IAU vs. KO
IAU (iShares Gold Trust) is Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price, while KO (The Coca-Cola Company) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, IAU returned 12.31%/yr vs 9.55%/yr for KO. At a 0.05 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
IAU vs. KO - 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 KO's 18.99% return. Over the past 10 years, IAU has outperformed KO with an annualized return of 12.31%, while KO has yielded a comparatively lower 9.55% annualized return.
IAU
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- -9.54%
- YTD
- -2.44%
- 6M
- -2.22%
- 1Y
- 22.32%
- 3Y*
- 29.07%
- 5Y*
- 17.23%
- 10Y*
- 12.31%
KO
- 1D
- 0.11%
- 1M
- 2.70%
- YTD
- 18.99%
- 6M
- 17.96%
- 1Y
- 18.86%
- 3Y*
- 14.33%
- 5Y*
- 11.29%
- 10Y*
- 9.55%
IAU vs. KO - 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% |
KO The Coca-Cola Company | 18.99% | 15.60% | 8.88% | -4.43% | 10.61% | 11.37% | 2.47% | 20.60% | 6.77% | 14.38% |
Correlation
The correlation between IAU and KO is -0.01, 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 | -0.01 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.06 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.08 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.07 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 28, 2005 | 0.05 |
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Return for Risk
IAU vs. KO — Risk / Return Rank
IAU
KO
IAU vs. KO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Gold Trust (IAU) and The Coca-Cola Company (KO). 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 | KO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.18 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.49 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.19 | -0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.99 | 2.26 | -1.27 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.83 | 4.51 | -1.68 |
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Drawdowns
IAU vs. KO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IAU drawdown since its inception was -45.14%, smaller than the maximum KO drawdown of -68.23%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IAU and KO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IAU | KO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.14% | -68.23% | +23.09% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -24.40% | -7.87% | -16.53% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -24.40% | -16.26% | -8.14% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.40% | -17.27% | -7.13% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -24.40% | -36.99% | +12.59% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -22.03% | -1.16% | -20.87% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.97% | -16.09% | +0.12% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.47% | 3.98% | +4.49% |
Volatility
IAU vs. KO - Volatility Comparison
iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a higher volatility of 7.70% compared to The Coca-Cola Company (KO) at 6.70%. This indicates that IAU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than KO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IAU | KO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.70% | 6.70% | +1.00% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 23.94% | 12.87% | +11.07% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.17% | 16.73% | +10.44% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.16% | 16.18% | +1.98% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.02% | 18.24% | -2.22% |
Dividends
IAU vs. KO - Dividend Comparison
IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders, while KO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.49%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
KO The Coca-Cola Company | 1.88% | 2.92% | 3.12% | 3.12% | 2.77% | 2.84% | 2.99% | 2.89% | 3.29% | 3.23% | 3.38% | 3.07% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IAU and KO have a correlation of -0.01, 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 KO (6.70%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IAU dropped -45.14% vs KO's -68.23%.
KO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.06 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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