IOT vs. IAU

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Samsara Inc. (IOT) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU).

IAU is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the LBMA Gold Price. It was launched on Jan 21, 2005.

Performance

IOT vs. IAU - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Samsara Inc. (IOT) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

IOT vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
IOT Samsara Inc.	-10.18%	-18.86%	30.89%	168.54%	-55.78%	13.81%
IAU iShares Gold Trust	10.48%	63.95%	26.85%	12.84%	-0.63%	2.93%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IOT achieves a -10.18% return, which is significantly lower than IAU's 10.48% return.

IOT

• 1D: 0.47%
• 1M: 9.38%
• YTD: -10.18%
• 6M: -16.50%
• 1Y: -17.94%
• 3Y*: 17.32%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

IAU

• 1D: 1.72%
• 1M: -10.66%
• YTD: 10.48%
• 6M: 23.05%
• 1Y: 52.36%
• 3Y*: 33.88%
• 5Y*: 22.19%
• 10Y*: 14.27%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Return for Risk

IOT vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

IOT

IOT Risk / Return Rank: 27
IOT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 26
IOT Sortino Ratio Rank: 26
IOT Omega Ratio Rank: 26
IOT Calmar Ratio Rank: 30
IOT Martin Ratio Rank: 29

IAU

IAU Risk / Return Rank: 86
IAU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 88
IAU Sortino Ratio Rank: 85
IAU Omega Ratio Rank: 85
IAU Calmar Ratio Rank: 86
IAU Martin Ratio Rank: 84

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.

IOT vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Samsara Inc. (IOT) 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.

	IOT	IAU	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	-0.32	1.90	-2.22
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	-0.12	2.33	-2.46
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.99	1.35	-0.36
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.34	2.72	-3.06
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	-0.70	9.95	-10.66
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IOT vs. IAU - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IOT Sharpe Ratio is -0.32, which is lower than the IAU Sharpe Ratio of 1.90. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IOT and IAU, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	IOT	IAU	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.32	1.90	-2.22
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	1.26	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.90	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.09	0.65	-0.56

Correlation

The correlation between IOT and IAU is 0.06, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.

Dividends

IOT vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison

Neither IOT nor IAU has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Drawdowns

IOT vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IOT drawdown since its inception was -70.38%, which is greater than IAU's maximum drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IOT and IAU.

Drawdown Indicators

	IOT	IAU	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-70.38%	-45.14%	-25.24%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-49.20%	-19.18%	-30.02%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-20.93%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-21.82%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-47.77%	-11.71%	-36.06%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-30.58%	-15.98%	-14.60%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	24.03%	5.23%	+18.80%

Volatility

IOT vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison

Samsara Inc. (IOT) has a higher volatility of 21.96% compared to iShares Gold Trust (IAU) at 10.44%. This indicates that IOT'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.

Volatility by Period

	IOT	IAU	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	21.96%	10.44%	+11.52%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	40.37%	24.15%	+16.22%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	56.21%	27.64%	+28.57%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	65.93%	17.70%	+48.23%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	65.93%	15.83%	+50.10%