IAU vs. VST
IAU (iShares Gold Trust) is Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price, while VST (Vistra Corp.) is a stock. Over the past 5 years, IAU returned 17.23%/yr vs 54.40%/yr for VST. At a 0.06 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
IAU vs. VST - 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 VST's -8.13% 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%
VST
- 1D
- 1.12%
- 1M
- 3.79%
- YTD
- -8.13%
- 6M
- -12.74%
- 1Y
- -14.43%
- 3Y*
- 83.39%
- 5Y*
- 54.40%
- 10Y*
- —
IAU vs. VST - 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% |
VST Vistra Corp. | -8.13% | 17.66% | 261.52% | 70.73% | 5.08% | 19.57% | -11.87% | 2.46% | 24.95% | 18.19% |
Correlation
The correlation between IAU and VST is 0.13, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.12 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.12 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 4, 2016 | 0.06 |
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Return for Risk
IAU vs. VST — Risk / Return Rank
IAU
VST
IAU vs. VST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Gold Trust (IAU) and Vistra Corp. (VST). 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 | VST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.18 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.36 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 0.99 | +0.20 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.99 | -0.38 | +1.37 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.83 | -0.70 | +3.53 |
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Drawdowns
IAU vs. VST - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IAU drawdown since its inception was -45.14%, smaller than the maximum VST drawdown of -53.32%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IAU and VST.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IAU | VST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.14% | -53.32% | +8.18% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -24.40% | -38.01% | +13.61% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -24.40% | -48.80% | +24.40% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.40% | -48.80% | +24.40% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -24.40% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -22.03% | -31.89% | +9.86% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.97% | -13.72% | -2.25% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.47% | 20.73% | -12.26% |
Volatility
IAU vs. VST - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Gold Trust (IAU) is 7.70%, while Vistra Corp. (VST) has a volatility of 15.14%. This indicates that IAU experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VST based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IAU | VST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.70% | 15.14% | -7.44% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 23.94% | 37.96% | -14.02% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.17% | 48.75% | -21.58% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.16% | 47.97% | -29.81% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.02% | 42.22% | -26.20% |
Dividends
IAU vs. VST - Dividend Comparison
IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VST's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.61%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
VST Vistra Corp. | 0.61% | 0.56% | 0.63% | 2.13% | 3.12% | 2.64% | 2.75% | 2.17% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 14.97% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IAU and VST have a correlation of 0.13, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VST has higher volatility (15.14%) compared to IAU (7.70%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IAU dropped -45.14% vs VST's -53.32%.
IAU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.89 vs -0.30), 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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