IAU vs. QDSIX
IAU (iShares Gold Trust) and QDSIX (AQR Diversifying Strategies Fund) are both funds - IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price, while QDSIX is a Multistrategy fund managed by AQR Funds. Over the past 5 years, IAU returned 17.23%/yr vs 10.94%/yr for QDSIX. At a 0.11 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IAU charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.20%/yr for QDSIX.
Performance
IAU vs. QDSIX - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IAU achieves a -2.44% return, which is significantly lower than QDSIX's 5.00% 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%
QDSIX
- 1D
- 0.34%
- 1M
- -0.27%
- YTD
- 5.00%
- 6M
- 6.36%
- 1Y
- 13.68%
- 3Y*
- 13.04%
- 5Y*
- 10.94%
- 10Y*
- —
IAU vs. QDSIX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold Trust | -2.44% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 10.68% |
QDSIX AQR Diversifying Strategies Fund | 5.00% | 16.36% | 9.71% | 8.88% | 14.69% | 10.64% | 5.50% |
Correlation
The correlation between IAU and QDSIX is 0.22, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.18 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.08 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 10, 2020 | 0.11 |
The correlation between IAU and QDSIX shifts across timeframes, from 0.08 (5 years) to 0.22 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
IAU vs. QDSIX — Risk / Return Rank
IAU
QDSIX
IAU vs. QDSIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Gold Trust (IAU) and AQR Diversifying Strategies Fund (QDSIX). 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 | QDSIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.85 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.80 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.52 | -0.33 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.99 | 7.16 | -6.17 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.83 | 20.24 | -17.41 |
Loading charts...
Drawdowns
IAU vs. QDSIX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IAU drawdown since its inception was -45.14%, which is greater than QDSIX's maximum drawdown of -7.06%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IAU and QDSIX.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| IAU | QDSIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.14% | -7.06% | -38.08% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -24.40% | -1.96% | -22.44% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -24.40% | -6.90% | -17.50% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.40% | -7.06% | -17.34% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -24.40% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -22.03% | -1.41% | -20.62% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.97% | -1.44% | -14.53% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.47% | 0.69% | +7.78% |
Volatility
IAU vs. QDSIX - Volatility Comparison
iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a higher volatility of 7.70% compared to AQR Diversifying Strategies Fund (QDSIX) at 1.73%. This indicates that IAU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than QDSIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| IAU | QDSIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.70% | 1.73% | +5.97% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 23.94% | 3.72% | +20.22% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.17% | 5.11% | +22.06% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.16% | 7.65% | +10.51% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.02% | 7.32% | +8.70% |
IAU vs. QDSIX - Expense Ratio Comparison
IAU has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is higher than QDSIX's 0.20% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
IAU vs. QDSIX - Dividend Comparison
IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders, while QDSIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.13%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
QDSIX AQR Diversifying Strategies Fund | 2.13% | 2.23% | 0.00% | 11.35% | 8.22% | 6.07% | 1.93% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IAU and QDSIX have a correlation of 0.22, 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 QDSIX (1.73%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IAU dropped -45.14% vs QDSIX's -7.06%.
QDSIX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.74 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.
Find the right allocation for IAU and QDSIX
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer