IAU vs. ACN
IAU (iShares Gold Trust) is Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price, while ACN (Accenture plc) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, IAU returned 12.31%/yr vs 5.50%/yr for ACN. At a 0.02 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
IAU vs. ACN - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IAU achieves a -2.44% return, which is significantly higher than ACN's -35.62% return. Over the past 10 years, IAU has outperformed ACN with an annualized return of 12.31%, while ACN has yielded a comparatively lower 5.50% annualized return.
IAU
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- -7.39%
- YTD
- -2.44%
- 6M
- -2.22%
- 1Y
- 22.32%
- 3Y*
- 29.07%
- 5Y*
- 17.23%
- 10Y*
- 12.31%
ACN
- 1D
- 1.65%
- 1M
- 0.86%
- YTD
- -35.62%
- 6M
- -36.39%
- 1Y
- -43.95%
- 3Y*
- -16.94%
- 5Y*
- -8.24%
- 10Y*
- 5.50%
IAU vs. ACN - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold Trust | -2.44% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
ACN Accenture plc | -35.62% | -22.14% | 1.86% | 33.60% | -34.75% | 60.67% | 26.04% | 51.21% | -6.23% | 33.34% |
Correlation
The correlation between IAU and ACN is -0.03, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.03 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.02 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.05 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.04 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 28, 2005 | 0.02 |
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Return for Risk
IAU vs. ACN — Risk / Return Rank
IAU
ACN
IAU vs. ACN - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Gold Trust (IAU) and Accenture plc (ACN). 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.
| IAU | ACN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +2.14 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +3.18 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 0.77 | +0.41 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.99 | -0.94 | +1.93 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.83 | -1.72 | +4.56 |
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Drawdowns
IAU vs. ACN - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IAU drawdown since its inception was -45.14%, smaller than the maximum ACN drawdown of -59.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IAU and ACN.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IAU | ACN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.14% | -59.20% | +14.06% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -24.40% | -47.89% | +23.49% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -24.40% | -58.67% | +34.27% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.40% | -58.67% | +34.27% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -24.40% | -58.67% | +34.27% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -22.03% | -55.91% | +33.88% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.97% | -12.89% | -3.08% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.47% | 26.93% | -18.46% |
Volatility
IAU vs. ACN - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Gold Trust (IAU) is 7.70%, while Accenture plc (ACN) has a volatility of 12.95%. This indicates that IAU experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ACN based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IAU | ACN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.70% | 12.95% | -5.25% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 23.94% | 29.81% | -5.87% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.17% | 36.02% | -8.85% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.16% | 28.60% | -10.44% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.02% | 26.87% | -10.85% |
Dividends
IAU vs. ACN - Dividend Comparison
IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders, while ACN's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.74%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ACN Accenture plc | 3.74% | 2.26% | 1.52% | 1.33% | 1.51% | 0.87% | 1.26% | 1.07% | 1.98% | 1.66% | 1.97% | 2.03% |
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% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IAU and ACN have a correlation of -0.03, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ACN has higher volatility (12.95%) compared to IAU (7.70%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IAU dropped -45.14% vs ACN's -59.20%.
IAU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.89 vs -1.25), 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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