IMOM vs. IAUM
IMOM (Alpha Architect International Quantitative Momentum ETF) and IAUM (iShares Gold Trust Micro) are both exchange-traded funds - IMOM is a Momentum fund tracking the Alpha Architect Intern.Quan. Mome. (USD)(TR), while IAUM is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price PM. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, IMOM returned 23.40%/yr vs 29.28%/yr for IAUM. At a 0.30 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IMOM charges 0.38%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for IAUM.
Performance
IMOM vs. IAUM - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IMOM achieves a 16.29% return, which is significantly higher than IAUM's -2.40% return.
IMOM
- 1D
- 1.30%
- 1M
- -0.87%
- YTD
- 16.29%
- 6M
- 18.55%
- 1Y
- 39.37%
- 3Y*
- 23.40%
- 5Y*
- 8.18%
- 10Y*
- 7.94%
IAUM
- 1D
- 0.10%
- 1M
- -7.37%
- YTD
- -2.40%
- 6M
- -2.08%
- 1Y
- 22.55%
- 3Y*
- 29.28%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
IMOM vs. IAUM - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IMOM Alpha Architect International Quantitative Momentum ETF | 16.29% | 47.20% | 5.22% | 9.15% | -21.92% | -1.21% |
IAUM iShares Gold Trust Micro | -2.40% | 64.27% | 27.04% | 13.12% | -0.49% | 3.87% |
Correlation
The correlation between IMOM and IAUM is 0.43, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.43 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.35 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 29, 2021 | 0.30 |
The correlation between IMOM and IAUM shifts across timeframes, from 0.30 (all time) to 0.43 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
IMOM vs. IAUM — Risk / Return Rank
IMOM
IAUM
IMOM vs. IAUM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Alpha Architect International Quantitative Momentum ETF (IMOM) and iShares Gold Trust Micro (IAUM). 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.
| IMOM | IAUM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.02 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.34 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.35 | 1.19 | +0.17 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.52 | 1.00 | +1.52 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.23 | 2.87 | +7.37 |
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Drawdowns
IMOM vs. IAUM - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IMOM drawdown since its inception was -45.74%, which is greater than IAUM's maximum drawdown of -24.37%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IMOM and IAUM.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IMOM | IAUM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.74% | -24.37% | -21.37% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -15.61% | -24.37% | +8.76% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -17.51% | -24.37% | +6.86% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -39.27% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -45.74% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.90% | -21.99% | +18.09% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -14.15% | -5.38% | -8.77% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.84% | 8.46% | -4.62% |
Volatility
IMOM vs. IAUM - Volatility Comparison
Alpha Architect International Quantitative Momentum ETF (IMOM) has a higher volatility of 8.31% compared to iShares Gold Trust Micro (IAUM) at 7.71%. This indicates that IMOM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IAUM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IMOM | IAUM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.31% | 7.71% | +0.60% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.95% | 23.82% | -5.87% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.49% | 27.06% | -6.57% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.04% | 18.05% | +1.99% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.30% | 18.05% | +2.25% |
IMOM vs. IAUM - Expense Ratio Comparison
IMOM has a 0.38% expense ratio, which is higher than IAUM's 0.09% expense ratio.
Dividends
IMOM vs. IAUM - Dividend Comparison
IMOM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.17%, while IAUM has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAUM iShares Gold Trust Micro | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
IMOM Alpha Architect International Quantitative Momentum ETF | 2.17% | 2.53% | 4.52% | 2.95% | 6.06% | 1.27% | 0.59% | 1.17% | 0.78% | 1.11% | 0.54% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IMOM and IAUM have a correlation of 0.43, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IMOM has higher volatility (8.31%) compared to IAUM (7.71%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IMOM dropped -45.74% vs IAUM's -24.37%.
On 3-year performance, IAUM leads with 29.28% vs 23.40% for IMOM. On fees, IAUM is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, IAUM has been the lower-risk option at 7.71%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, IAUM has performed better with a 29.28% return vs 23.40%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IAUM is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.38% for IMOM.
IMOM has the higher dividend yield at 2.17%, compared with 0.00% for IAUM.
IMOM is categorized as Momentum, while IAUM is Gold. IMOM tracks Alpha Architect Intern.Quan. Mome. (USD)(TR), while IAUM tracks LBMA Gold Price PM. They also come from different issuers: Alpha Architect and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.38% for IMOM and 0.09% for IAUM.
IMOM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.92 vs 0.90), 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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