IEO vs. IAU

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

IEO (iShares U.S. Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF) and IAU (iShares Gold Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - IEO is a Energy Equities fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Select Oil Exploration & Production Index, while IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IEO returned 10.42%/yr vs 13.31%/yr for IAU. At a 0.14 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IEO charges 0.42%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for IAU.

Performance

IEO vs. IAU - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares U.S. Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF (IEO) 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, IEO achieves a 34.59% return, which is significantly higher than IAU's 2.98% return. Over the past 10 years, IEO has underperformed IAU with an annualized return of 10.42%, while IAU has yielded a comparatively higher 13.31% annualized return.

IEO

• 1D: 1.66%
• 1M: -3.23%
• YTD: 34.59%
• 6M: 26.42%
• 1Y: 40.11%
• 3Y*: 16.01%
• 5Y*: 18.96%
• 10Y*: 10.42%

IAU

• 1D: -0.98%
• 1M: -1.62%
• YTD: 2.98%
• 6M: 5.50%
• 1Y: 32.20%
• 3Y*: 31.29%
• 5Y*: 18.32%
• 10Y*: 13.31%

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

IEO vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
IEO iShares U.S. Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF	34.59%	2.15%	-1.45%	3.57%	57.82%	75.57%	-32.77%	9.63%	-19.44%	0.33%
IAU iShares Gold Trust	2.98%	63.95%	26.85%	12.84%	-0.63%	-4.00%	25.03%	17.98%	-1.76%	12.91%

Correlation

The correlation between IEO and IAU is -0.02, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.02
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.10
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.12
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.05
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 8, 2006	0.14

The correlation between IEO and IAU shifts across timeframes, from -0.02 (1 year) to 0.14 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

IEO vs. IAU - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	IEO	IAU
Energy	99.3%	-
Basic Materials	0.7%	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Financial Services	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Industrials	-	-
Real Estate	-	100.0%
Technology	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

IEO vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank

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

IEO

IEO Risk / Return Rank: 45
IEO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 45
IEO Sortino Ratio Rank: 41
IEO Omega Ratio Rank: 40
IEO Calmar Ratio Rank: 56
IEO Martin Ratio Rank: 45

IAU

IAU Risk / Return Rank: 32
IAU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 33
IAU Sortino Ratio Rank: 29
IAU Omega Ratio Rank: 36
IAU Calmar Ratio Rank: 33
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.

IEO vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF (IEO) 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.

	IEO	IAU	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.61	1.23	+0.38
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.12	1.62	+0.50
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.26	1.24	+0.02
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.82	1.69	+1.13
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	7.63	4.19	+3.44
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IEO vs. IAU - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IEO Sharpe Ratio is 1.61, which is higher than the IAU Sharpe Ratio of 1.23. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IEO 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

	IEO	IAU	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.61	1.23	+0.38
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.62	1.03	-0.40
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.30	0.84	-0.54
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.17	0.62	-0.45

Drawdowns

IEO vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IEO drawdown since its inception was -79.17%, which is greater than IAU's maximum drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IEO and IAU.

Drawdown Indicators

	IEO	IAU	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-79.17%	-45.14%	-34.03%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.30%	-19.18%	+4.88%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-31.46%	-19.18%	-12.28%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-31.46%	-20.93%	-10.53%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-75.00%	-21.82%	-53.18%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-7.30%	-17.70%	+10.40%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-26.27%	-15.96%	-10.31%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.28%	7.71%	-2.43%

Volatility

IEO vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison

iShares U.S. Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF (IEO) has a higher volatility of 9.32% compared to iShares Gold Trust (IAU) at 5.50%. This indicates that IEO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IAU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IEO	IAU	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	9.32%	5.50%	+3.82%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	19.86%	23.02%	-3.16%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	25.15%	26.42%	-1.27%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	30.54%	17.95%	+12.59%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	35.00%	15.90%	+19.10%

IEO vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison

IEO has a 0.42% expense ratio, which is higher than IAU's 0.25% expense ratio.

Dividends

IEO vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison

IEO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.97%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.

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%
IEO iShares U.S. Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF	1.97%	2.61%	2.63%	3.00%	3.77%	2.62%	3.17%	1.85%	1.67%	0.94%	0.98%	2.03%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IEO and IAU in my portfolio?

IEO and IAU have a correlation of -0.02, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, IEO or IAU?

IEO has higher volatility (9.32%) compared to IAU (5.50%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IEO dropped -79.17% vs IAU's -45.14%.

Which ETF is better, IEO or IAU?

On 10-year performance, IAU leads with 13.31% vs 10.42% for IEO. On fees, IAU is cheaper at 0.25% per year. On volatility, IAU has been the lower-risk option at 5.50%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, IEO or IAU?

Over the 10-year period, IAU has performed better with a 13.31% return vs 10.42%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, IEO or IAU?

IAU is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 0.42% for IEO.

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

IEO has the higher dividend yield at 1.97%, compared with 0.00% for IAU.

What is the main difference between IEO and IAU?

IEO is categorized as Energy Equities, while IAU is Gold. IEO tracks Dow Jones U.S. Select Oil Exploration & Production Index, while IAU tracks LBMA Gold Price. Their fees differ too: 0.42% for IEO and 0.25% for IAU.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

IEO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.61 vs 1.23), 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.