IAU vs. AVIV
IAU (iShares Gold Trust) and AVIV (Avantis International Large Cap Value ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price, while AVIV is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund actively managed by Avantis. IAU is passively managed, while AVIV is actively managed. Over the past 3 years, IAU returned 29.91%/yr vs 21.08%/yr for AVIV. At a 0.35 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. Both charge a 0.25% expense ratio.
Performance
IAU vs. AVIV - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IAU achieves a 0.11% return, which is significantly lower than AVIV's 12.69% return.
IAU
- 1D
- 2.61%
- 1M
- -4.97%
- YTD
- 0.11%
- 6M
- 0.22%
- 1Y
- 25.52%
- 3Y*
- 29.91%
- 5Y*
- 18.47%
- 10Y*
- 12.49%
AVIV
- 1D
- 0.56%
- 1M
- 2.69%
- YTD
- 12.69%
- 6M
- 13.58%
- 1Y
- 32.96%
- 3Y*
- 21.08%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
IAU vs. AVIV - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.11% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | 5.97% |
AVIV Avantis International Large Cap Value ETF | 12.69% | 41.80% | 4.30% | 18.47% | -8.26% | 1.83% |
Correlation
The correlation between IAU and AVIV is 0.47, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.47 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.40 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 30, 2021 | 0.35 |
The correlation between IAU and AVIV shifts across timeframes, from 0.35 (all time) to 0.47 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
IAU vs. AVIV — Risk / Return Rank
IAU
AVIV
IAU vs. AVIV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Gold Trust (IAU) and Avantis International Large Cap Value ETF (AVIV). 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 | AVIV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.33 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.79 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.41 | -0.22 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.05 | 3.07 | -2.02 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.00 | 11.98 | -8.99 |
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Drawdowns
IAU vs. AVIV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IAU drawdown since its inception was -45.14%, which is greater than AVIV's maximum drawdown of -27.69%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IAU and AVIV.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IAU | AVIV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.14% | -27.69% | -17.45% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -24.40% | -10.78% | -13.62% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -24.40% | -14.13% | -10.27% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.40% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -24.40% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -20.00% | -0.34% | -19.66% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.97% | -5.09% | -10.88% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.56% | 2.76% | +5.80% |
Volatility
IAU vs. AVIV - Volatility Comparison
iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a higher volatility of 8.29% compared to Avantis International Large Cap Value ETF (AVIV) at 5.15%. This indicates that IAU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than AVIV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IAU | AVIV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.29% | 5.15% | +3.14% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 24.06% | 12.32% | +11.74% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.29% | 14.61% | +12.68% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.20% | 16.92% | +1.28% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.04% | 16.92% | -0.88% |
IAU vs. AVIV - Expense Ratio Comparison
Both IAU and AVIV have an expense ratio of 0.25%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
IAU vs. AVIV - Dividend Comparison
IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders, while AVIV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.92%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AVIV Avantis International Large Cap Value ETF | 3.92% | 3.01% | 3.46% | 3.64% | 2.84% | 0.57% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IAU and AVIV have a correlation of 0.47, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IAU has higher volatility (8.29%) compared to AVIV (5.15%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IAU dropped -45.14% vs AVIV's -27.69%.
On 3-year performance, IAU leads with 29.91% vs 21.08% for AVIV. Both ETFs have the same 0.25% expense ratio. On volatility, AVIV has been the lower-risk option at 5.15%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, IAU has performed better with a 29.91% return vs 21.08%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IAU and AVIV have the same expense ratio: 0.25% per year.
AVIV has the higher dividend yield at 3.92%, compared with 0.00% for IAU.
IAU is categorized as Gold, while AVIV is Foreign Large Cap Equities. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Avantis.
AVIV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.27 vs 0.94), 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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