IEDI vs. IAU

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

IEDI (iShares Evolved U.S. Discretionary Spending ETF) and IAU (iShares Gold Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - IEDI is a Consumer Discretionary Equities fund actively managed by iShares, while IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. IEDI is actively managed, while IAU is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, IEDI returned 6.21%/yr vs 18.52%/yr for IAU. At a 0.05 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IEDI charges 0.18%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for IAU.

Performance

IEDI vs. IAU - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares Evolved U.S. Discretionary Spending ETF (IEDI) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IEDI achieves a -1.47% return, which is significantly lower than IAU's 3.83% return.

IEDI

• 1D: 0.43%
• 1M: -3.26%
• YTD: -1.47%
• 6M: -1.79%
• 1Y: 0.50%
• 3Y*: 13.35%
• 5Y*: 6.21%
• 10Y*: —

IAU

• 1D: 0.83%
• 1M: -1.65%
• YTD: 3.83%
• 6M: 6.31%
• 1Y: 32.47%
• 3Y*: 31.39%
• 5Y*: 18.52%
• 10Y*: 13.38%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

IEDI vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
IEDI iShares Evolved U.S. Discretionary Spending ETF	-1.47%	4.05%	22.11%	24.32%	-23.17%	21.19%	29.83%	31.07%	0.71%
IAU iShares Gold Trust	3.83%	63.95%	26.85%	12.84%	-0.63%	-4.00%	25.03%	17.98%	-4.95%

Correlation

The correlation between IEDI and IAU is 0.12, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.12
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.11
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.09
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 26, 2018	0.05

IEDI vs. IAU - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	IEDI	IAU
Consumer Cyclical	64.1%	-
Consumer Defensive	24.8%	-
Industrials	3.5%	-
Technology	3.1%	-
Communication Services	2.1%	-
Financial Services	1.9%	-
Real Estate	0.4%	100.0%
Healthcare	0.2%	-
Energy	0.1%	-
Basic Materials	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

IEDI vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

IEDI

IEDI Risk / Return Rank: 10
IEDI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 10
IEDI Sortino Ratio Rank: 9
IEDI Omega Ratio Rank: 9
IEDI Calmar Ratio Rank: 10
IEDI Martin Ratio Rank: 10

IAU

IAU Risk / Return Rank: 34
IAU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 35
IAU Sortino Ratio Rank: 32
IAU Omega Ratio Rank: 39
IAU Calmar Ratio Rank: 35
IAU Martin Ratio Rank: 29

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

IEDI vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Evolved U.S. Discretionary Spending ETF (IEDI) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU). 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.

	IEDI	IAU	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.04	1.24	-1.20
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.16	1.63	-1.47
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.02	1.25	-0.23
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.05	1.70	-1.65
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	0.13	4.18	-4.05
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IEDI vs. IAU - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IEDI Sharpe Ratio is 0.04, which is lower than the IAU Sharpe Ratio of 1.24. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IEDI and IAU, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	IEDI	IAU	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.04	1.24	-1.20
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.34	1.04	-0.69
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.84	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.61	0.63	-0.02

Drawdowns

IEDI vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IEDI drawdown since its inception was -30.60%, smaller than the maximum IAU drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IEDI and IAU.

Drawdown Indicators

	IEDI	IAU	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-30.60%	-45.14%	+14.54%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.44%	-19.18%	+9.74%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.64%	-19.18%	+0.54%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-29.79%	-20.93%	-8.86%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-21.82%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-7.23%	-17.02%	+9.79%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.93%	-15.96%	+9.03%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.88%	7.79%	-3.91%

Volatility

IEDI vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares Evolved U.S. Discretionary Spending ETF (IEDI) is 3.95%, while iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a volatility of 5.50%. This indicates that IEDI experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IAU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IEDI	IAU	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.95%	5.50%	-1.55%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.20%	23.03%	-12.83%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	13.44%	26.41%	-12.97%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.21%	17.94%	+0.27%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.45%	15.90%	+3.55%

IEDI vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison

IEDI has a 0.18% expense ratio, which is lower than IAU's 0.25% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

IEDI vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison

IEDI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.98%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
IAU iShares Gold Trust	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
IEDI iShares Evolved U.S. Discretionary Spending ETF	0.98%	0.95%	0.90%	1.13%	3.38%	0.70%	0.83%	2.07%	1.57%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IEDI and IAU in my portfolio?

IEDI and IAU have a correlation of 0.12, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, IEDI or IAU?

IAU has higher volatility (5.50%) compared to IEDI (3.95%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IEDI dropped -30.60% vs IAU's -45.14%.

Which ETF is better, IEDI or IAU?

On 5-year performance, IAU leads with 18.52% vs 6.21% for IEDI. On fees, IEDI is cheaper at 0.18% per year. On volatility, IEDI has been the lower-risk option at 3.95%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, IEDI or IAU?

Over the 5-year period, IAU has performed better with a 18.52% return vs 6.21%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, IEDI or IAU?

IEDI is cheaper with a 0.18% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for IAU.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, IEDI or IAU?

IEDI has the higher dividend yield at 0.98%, compared with 0.00% for IAU.

What is the main difference between IEDI and IAU?

IEDI is categorized as Consumer Discretionary Equities, while IAU is Gold. Their fees differ too: 0.18% for IEDI and 0.25% for IAU.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

IAU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.24 vs 0.04), 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.