IAK vs. SGOL
IAK (iShares U.S. Insurance ETF) and SGOL (abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IAK is a Financials Equities fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Select Insurance Index, while SGOL is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price PM ($/ozt). Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IAK returned 13.33%/yr vs 11.62%/yr for SGOL. Their -0.02 correlation means they have often moved in opposite directions in the past. IAK charges 0.38%/yr vs 0.17%/yr for SGOL.
Performance
IAK vs. SGOL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IAK achieves a 10.81% return, which is significantly higher than SGOL's -6.06% return. Over the past 10 years, IAK has outperformed SGOL with an annualized return of 13.33%, while SGOL has yielded a comparatively lower 11.62% annualized return.
IAK
- 1D
- 2.11%
- 1M
- 7.61%
- 6M
- 16.12%
- YTD
- 10.81%
- 1Y
- 17.49%
- 3Y*
- 20.39%
- 5Y*
- 16.26%
- 10Y*
- 13.33%
- ALL TIME*
- 7.43%
SGOL
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- 0.65%
- 6M
- -18.71%
- YTD
- -6.06%
- 1Y
- 21.20%
- 3Y*
- 27.11%
- 5Y*
- 17.42%
- 10Y*
- 11.62%
- ALL TIME*
- 8.34%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $21.27M | $20.97M | $10.82M | |
| $79.87M | $79.24M | $102.39M |
IAK vs. SGOL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAK iShares U.S. Insurance ETF | 10.81% | 9.50% | 28.25% | 11.28% | 11.33% | 26.84% | -2.86% | 25.94% | -11.48% | 14.18% |
SGOL abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF | -6.06% | 63.99% | 26.90% | 12.99% | -0.51% | -3.94% | 25.03% | 18.21% | -1.94% | 12.86% |
Correlation
The correlation between IAK and SGOL is -0.09, meaning there was essentially no consistent relationship between their historical price movements. Each responded to its own set of market drivers.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | -0.09 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | -0.01 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | -0.00 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | -0.06 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 9, 2009 | -0.02 |
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Return for Risk
IAK vs. SGOL — Risk / Return Rank
IAK
SGOL
IAK vs. SGOL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Insurance ETF (IAK) and abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF (SGOL). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| IAK | SGOL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.43 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.63 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.21 | 1.15 | +0.05 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.41 | 0.77 | +1.64 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.86 | 1.73 | +4.13 |
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Drawdowns
IAK vs. SGOL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IAK drawdown since its inception was -77.38%, which is greater than SGOL's maximum drawdown of -45.51%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IAK and SGOL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IAK | SGOL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -77.38% | -45.51% | -31.87% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.62% | -26.32% | +18.70% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -11.58% | -26.32% | +14.74% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -14.76% | -26.32% | +11.56% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -44.95% | -26.32% | -18.63% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -24.94% | +24.94% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -16.03% | -18.45% | +2.42% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.13% | 11.64% | -8.51% |
Volatility
IAK vs. SGOL - Volatility Comparison
iShares U.S. Insurance ETF (IAK) has a higher volatility of 7.15% compared to abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF (SGOL) at 6.07%. This indicates that IAK's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SGOL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IAK | SGOL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.15% | 6.07% | +1.08% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.11% | 23.69% | -11.58% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.87% | 27.79% | -11.92% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.09% | 18.34% | -0.25% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.90% | 16.08% | +4.82% |
IAK vs. SGOL - Expense Ratio Comparison
IAK has a 0.38% expense ratio, which is higher than SGOL's 0.17% expense ratio.
Dividends
IAK vs. SGOL - Dividend Comparison
IAK's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.41%, while SGOL has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAK iShares U.S. Insurance ETF | 2.41% | 1.69% | 1.49% | 1.44% | 1.69% | 2.26% | 2.07% | 1.84% | 2.33% | 1.62% | 1.68% | 1.62% |
SGOL abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IAK and SGOL have a correlation of -0.09, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IAK has higher volatility (7.15%) compared to SGOL (6.07%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IAK dropped -77.38% vs SGOL's -45.51%.
On 10-year performance, IAK leads with 13.33% vs 11.62% for SGOL. On fees, SGOL is cheaper at 0.17% per year. On volatility, SGOL has been the lower-risk option at 6.07%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, IAK has performed better with a 13.33% return vs 11.62%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SGOL is cheaper with a 0.17% expense ratio, compared with 0.38% for IAK.
IAK has the higher dividend yield at 2.41%, compared with 0.00% for SGOL.
IAK is categorized as Financials Equities, while SGOL is Gold. IAK tracks Dow Jones U.S. Select Insurance Index, while SGOL tracks LBMA Gold Price PM ($/ozt). They also come from different issuers: iShares and abrdn. Their fees differ too: 0.38% for IAK and 0.17% for SGOL.
IAK currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.16 vs 0.73), 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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