IAU vs. RGLD
IAU (iShares Gold Trust) is Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price, while RGLD (Royal Gold, Inc.) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, IAU returned 12.31%/yr vs 13.61%/yr for RGLD. A 0.63 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.
Performance
IAU vs. RGLD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IAU achieves a -2.44% return, which is significantly higher than RGLD's -6.25% return. Over the past 10 years, IAU has underperformed RGLD with an annualized return of 12.31%, while RGLD has yielded a comparatively higher 13.61% 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%
RGLD
- 1D
- 1.47%
- 1M
- -15.27%
- YTD
- -6.25%
- 6M
- -4.74%
- 1Y
- 16.96%
- 3Y*
- 21.73%
- 5Y*
- 12.37%
- 10Y*
- 13.61%
IAU vs. RGLD - 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% |
RGLD Royal Gold, Inc. | -6.25% | 70.43% | 10.39% | 8.70% | 8.51% | 0.04% | -12.13% | 44.27% | 5.53% | 31.32% |
Correlation
The correlation between IAU and RGLD is 0.69, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.69 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.68 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.66 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.63 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 28, 2005 | 0.63 |
The correlation between IAU and RGLD has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.63 to 0.69 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
IAU vs. RGLD — Risk / Return Rank
IAU
RGLD
IAU vs. RGLD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Gold Trust (IAU) and Royal Gold, Inc. (RGLD). 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 | RGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.45 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.43 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.11 | +0.08 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.99 | 0.48 | +0.50 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.83 | 1.27 | +1.56 |
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Drawdowns
IAU vs. RGLD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IAU drawdown since its inception was -45.14%, smaller than the maximum RGLD drawdown of -98.29%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IAU and RGLD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IAU | RGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.14% | -98.29% | +53.15% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -24.40% | -35.12% | +10.72% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -24.40% | -35.12% | +10.72% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.40% | -40.73% | +16.33% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -24.40% | -49.55% | +25.15% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -22.03% | -31.66% | +9.63% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.97% | -29.82% | +13.85% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.47% | 13.34% | -4.87% |
Volatility
IAU vs. RGLD - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Gold Trust (IAU) is 7.70%, while Royal Gold, Inc. (RGLD) has a volatility of 12.33%. This indicates that IAU experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than RGLD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IAU | RGLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.70% | 12.33% | -4.63% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 23.94% | 32.22% | -8.28% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.17% | 39.34% | -12.17% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.16% | 31.58% | -13.42% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.02% | 33.66% | -17.64% |
Dividends
IAU vs. RGLD - Dividend Comparison
IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders, while RGLD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.89%.
| 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% |
RGLD Royal Gold, Inc. | 0.89% | 0.81% | 1.21% | 1.24% | 1.24% | 1.14% | 1.05% | 0.87% | 1.17% | 1.17% | 1.45% | 1.81% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IAU and RGLD have a correlation of 0.69, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
RGLD has higher volatility (12.33%) compared to IAU (7.70%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IAU dropped -45.14% vs RGLD's -98.29%.
IAU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.89 vs 0.43), 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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