IBB vs. PHYS
IBB (iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF) is Health & Biotech Equities fund tracking the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index, while PHYS (Sprott Physical Gold Trust) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, IBB returned 7.19%/yr vs 11.42%/yr for PHYS. At a 0.05 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
IBB vs. PHYS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IBB achieves a 1.19% return, which is significantly higher than PHYS's -3.85% return. Over the past 10 years, IBB has underperformed PHYS with an annualized return of 7.19%, while PHYS has yielded a comparatively higher 11.42% annualized return.
IBB
- 1D
- 0.10%
- 1M
- -1.15%
- YTD
- 1.19%
- 6M
- 0.91%
- 1Y
- 32.61%
- 3Y*
- 9.42%
- 5Y*
- 1.30%
- 10Y*
- 7.19%
PHYS
- 1D
- 0.19%
- 1M
- -10.61%
- YTD
- -3.85%
- 6M
- -3.47%
- 1Y
- 22.63%
- 3Y*
- 28.00%
- 5Y*
- 16.26%
- 10Y*
- 11.42%
IBB vs. PHYS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IBB iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF | 1.19% | 27.98% | -2.41% | 3.76% | -13.69% | 0.95% | 26.01% | 25.42% | -9.53% | 21.08% |
PHYS Sprott Physical Gold Trust | -3.85% | 63.95% | 26.43% | 12.98% | -1.81% | -4.84% | 23.89% | 18.14% | -2.64% | 12.78% |
Correlation
The correlation between IBB and PHYS is 0.26, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.20 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.09 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 26, 2010 | 0.05 |
Over the past year, IBB and PHYS have become more correlated (0.26) than their long-term average of 0.05, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
IBB vs. PHYS — Risk / Return Rank
IBB
PHYS
IBB vs. PHYS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB) and Sprott Physical Gold Trust (PHYS). 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.
| IBB | PHYS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.80 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.20 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.27 | 1.17 | +0.10 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.40 | 0.92 | +2.48 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.49 | 2.64 | +7.85 |
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Drawdowns
IBB vs. PHYS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IBB drawdown since its inception was -62.85%, which is greater than PHYS's maximum drawdown of -48.16%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IBB and PHYS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IBB | PHYS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -62.85% | -48.16% | -14.69% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.63% | -24.80% | +15.17% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -24.85% | -24.80% | -0.05% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -39.82% | -24.80% | -15.02% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -39.82% | -24.80% | -15.02% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.86% | -22.43% | +18.57% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -21.16% | -20.99% | -0.17% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.14% | 8.60% | -5.46% |
Volatility
IBB vs. PHYS - Volatility Comparison
iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB) and Sprott Physical Gold Trust (PHYS) have volatilities of 7.73% and 7.80%, 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
| IBB | PHYS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.73% | 7.80% | -0.07% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 15.86% | 24.75% | -8.89% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.35% | 28.17% | -7.82% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 22.00% | 18.53% | +3.47% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 23.23% | 16.41% | +6.82% |
Dividends
IBB vs. PHYS - Dividend Comparison
IBB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.23%, while PHYS has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IBB iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF | 0.23% | 0.23% | 0.29% | 0.26% | 0.31% | 0.21% | 0.21% | 0.33% | 0.20% | 0.30% | 0.19% | 0.03% |
PHYS Sprott Physical 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% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IBB and PHYS have a correlation of 0.26, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
PHYS has higher volatility (7.80%) compared to IBB (7.73%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IBB dropped -62.85% vs PHYS's -48.16%.
IBB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.61 vs 0.81), 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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