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IKO.AX vs. VGS.AX
Performance
Return for Risk
Drawdowns
Volatility
Dividends

IKO.AX vs. VGS.AX

Last updated Jul 16, 2026
Documentation

IKO.AX (iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (AU)) and VGS.AX (Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF) are both Global Equities funds - IKO.AX tracks the iShares MSCI South Korea Index while VGS.AX tracks the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IKO.AX returned 14.97%/yr vs 13.63%/yr for VGS.AX. At a 0.41 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

IKO.AX vs. VGS.AX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a A$10,000 investment in iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (AU) (IKO.AX) and Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (VGS.AX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

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Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IKO.AX achieves a 64.31% return, which is significantly higher than VGS.AX's 5.31% return. Over the past 10 years, IKO.AX has outperformed VGS.AX with an annualized return of 14.97%, while VGS.AX has yielded a comparatively lower 13.63% annualized return.

IKO.AX

1D
-7.36%
1M
-17.70%
6M
49.12%
YTD
64.31%
1Y
119.84%
3Y*
37.01%
5Y*
16.67%
10Y*
14.97%

VGS.AX

1D
-0.01%
1M
1.72%
6M
4.14%
YTD
5.31%
1Y
13.66%
3Y*
17.60%
5Y*
12.49%
10Y*
13.63%
*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

IKO.AX vs. VGS.AX - Yearly Performance Comparison

2026 (YTD)202520242023202220212020201920182017
IKO.AX
iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (AU)		64.31%80.87%-12.63%16.96%-20.13%-2.25%29.64%7.29%-11.42%30.24%
VGS.AX
Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF		5.31%12.89%29.23%22.54%-12.72%29.67%5.76%29.16%-0.01%12.95%

Correlation

The correlation between IKO.AX and VGS.AX is 0.38, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

Correlation
Correlation (1Y)
Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

0.38

Correlation (3Y)
Calculated over the trailing 3-year period

0.37

Correlation (5Y)
Calculated over the trailing 5-year period

0.40

Correlation (10Y)
Calculated over the trailing 10-year period

0.41

Correlation (All Time)
Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 18, 2014

0.41

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iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (AU)

Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF

Return for Risk

IKO.AX vs. VGS.AX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.
IKO.AX
IKO.AX Risk / Return Rank: 8787
Overall Rank
IKO.AX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 9292
Sharpe Ratio Rank
IKO.AX Sortino Ratio Rank: 7878
Sortino Ratio Rank
IKO.AX Omega Ratio Rank: 8484
Omega Ratio Rank
IKO.AX Calmar Ratio Rank: 9393
Calmar Ratio Rank
IKO.AX Martin Ratio Rank: 8989
Martin Ratio Rank
VGS.AX
VGS.AX Risk / Return Rank: 4242
Overall Rank
VGS.AX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 4949
Sharpe Ratio Rank
VGS.AX Sortino Ratio Rank: 4747
Sortino Ratio Rank
VGS.AX Omega Ratio Rank: 5252
Omega Ratio Rank
VGS.AX Calmar Ratio Rank: 3030
Calmar Ratio Rank
VGS.AX Martin Ratio Rank: 3232
Martin Ratio Rank
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.

IKO.AX vs. VGS.AX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (AU) (IKO.AX) and Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (VGS.AX). 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.

IKO.AXVGS.AXDifference
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility
2.52
1.41

+1.12

Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk
2.80
1.98

+0.82

Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability

1.40

1.27

+0.13

Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown

5.18

1.28

+3.91

Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown

15.73

3.83

+11.89

IKO.AX vs. VGS.AX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IKO.AX Sharpe Ratio is 2.52, which is higher than the VGS.AX Sharpe Ratio of 1.41. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IKO.AX and VGS.AX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

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Drawdowns

IKO.AX vs. VGS.AX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IKO.AX drawdown since its inception was -57.74%, which is greater than VGS.AX's maximum drawdown of -23.39%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IKO.AX and VGS.AX.

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Drawdown Indicators

IKO.AXVGS.AXDifference

Max Drawdown

Largest peak-to-trough decline

-57.74%

-23.39%

-34.35%

Max Drawdown (1Y)

Largest decline over 1 year

-22.15%

-10.72%

-11.43%

Max Drawdown (3Y)

Largest decline over 3 years

-22.15%

-13.82%

-8.33%

Max Drawdown (5Y)

Largest decline over 5 years

-39.03%

-20.53%

-18.50%

Max Drawdown (10Y)

Largest decline over 10 years

-39.50%

-23.39%

-16.11%

Current Drawdown

Current decline from peak

-22.11%

-0.36%

-21.75%

Average Drawdown

Average peak-to-trough decline

-17.29%

-4.18%

-13.11%

Ulcer Index

Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks

7.43%

3.65%

+3.78%

Volatility

IKO.AX vs. VGS.AX - Volatility Comparison

iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (AU) (IKO.AX) has a higher volatility of 21.99% compared to Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (VGS.AX) at 2.21%. This indicates that IKO.AX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VGS.AX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

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Volatility by Period

IKO.AXVGS.AXDifference

Volatility (1M)

Calculated over the trailing 1-month period

21.99%

2.21%

+19.78%

Volatility (6M)

Calculated over the trailing 6-month period

42.47%

7.83%

+34.64%

Volatility (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

45.53%

9.77%

+35.76%

Volatility (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized

27.00%

12.41%

+14.59%

Volatility (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized

23.38%

12.92%

+10.46%

Dividends

IKO.AX vs. VGS.AX - Dividend Comparison

IKO.AX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.85%, more than VGS.AX's 0.97% yield.

PositionTTM20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
IKO.AX
iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (AU)		5.85%0.93%3.03%1.08%1.86%0.87%1.84%1.44%0.00%0.75%1.85%1.07%
VGS.AX
Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF		0.97%2.49%1.76%1.82%1.42%1.75%2.24%2.42%2.19%2.25%3.29%2.35%

Frequently Asked Questions

IKO.AX and VGS.AX have a correlation of 0.38, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

IKO.AX tracks iShares MSCI South Korea Index, while VGS.AX tracks Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard.

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