ITA vs. GLDM
ITA (iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF) and GLDM (SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - ITA is a Aerospace & Defense fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index, while GLDM is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price PM. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, ITA returned 16.86%/yr vs 17.41%/yr for GLDM. At a 0.08 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. ITA charges 0.38%/yr vs 0.10%/yr for GLDM.
Performance
ITA vs. GLDM - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ITA achieves a 8.97% return, which is significantly higher than GLDM's -2.40% return.
ITA
- 1D
- -0.95%
- 1M
- 4.16%
- YTD
- 8.97%
- 6M
- 11.71%
- 1Y
- 30.42%
- 3Y*
- 27.30%
- 5Y*
- 16.86%
- 10Y*
- 15.34%
GLDM
- 1D
- 0.11%
- 1M
- -9.52%
- YTD
- -2.40%
- 6M
- -2.09%
- 1Y
- 22.58%
- 3Y*
- 29.27%
- 5Y*
- 17.41%
- 10Y*
- —
ITA vs. GLDM - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ITA iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF | 8.97% | 48.64% | 15.81% | 14.33% | 9.96% | 9.39% | -13.57% | 30.51% | -9.23% |
GLDM SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust | -2.40% | 64.20% | 27.08% | 13.04% | -0.47% | -4.01% | 25.10% | 18.10% | 1.75% |
Correlation
The correlation between ITA and GLDM 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 | 0.18 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.15 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 26, 2018 | 0.08 |
The correlation between ITA and GLDM shifts across timeframes, from 0.08 (all time) to 0.28 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
ITA vs. GLDM — Risk / Return Rank
ITA
GLDM
ITA vs. GLDM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) and SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust (GLDM). 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.
| ITA | GLDM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.54 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.85 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.25 | 1.19 | +0.06 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.97 | 1.00 | +0.97 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.20 | 2.87 | +2.33 |
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Drawdowns
ITA vs. GLDM - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ITA drawdown since its inception was -59.72%, which is greater than GLDM's maximum drawdown of -24.35%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ITA and GLDM.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ITA | GLDM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -59.72% | -24.35% | -35.37% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -15.82% | -24.35% | +8.53% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -15.82% | -24.35% | +8.53% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.72% | -24.35% | +5.63% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -51.00% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.64% | -21.96% | +15.32% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.45% | -6.27% | -3.18% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.97% | 8.44% | -2.47% |
Volatility
ITA vs. GLDM - Volatility Comparison
iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) has a higher volatility of 9.07% compared to SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust (GLDM) at 7.73%. This indicates that ITA's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than GLDM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ITA | GLDM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.07% | 7.73% | +1.34% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 18.47% | 23.93% | -5.46% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.74% | 27.15% | -5.41% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.21% | 18.13% | +2.08% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 23.22% | 16.98% | +6.24% |
ITA vs. GLDM - Expense Ratio Comparison
ITA has a 0.38% expense ratio, which is higher than GLDM's 0.10% expense ratio.
Dividends
ITA vs. GLDM - Dividend Comparison
ITA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.46%, while GLDM has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GLDM SPDR Gold MiniShares 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% |
ITA iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF | 0.46% | 0.55% | 0.85% | 0.93% | 0.95% | 0.82% | 1.07% | 1.54% | 1.13% | 0.91% | 1.07% | 1.04% |
Frequently Asked Questions
ITA and GLDM 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.
ITA has higher volatility (9.07%) compared to GLDM (7.73%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ITA dropped -59.72% vs GLDM's -24.35%.
On 5-year performance, GLDM leads with 17.41% vs 16.86% for ITA. On fees, GLDM is cheaper at 0.10% per year. On volatility, GLDM has been the lower-risk option at 7.73%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, GLDM has performed better with a 17.41% return vs 16.86%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
GLDM is cheaper with a 0.10% expense ratio, compared with 0.38% for ITA.
ITA has the higher dividend yield at 0.46%, compared with 0.00% for GLDM.
ITA is categorized as Aerospace & Defense, while GLDM is Gold. ITA tracks Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index, while GLDM tracks LBMA Gold Price PM. They also come from different issuers: iShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.38% for ITA and 0.10% for GLDM.
ITA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.43 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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