.69% | +1.64% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.88% | 15.82% | +3.06% |