ILCB vs. IAU
ILCB (iShares Morningstar U.S. Equity ETF) and IAU (iShares Gold Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - ILCB is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Morningstar US Large-Mid Cap Index, while IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, ILCB returned 14.97%/yr vs 11.76%/yr for IAU. At a 0.05 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. ILCB charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for IAU.
Performance
ILCB vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ILCB achieves a 8.52% return, which is significantly higher than IAU's -4.73% return. Over the past 10 years, ILCB has outperformed IAU with an annualized return of 14.97%, while IAU has yielded a comparatively lower 11.76% annualized return.
ILCB
- 1D
- -1.36%
- 1M
- -1.01%
- YTD
- 8.52%
- 6M
- 7.55%
- 1Y
- 23.81%
- 3Y*
- 21.04%
- 5Y*
- 12.58%
- 10Y*
- 14.97%
IAU
- 1D
- -1.87%
- 1M
- -8.82%
- YTD
- -4.73%
- 6M
- -8.68%
- 1Y
- 21.45%
- 3Y*
- 28.61%
- 5Y*
- 18.02%
- 10Y*
- 11.76%
ILCB vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ILCB iShares Morningstar U.S. Equity ETF | 8.52% | 17.70% | 24.96% | 26.91% | -19.48% | 24.07% | 19.40% | 32.68% | -8.51% | 22.09% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | -4.73% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
Correlation
The correlation between ILCB and IAU is 0.28, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.07 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 28, 2005 | 0.05 |
Over the past year, ILCB and IAU have become more correlated (0.28) than their long-term average of 0.05, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
ILCB vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
ILCB
IAU
ILCB vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Morningstar U.S. Equity ETF (ILCB) 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.
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.
| ILCB | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.11 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.44 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.34 | 1.17 | +0.17 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.63 | 0.88 | +1.75 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 11.66 | 2.37 | +9.29 |
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Drawdowns
ILCB vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ILCB drawdown since its inception was -51.53%, which is greater than IAU's maximum drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ILCB and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ILCB | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -51.53% | -45.14% | -6.39% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.09% | -24.40% | +15.31% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.05% | -24.40% | +5.35% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.47% | -24.40% | -1.07% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.30% | -24.40% | -10.90% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.00% | -23.87% | +20.87% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.23% | -15.97% | +9.74% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.05% | 9.07% | -7.02% |
Volatility
ILCB vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Morningstar U.S. Equity ETF (ILCB) is 4.82%, while iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a volatility of 8.10%. This indicates that ILCB 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.
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Volatility by Period
| ILCB | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.82% | 8.10% | -3.28% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.99% | 24.23% | -14.24% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.66% | 27.38% | -14.72% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.23% | 18.18% | -0.95% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.20% | 15.98% | +2.22% |
ILCB vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
ILCB has a 0.03% 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
ILCB vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
ILCB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.00%, 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% |
ILCB iShares Morningstar U.S. Equity ETF | 1.00% | 1.11% | 1.19% | 1.43% | 1.65% | 1.16% | 1.26% | 2.25% | 2.17% | 1.81% | 1.97% | 2.44% |
Frequently Asked Questions
ILCB and IAU have a correlation of 0.28, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IAU has higher volatility (8.10%) compared to ILCB (4.82%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ILCB dropped -51.53% vs IAU's -45.14%.
On 10-year performance, ILCB leads with 14.97% vs 11.76% for IAU. On fees, ILCB is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, ILCB has been the lower-risk option at 4.82%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, ILCB has performed better with a 14.97% return vs 11.76%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
ILCB is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for IAU.
ILCB has the higher dividend yield at 1.00%, compared with 0.00% for IAU.
ILCB is categorized as Large Cap Growth Equities, while IAU is Gold. ILCB tracks Morningstar US Large-Mid Cap Index, while IAU tracks LBMA Gold Price. Their fees differ too: 0.03% for ILCB and 0.25% for IAU.
ILCB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.89 vs 0.79), 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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