HEAL.L vs. GLD

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

HEAL.L (iShares Healthcare Innovation UCITS ETF USD (Acc)) and GLD (SPDR Gold Shares) are both exchange-traded funds - HEAL.L is a Health & Biotech Equities fund tracking the MSCI World/Health Care NR USD, while GLD is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price PM. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, HEAL.L returned -1.96%/yr vs 18.35%/yr for GLD. At a 0.11 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. Both charge a 0.40% expense ratio.

Performance

HEAL.L vs. GLD - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares Healthcare Innovation UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (HEAL.L) and SPDR Gold Shares (GLD). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, HEAL.L achieves a 0.64% return, which is significantly lower than GLD's 3.77% return.

HEAL.L

• 1D: 3.48%
• 1M: 4.82%
• YTD: 0.64%
• 6M: -0.41%
• 1Y: 20.32%
• 3Y*: 6.08%
• 5Y*: -1.96%
• 10Y*: —

GLD

• 1D: 0.83%
• 1M: -1.67%
• YTD: 3.77%
• 6M: 6.24%
• 1Y: 32.28%
• 3Y*: 31.19%
• 5Y*: 18.35%
• 10Y*: 13.21%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

HEAL.L vs. GLD - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
HEAL.L iShares Healthcare Innovation UCITS ETF USD (Acc)	0.64%	18.42%	0.96%	3.11%	-24.00%	-6.52%	54.05%	12.43%	-3.45%	35.92%
GLD SPDR Gold Shares	3.77%	63.68%	26.66%	12.69%	-0.77%	-4.15%	24.81%	17.86%	-1.94%	12.81%

Correlation

The correlation between HEAL.L and GLD 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	0.16
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.15
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 13, 2016	0.11

The correlation between HEAL.L and GLD shifts across timeframes, from 0.11 (all time) to 0.22 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

HEAL.L vs. GLD - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	HEAL.L	GLD
Healthcare	98.0%	-
Technology	1.2%	-
Industrials	0.5%	-
Basic Materials	0.4%	100.0%
Financial Services	0.2%	-
Consumer Defensive	0.1%	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Energy	-	-
Real Estate	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

HEAL.L vs. GLD — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

HEAL.L

HEAL.L Risk / Return Rank: 32
HEAL.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 33
HEAL.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 34
HEAL.L Omega Ratio Rank: 31
HEAL.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 33
HEAL.L Martin Ratio Rank: 28

GLD

GLD Risk / Return Rank: 34
GLD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 35
GLD Sortino Ratio Rank: 31
GLD Omega Ratio Rank: 38
GLD Calmar Ratio Rank: 35
GLD Martin Ratio Rank: 29

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

HEAL.L vs. GLD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Healthcare Innovation UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (HEAL.L) and SPDR Gold Shares (GLD). 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.

	HEAL.L	GLD	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.16	1.22	-0.06
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.80	1.61	+0.19
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.20	1.24	-0.04
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.61	1.69	-0.08
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.96	4.15	-0.19
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

HEAL.L vs. GLD - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current HEAL.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.16, which is comparable to the GLD Sharpe Ratio of 1.22. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of HEAL.L and GLD, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	HEAL.L	GLD	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.16	1.22	-0.06
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.10	1.02	-1.12
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.83	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.33	0.60	-0.28

Drawdowns

HEAL.L vs. GLD - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum HEAL.L drawdown since its inception was -46.43%, roughly equal to the maximum GLD drawdown of -45.56%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for HEAL.L and GLD.

Drawdown Indicators

	HEAL.L	GLD	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-46.43%	-45.56%	-0.87%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.59%	-19.21%	+6.62%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-21.46%	-19.21%	-2.25%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-43.70%	-21.03%	-22.67%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-22.00%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-20.00%	-17.07%	-2.93%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-18.60%	-16.16%	-2.44%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.12%	7.81%	-2.69%

Volatility

HEAL.L vs. GLD - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares Healthcare Innovation UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (HEAL.L) is 5.13%, while SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) has a volatility of 5.50%. This indicates that HEAL.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GLD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	HEAL.L	GLD	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.13%	5.50%	-0.37%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	13.28%	23.16%	-9.88%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.48%	26.60%	-9.12%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	19.87%	18.00%	+1.87%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.91%	15.95%	+3.96%

HEAL.L vs. GLD - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both HEAL.L and GLD have an expense ratio of 0.40%.

Dividends

HEAL.L vs. GLD - Dividend Comparison

Neither HEAL.L nor GLD has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both HEAL.L and GLD in my portfolio?

HEAL.L and GLD 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.

Which ETF is better, HEAL.L or GLD?

Both ETFs have the same 0.40% expense ratio. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, HEAL.L or GLD?

HEAL.L and GLD have the same expense ratio: 0.40% per year.

What is the main difference between HEAL.L and GLD?

HEAL.L is categorized as Health & Biotech Equities, while GLD is Gold. HEAL.L tracks MSCI World/Health Care NR USD, while GLD tracks LBMA Gold Price PM. They also come from different issuers: iShares and State Street.