IAU vs. SO
IAU (iShares Gold Trust) is Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price, while SO (The Southern Company) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, IAU returned 12.71%/yr vs 10.45%/yr for SO. At a 0.08 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
IAU vs. SO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IAU achieves a 0.26% return, which is significantly lower than SO's 6.37% return. Over the past 10 years, IAU has outperformed SO with an annualized return of 12.71%, while SO has yielded a comparatively lower 10.45% annualized return.
IAU
- 1D
- 0.20%
- 1M
- -8.43%
- YTD
- 0.26%
- 6M
- 3.08%
- 1Y
- 30.27%
- 3Y*
- 29.88%
- 5Y*
- 17.71%
- 10Y*
- 12.71%
SO
- 1D
- -1.43%
- 1M
- 0.26%
- YTD
- 6.37%
- 6M
- 8.41%
- 1Y
- 6.80%
- 3Y*
- 12.49%
- 5Y*
- 11.53%
- 10Y*
- 10.45%
IAU vs. SO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.26% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
SO The Southern Company | 6.37% | 9.47% | 21.72% | 2.21% | 8.24% | 16.34% | 0.63% | 51.65% | -3.75% | 2.42% |
Correlation
The correlation between IAU and SO is 0.14, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.16 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.18 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 28, 2005 | 0.08 |
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Return for Risk
IAU vs. SO — Risk / Return Rank
IAU
SO
IAU vs. SO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Gold Trust (IAU) and The Southern Company (SO). 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.
| IAU | SO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.72 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.81 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.23 | 1.09 | +0.15 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.52 | 0.46 | +1.06 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.80 | 1.07 | +2.73 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| IAU | SO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.14 | 0.43 | +0.72 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.99 | 0.62 | +0.37 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.80 | 0.48 | +0.32 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.61 | 0.62 | -0.01 |
Drawdowns
IAU vs. SO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IAU drawdown since its inception was -45.14%, which is greater than SO's maximum drawdown of -38.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IAU and SO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IAU | SO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.14% | -38.43% | -6.71% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -20.04% | -14.99% | -5.05% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -20.04% | -14.99% | -5.05% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -20.93% | -23.28% | +2.35% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -21.82% | -38.43% | +16.61% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -19.88% | -7.14% | -12.74% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.97% | -6.87% | -9.10% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.99% | 6.36% | +1.63% |
Volatility
IAU vs. SO - Volatility Comparison
iShares Gold Trust (IAU) and The Southern Company (SO) have volatilities of 5.64% and 5.69%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IAU | SO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.64% | 5.69% | -0.05% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 23.33% | 13.05% | +10.28% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 26.68% | 16.07% | +10.61% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.02% | 18.64% | -0.62% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 15.94% | 21.96% | -6.02% |
Dividends
IAU vs. SO - Dividend Comparison
IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders, while SO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.26%.
| 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% |
SO The Southern Company | 3.26% | 3.37% | 3.47% | 3.96% | 3.78% | 3.82% | 4.13% | 3.86% | 5.42% | 4.78% | 4.52% | 4.60% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IAU and SO have a correlation of 0.14, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SO has higher volatility (5.69%) compared to IAU (5.64%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IAU dropped -45.14% vs SO's -38.43%.
IAU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.14 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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