ILIT vs. IAU
ILIT (Ishares Lithium Miners And Producers ETF) and IAU (iShares Gold Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - ILIT is a Lithium & Battery Metals fund tracking the STOXX Global Lithium Miners and Producers Index - USD - Benchmark TR Net, while IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, ILIT returned -6.55%/yr vs 28.61%/yr for IAU. At a 0.27 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. ILIT charges 0.47%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for IAU.
Performance
ILIT vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ILIT achieves a 15.18% return, which is significantly higher than IAU's -4.73% return.
ILIT
- 1D
- -4.36%
- 1M
- -10.78%
- YTD
- 15.18%
- 6M
- 12.51%
- 1Y
- 147.87%
- 3Y*
- -6.55%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
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%
ILIT vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
ILIT Ishares Lithium Miners And Producers ETF | 15.18% | 81.51% | -45.14% | -28.86% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | -4.73% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 7.64% |
Correlation
The correlation between ILIT and IAU is 0.35, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.35 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 23, 2023 | 0.27 |
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Return for Risk
ILIT vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
ILIT
IAU
ILIT vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Ishares Lithium Miners And Producers ETF (ILIT) 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.
| ILIT | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +2.14 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.14 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.40 | 1.17 | +0.23 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 5.58 | 0.88 | +4.69 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 15.54 | 2.37 | +13.17 |
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Drawdowns
ILIT vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ILIT drawdown since its inception was -73.69%, which is greater than IAU's maximum drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ILIT and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ILIT | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -73.69% | -45.14% | -28.55% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -26.68% | -24.40% | -2.28% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -73.69% | -24.40% | -49.29% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -24.40% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -24.40% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -24.65% | -23.87% | -0.78% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -45.39% | -15.97% | -29.42% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 9.55% | 9.07% | +0.48% |
Volatility
ILIT vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
Ishares Lithium Miners And Producers ETF (ILIT) has a higher volatility of 15.14% compared to iShares Gold Trust (IAU) at 8.10%. This indicates that ILIT'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.
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Volatility by Period
| ILIT | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 15.14% | 8.10% | +7.04% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 35.33% | 24.23% | +11.10% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 50.74% | 27.38% | +23.36% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 42.02% | 18.18% | +23.84% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 42.02% | 15.98% | +26.04% |
ILIT vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
ILIT has a 0.47% expense ratio, which is higher than IAU's 0.25% expense ratio.
Dividends
ILIT vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
ILIT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.79%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
ILIT Ishares Lithium Miners And Producers ETF | 1.79% | 2.27% | 6.48% | 0.69% |
Frequently Asked Questions
ILIT and IAU have a correlation of 0.35, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ILIT has higher volatility (15.14%) compared to IAU (8.10%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ILIT dropped -73.69% vs IAU's -45.14%.
On 3-year performance, IAU leads with 28.61% vs -6.55% for ILIT. On fees, IAU is cheaper at 0.25% per year. On volatility, IAU has been the lower-risk option at 8.10%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, IAU has performed better with a 28.61% return vs -6.55%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IAU is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 0.47% for ILIT.
ILIT has the higher dividend yield at 1.79%, compared with 0.00% for IAU.
ILIT is categorized as Lithium & Battery Metals, while IAU is Gold. ILIT tracks STOXX Global Lithium Miners and Producers Index - USD - Benchmark TR Net, while IAU tracks LBMA Gold Price. Their fees differ too: 0.47% for ILIT and 0.25% for IAU.
ILIT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.93 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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