IEP vs. SGOL

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

IEP (Icahn Enterprises L.P.) is a stock, while SGOL (abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF) is Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price PM ($/ozt). Over the past 10 years, IEP returned -4.22%/yr vs 12.74%/yr for SGOL. At a 0.01 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

IEP vs. SGOL - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Icahn Enterprises L.P. (IEP) and abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF (SGOL). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IEP achieves a 11.85% return, which is significantly higher than SGOL's 0.32% return. Over the past 10 years, IEP has underperformed SGOL with an annualized return of -4.22%, while SGOL has yielded a comparatively higher 12.74% annualized return.

IEP

• 1D: 0.40%
• 1M: -1.20%
• YTD: 11.85%
• 6M: 9.31%
• 1Y: 12.08%
• 3Y*: -20.14%
• 5Y*: -19.04%
• 10Y*: -4.22%

SGOL

• 1D: 0.22%
• 1M: -8.40%
• YTD: 0.32%
• 6M: 3.15%
• 1Y: 30.41%
• 3Y*: 29.97%
• 5Y*: 17.81%
• 10Y*: 12.74%

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

IEP vs. SGOL - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
IEP Icahn Enterprises L.P.	11.85%	8.23%	-37.79%	-58.78%	18.76%	12.87%	-3.55%	20.44%	18.98%	-1.17%
SGOL abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF	0.32%	63.99%	26.90%	12.99%	-0.51%	-3.94%	25.03%	18.21%	-1.94%	12.86%

Correlation

The correlation between IEP and SGOL is 0.05, 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	0.05
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.03
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.05
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.00
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 10, 2009	0.01

Return for Risk

IEP vs. SGOL — Risk / Return Rank

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

IEP

IEP Risk / Return Rank: 56
IEP Sharpe Ratio Rank: 59
IEP Sortino Ratio Rank: 53
IEP Omega Ratio Rank: 51
IEP Calmar Ratio Rank: 59
IEP Martin Ratio Rank: 59

SGOL

SGOL Risk / Return Rank: 34
SGOL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 35
SGOL Sortino Ratio Rank: 31
SGOL Omega Ratio Rank: 39
SGOL Calmar Ratio Rank: 34
SGOL 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.

IEP vs. SGOL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Icahn Enterprises L.P. (IEP) and abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF (SGOL). 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.

	IEP	SGOL	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.47	1.15	-0.68
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.90	1.54	-0.63
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.11	1.23	-0.12
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.76	1.53	-0.77
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.61	3.82	-2.21
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IEP vs. SGOL - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IEP Sharpe Ratio is 0.47, which is lower than the SGOL Sharpe Ratio of 1.15. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IEP and SGOL, 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

	IEP	SGOL	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.47	1.15	-0.68
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.47	1.00	-1.46
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	-0.12	0.80	-0.92
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.15	0.54	-0.39

Drawdowns

IEP vs. SGOL - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IEP drawdown since its inception was -84.21%, which is greater than SGOL's maximum drawdown of -45.51%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IEP and SGOL.

Drawdown Indicators

	IEP	SGOL	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-84.21%	-45.51%	-38.70%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-16.06%	-20.02%	+3.96%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-67.83%	-20.02%	-47.81%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-77.56%	-20.92%	-56.64%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-77.56%	-21.56%	-56.00%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-71.33%	-19.84%	-51.49%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-30.58%	-18.41%	-12.17%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	7.53%	7.98%	-0.45%

Volatility

IEP vs. SGOL - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Icahn Enterprises L.P. (IEP) is 4.19%, while abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF (SGOL) has a volatility of 5.62%. This indicates that IEP experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SGOL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IEP	SGOL	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.19%	5.62%	-1.43%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	15.99%	23.24%	-7.25%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	25.74%	26.58%	-0.84%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	40.98%	17.96%	+23.02%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	36.37%	15.95%	+20.42%

Dividends

IEP vs. SGOL - Dividend Comparison

IEP's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 26.88%, while SGOL has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
IEP Icahn Enterprises L.P.	26.88%	26.49%	40.37%	34.90%	15.79%	16.13%	15.79%	13.01%	12.26%	11.32%	10.01%	9.79%
SGOL abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF	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

Can I hold both IEP and SGOL in my portfolio?

IEP and SGOL have a correlation of 0.05, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, IEP or SGOL?

SGOL has higher volatility (5.62%) compared to IEP (4.19%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IEP dropped -84.21% vs SGOL's -45.51%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SGOL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.15 vs 0.47), 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.