IAU vs. IAUF
Compare and contrast key facts about iShares Gold Trust (IAU) and iShares Gold Strategy ETF (IAUF).
IAU and IAUF are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. IAU is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the Gold Bullion. It was launched on Jan 28, 2005. IAUF is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg Composite Gold Index. It was launched on Jun 6, 2018. Both IAU and IAUF are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Scroll down to visually compare performance, riskiness, drawdowns, and other indicators and decide which better suits your portfolio: IAU or IAUF.
Key characteristics
| IAU | IAUF | |
|---|---|---|
| YTD Return | 11.50% | 10.99% |
| 1Y Return | 11.99% | 11.25% |
| 3Y Return (Ann) | 8.76% | 8.12% |
| 5Y Return (Ann) | 12.32% | 11.10% |
| Sharpe Ratio | 1.04 | 0.99 |
| Daily Std Dev | 12.28% | 12.13% |
| Max Drawdown | -45.14% | -23.35% |
| Current Drawdown | -3.67% | -3.93% |
Correlation
The correlation between IAU and IAUF is 0.92, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Performance
IAU vs. IAUF - Performance Comparison
The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with IAU having a 11.50% return and IAUF slightly lower at 10.99%. The chart below displays the growth of a $10,000 investment in both assets, with all prices adjusted for splits and dividends.
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IAU vs. IAUF - Expense Ratio Comparison
Both IAU and IAUF 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%.
Risk-Adjusted Performance
IAU vs. IAUF - Risk-Adjusted Performance Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Gold Trust (IAU) and iShares Gold Strategy ETF (IAUF). 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.
Dividends
IAU vs. IAUF - Dividend Comparison
IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders, while IAUF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 11.88%.
| TTM | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
IAUF iShares Gold Strategy ETF | 11.88% | 13.18% | 0.88% | 0.00% | 7.61% | 10.04% | 0.77% |
Drawdowns
IAU vs. IAUF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IAU drawdown since its inception was -45.14%, which is greater than IAUF's maximum drawdown of -23.35%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IAU and IAUF. For additional features, visit the drawdowns tool.
Volatility
IAU vs. IAUF - Volatility Comparison
iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a higher volatility of 5.17% compared to iShares Gold Strategy ETF (IAUF) at 4.87%. This indicates that IAU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IAUF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.