GOLY vs. HYG
GOLY (Strategy Shares Gold-Hedged Bond ETF) and HYG (iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - GOLY is a Nontraditional Bonds fund tracking the Solactive Gold-Backed Bond Index, while HYG is a High Yield Bonds fund tracking the iBoxx $ Liquid High Yield Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, GOLY returned 6.38%/yr vs 3.87%/yr for HYG. At a 0.32 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. GOLY charges 0.79%/yr vs 0.49%/yr for HYG.
Performance
GOLY vs. HYG - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GOLY achieves a -17.86% return, which is significantly lower than HYG's 1.60% return.
GOLY
- 1D
- 0.18%
- 1M
- -2.36%
- YTD
- -17.86%
- 6M
- -14.48%
- 1Y
- 4.45%
- 3Y*
- 17.97%
- 5Y*
- 6.38%
- 10Y*
- —
HYG
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- 0.31%
- YTD
- 1.60%
- 6M
- 2.09%
- 1Y
- 7.00%
- 3Y*
- 8.58%
- 5Y*
- 3.87%
- 10Y*
- 4.97%
GOLY vs. HYG - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GOLY Strategy Shares Gold-Hedged Bond ETF | -17.86% | 57.98% | 19.82% | 12.74% | -19.96% | -1.30% |
HYG iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | 1.60% | 8.59% | 7.97% | 11.54% | -10.98% | 2.86% |
Correlation
The correlation between GOLY and HYG is 0.37, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.37 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.38 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.32 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 19, 2021 | 0.32 |
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Return for Risk
GOLY vs. HYG — Risk / Return Rank
GOLY
HYG
GOLY vs. HYG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Strategy Shares Gold-Hedged Bond ETF (GOLY) and iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (HYG). 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.
| GOLY | HYG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.14 | 1.85 | -1.72 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 0.39 | 2.80 | -2.41 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.06 | 1.36 | -0.30 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.23 | 2.99 | -2.75 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.54 | 13.22 | -12.68 |
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
| GOLY | HYG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.14 | 1.85 | -1.72 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.29 | 0.52 | -0.23 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.60 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.30 | 0.46 | -0.16 |
Drawdowns
GOLY vs. HYG - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GOLY drawdown since its inception was -35.99%, which is greater than HYG's maximum drawdown of -34.25%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GOLY and HYG.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GOLY | HYG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -35.99% | -34.25% | -1.74% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -29.88% | -2.34% | -27.54% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -29.88% | -4.56% | -25.32% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -35.99% | -15.79% | -20.20% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -22.03% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -29.13% | -0.00% | -29.13% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.84% | -3.24% | -8.60% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 12.85% | 0.53% | +12.32% |
Volatility
GOLY vs. HYG - Volatility Comparison
Strategy Shares Gold-Hedged Bond ETF (GOLY) has a higher volatility of 6.86% compared to iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (HYG) at 1.22%. This indicates that GOLY's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than HYG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| GOLY | HYG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.86% | 1.22% | +5.64% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 29.48% | 3.00% | +26.48% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 32.94% | 3.79% | +29.15% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 22.29% | 7.52% | +14.77% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.21% | 8.29% | +13.92% |
GOLY vs. HYG - Expense Ratio Comparison
GOLY has a 0.79% expense ratio, which is higher than HYG's 0.49% expense ratio.
Dividends
GOLY vs. HYG - Dividend Comparison
GOLY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 9.59%, more than HYG's 5.90% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GOLY Strategy Shares Gold-Hedged Bond ETF | 9.59% | 7.22% | 3.85% | 2.94% | 2.57% | 1.11% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
HYG iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF | 5.90% | 5.71% | 6.01% | 5.74% | 5.30% | 4.02% | 4.88% | 4.99% | 5.54% | 5.12% | 5.27% | 5.90% |
Frequently Asked Questions
GOLY and HYG have a correlation of 0.37, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
GOLY has higher volatility (6.86%) compared to HYG (1.22%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GOLY dropped -35.99% vs HYG's -34.25%.
On 5-year performance, GOLY leads with 6.38% vs 3.87% for HYG. On fees, HYG is cheaper at 0.49% per year. On volatility, HYG has been the lower-risk option at 1.22%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, GOLY has performed better with a 6.38% return vs 3.87%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
HYG is cheaper with a 0.49% expense ratio, compared with 0.79% for GOLY.
GOLY has the higher dividend yield at 9.59%, compared with 5.90% for HYG.
GOLY is categorized as Nontraditional Bonds, while HYG is High Yield Bonds. GOLY tracks Solactive Gold-Backed Bond Index, while HYG tracks iBoxx $ Liquid High Yield Index. They also come from different issuers: Strategy Shares and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.79% for GOLY and 0.49% for HYG.
HYG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.85 vs 0.14), 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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