FTHI vs. IGLD
FTHI (First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF) and IGLD (FT Cboe Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - FTHI is a Derivative Income fund actively managed by First Trust, while IGLD is a Precious Metals fund actively managed by First Trust. Both are actively managed. Over the past 5 years, FTHI returned 10.17%/yr vs 13.02%/yr for IGLD. At a 0.17 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. Both charge a 0.85% expense ratio.
Performance
FTHI vs. IGLD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FTHI achieves a 4.79% return, which is significantly higher than IGLD's 1.69% return.
FTHI
- 1D
- -0.17%
- 1M
- 1.75%
- YTD
- 4.79%
- 6M
- 5.22%
- 1Y
- 16.43%
- 3Y*
- 14.50%
- 5Y*
- 10.17%
- 10Y*
- 8.54%
IGLD
- 1D
- -0.81%
- 1M
- -1.33%
- YTD
- 1.69%
- 6M
- 4.44%
- 1Y
- 24.53%
- 3Y*
- 23.01%
- 5Y*
- 13.02%
- 10Y*
- —
FTHI vs. IGLD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FTHI First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF | 4.79% | 11.03% | 19.02% | 20.72% | -4.37% | 9.79% |
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 FTHI and IGLD is 0.21, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.21 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.18 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.16 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 4, 2021 | 0.17 |
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Return for Risk
FTHI vs. IGLD — Risk / Return Rank
FTHI
IGLD
FTHI vs. IGLD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF (FTHI) 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.
| FTHI | IGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.81 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.24 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.36 | 1.22 | +0.14 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.02 | 1.40 | +1.61 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 13.19 | 3.82 | +9.36 |
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
| FTHI | IGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.87 | 1.06 | +0.81 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.76 | 0.86 | -0.10 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.60 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.53 | 0.94 | -0.41 |
Drawdowns
FTHI vs. IGLD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FTHI drawdown since its inception was -32.65%, which is greater than IGLD's maximum drawdown of -18.59%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FTHI and IGLD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FTHI | IGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -32.65% | -18.59% | -14.06% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -5.47% | -17.56% | +12.09% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -15.92% | -17.56% | +1.64% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -16.70% | -18.59% | +1.89% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -32.65% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.17% | -15.16% | +14.99% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.68% | -5.24% | +1.56% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.25% | 6.43% | -5.18% |
Volatility
FTHI vs. IGLD - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF (FTHI) is 1.67%, while FT Cboe Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF (IGLD) has a volatility of 5.12%. This indicates that FTHI experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky 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
| FTHI | IGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.67% | 5.12% | -3.45% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 7.05% | 21.01% | -13.96% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 8.81% | 23.24% | -14.43% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 13.44% | 15.17% | -1.73% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 14.33% | 15.00% | -0.67% |
FTHI vs. IGLD - Expense Ratio Comparison
Both FTHI and IGLD have an expense ratio of 0.85%.
Dividends
FTHI vs. IGLD - Dividend Comparison
FTHI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.73%, less than IGLD's 17.92% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FTHI First Trust BuyWrite Income ETF | 8.73% | 8.70% | 8.61% | 8.50% | 9.06% | 4.37% | 4.76% | 4.21% | 4.76% | 4.00% | 4.41% | 4.98% |
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
FTHI and IGLD have a correlation of 0.21, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IGLD has higher volatility (5.12%) compared to FTHI (1.67%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FTHI dropped -32.65% vs IGLD's -18.59%.
On 5-year performance, IGLD leads with 13.02% vs 10.17% for FTHI. Both ETFs have the same 0.85% expense ratio. On volatility, FTHI has been the lower-risk option at 1.67%. 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 10.17%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
FTHI and IGLD have the same expense ratio: 0.85% per year.
IGLD has the higher dividend yield at 17.92%, compared with 8.73% for FTHI.
FTHI is categorized as Derivative Income, while IGLD is Precious Metals.
FTHI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.87 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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