IGLD vs. MARB
IGLD (FT Cboe Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF) and MARB (First Trust Merger Arbitrage ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IGLD is a Precious Metals fund actively managed by First Trust, while MARB is a Long-Short fund actively managed by First Trust. Both are actively managed. Over the past 5 years, IGLD returned 13.02%/yr vs 2.64%/yr for MARB. At a 0.03 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IGLD charges 0.85%/yr vs 2.30%/yr for MARB.
Performance
IGLD vs. MARB - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IGLD achieves a 1.69% return, which is significantly higher than MARB's 1.26% return.
IGLD
- 1D
- -0.81%
- 1M
- -1.33%
- YTD
- 1.69%
- 6M
- 4.44%
- 1Y
- 24.53%
- 3Y*
- 23.01%
- 5Y*
- 13.02%
- 10Y*
- —
MARB
- 1D
- 0.05%
- 1M
- 0.22%
- YTD
- 1.26%
- 6M
- 1.42%
- 1Y
- 6.18%
- 3Y*
- 4.29%
- 5Y*
- 2.64%
- 10Y*
- —
IGLD vs. MARB - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IGLD FT Cboe Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF | 1.69% | 47.46% | 19.36% | 9.24% | -2.34% | 4.30% |
MARB First Trust Merger Arbitrage ETF | 1.26% | 7.02% | 0.73% | 2.16% | 3.89% | 0.59% |
Correlation
The correlation between IGLD and MARB is -0.11, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.11 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.04 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.03 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 4, 2021 | 0.03 |
The correlation between IGLD and MARB shifts across timeframes, from -0.11 (1 year) to 0.04 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
IGLD vs. MARB — Risk / Return Rank
IGLD
MARB
IGLD vs. MARB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Cboe Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF (IGLD) and First Trust Merger Arbitrage ETF (MARB). 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.
| IGLD | MARB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.11 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.33 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.22 | 1.32 | -0.10 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.40 | 2.56 | -1.15 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.82 | 20.98 | -17.16 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| IGLD | MARB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.06 | 1.17 | -0.11 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.86 | 0.62 | +0.24 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.94 | 0.36 | +0.58 |
Drawdowns
IGLD vs. MARB - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IGLD drawdown since its inception was -18.59%, which is greater than MARB's maximum drawdown of -11.99%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IGLD and MARB.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IGLD | MARB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.59% | -11.99% | -6.60% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -17.56% | -2.43% | -15.13% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -17.56% | -3.67% | -13.89% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.59% | -3.67% | -14.92% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -15.16% | -0.00% | -15.16% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.24% | -1.40% | -3.84% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 6.43% | 0.30% | +6.13% |
Volatility
IGLD vs. MARB - Volatility Comparison
FT Cboe Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF (IGLD) has a higher volatility of 5.12% compared to First Trust Merger Arbitrage ETF (MARB) at 0.47%. This indicates that IGLD's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than MARB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IGLD | MARB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.12% | 0.47% | +4.65% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 21.01% | 2.18% | +18.83% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 23.24% | 5.31% | +17.93% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.17% | 4.27% | +10.90% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 15.00% | 5.60% | +9.40% |
IGLD vs. MARB - Expense Ratio Comparison
IGLD has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is lower than MARB's 2.30% expense ratio.
Dividends
IGLD vs. MARB - Dividend Comparison
IGLD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 17.92%, more than MARB's 2.98% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IGLD FT Cboe Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF | 17.92% | 9.91% | 20.81% | 7.85% | 4.45% | 2.24% |
MARB First Trust Merger Arbitrage ETF | 2.98% | 3.01% | 2.11% | 2.20% | 0.99% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IGLD and MARB have a correlation of -0.11, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IGLD has higher volatility (5.12%) compared to MARB (0.47%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IGLD dropped -18.59% vs MARB's -11.99%.
On 5-year performance, IGLD leads with 13.02% vs 2.64% for MARB. On fees, IGLD is cheaper at 0.85% per year. On volatility, MARB has been the lower-risk option at 0.47%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, IGLD has performed better with a 13.02% return vs 2.64%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IGLD is cheaper with a 0.85% expense ratio, compared with 2.30% for MARB.
IGLD has the higher dividend yield at 17.92%, compared with 2.98% for MARB.
IGLD is categorized as Precious Metals, while MARB is Long-Short. Their fees differ too: 0.85% for IGLD and 2.30% for MARB.
MARB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.17 vs 1.06), 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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