IAU vs. GOOG
IAU (iShares Gold Trust) is Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price, while GOOG (Alphabet Inc) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, IAU returned 12.31%/yr vs 25.97%/yr for GOOG. At a 0.04 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
IAU vs. GOOG - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IAU achieves a -2.44% return, which is significantly lower than GOOG's 14.29% return. Over the past 10 years, IAU has underperformed GOOG with an annualized return of 12.31%, while GOOG has yielded a comparatively higher 25.97% annualized return.
IAU
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- -10.21%
- YTD
- -2.44%
- 6M
- -2.22%
- 1Y
- 23.95%
- 3Y*
- 29.07%
- 5Y*
- 17.23%
- 10Y*
- 12.31%
GOOG
- 1D
- 0.45%
- 1M
- -10.19%
- YTD
- 14.29%
- 6M
- 15.49%
- 1Y
- 102.96%
- 3Y*
- 42.67%
- 5Y*
- 23.51%
- 10Y*
- 25.97%
IAU vs. GOOG - 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% |
GOOG Alphabet Inc | 14.29% | 65.42% | 35.62% | 58.83% | -38.67% | 65.17% | 31.03% | 29.10% | -1.03% | 35.58% |
Correlation
The correlation between IAU and GOOG is 0.19, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.19 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.11 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.07 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 3, 2014 | 0.04 |
The correlation between IAU and GOOG shifts across timeframes, from 0.04 (all time) to 0.19 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
IAU vs. GOOG — Risk / Return Rank
IAU
GOOG
IAU vs. GOOG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Gold Trust (IAU) and Alphabet Inc (GOOG). 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 | GOOG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.72 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -3.71 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.59 | -0.41 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.99 | 4.99 | -4.00 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.83 | 17.56 | -14.73 |
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Drawdowns
IAU vs. GOOG - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IAU drawdown since its inception was -45.14%, roughly equal to the maximum GOOG drawdown of -44.60%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IAU and GOOG.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IAU | GOOG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.14% | -44.60% | -0.54% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -24.40% | -20.75% | -3.65% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -24.40% | -29.35% | +4.95% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.40% | -44.60% | +20.20% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -24.40% | -44.60% | +20.20% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -22.03% | -10.19% | -11.84% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.97% | -8.89% | -7.08% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.47% | 5.88% | +2.59% |
Volatility
IAU vs. GOOG - Volatility Comparison
iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a higher volatility of 7.70% compared to Alphabet Inc (GOOG) at 7.29%. This indicates that IAU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than GOOG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IAU | GOOG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.70% | 7.29% | +0.41% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 23.94% | 20.47% | +3.47% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.17% | 28.75% | -1.58% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.16% | 31.15% | -12.99% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.02% | 29.02% | -13.00% |
Dividends
IAU vs. GOOG - Dividend Comparison
IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders, while GOOG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.24%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
GOOG Alphabet Inc | 0.24% | 0.26% | 0.32% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IAU and GOOG have a correlation of 0.19, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IAU has higher volatility (7.70%) compared to GOOG (7.29%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IAU dropped -45.14% vs GOOG's -44.60%.
GOOG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.60 vs 0.89), 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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