IUQF.L vs. GLD

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

IUQF.L (iShares Edge MSCI USA Quality Factor UCITS ETF USD (Acc)) and GLD (SPDR Gold Shares) are both exchange-traded funds - IUQF.L is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Russell 1000 TR USD, while GLD is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price PM. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, IUQF.L returned 13.13%/yr vs 19.42%/yr for GLD. At a 0.06 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IUQF.L charges 0.20%/yr vs 0.40%/yr for GLD.

Performance

IUQF.L vs. GLD - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in iShares Edge MSCI USA Quality Factor UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IUQF.L) and SPDR Gold Shares (GLD). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

IUQF.L is traded in GBp, while GLD is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the GLD values have been converted to GBp using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IUQF.L achieves a 9.14% return, which is significantly higher than GLD's 3.30% return.

IUQF.L

• 1D: 0.80%
• 1M: 5.91%
• YTD: 9.14%
• 6M: 9.03%
• 1Y: 23.17%
• 3Y*: 16.68%
• 5Y*: 13.13%
• 10Y*: —

GLD

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: -1.63%
• YTD: 3.30%
• 6M: 4.59%
• 1Y: 32.41%
• 3Y*: 27.53%
• 5Y*: 19.42%
• 10Y*: 13.96%

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

IUQF.L vs. GLD - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
IUQF.L iShares Edge MSCI USA Quality Factor UCITS ETF USD (Acc)	9.14%	4.83%	24.33%	23.81%	-11.33%	29.25%	12.16%	29.08%	-1.58%	11.25%
GLD SPDR Gold Shares	4.20%	52.02%	28.87%	7.06%	11.03%	-3.24%	21.15%	13.37%	3.87%	3.05%

Correlation

The correlation between IUQF.L and GLD is 0.08, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.08
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.08
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.02
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 18, 2016	0.06

IUQF.L vs. GLD - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	IUQF.L	GLD
Technology	38.7%	-
Financial Services	11.2%	-
Communication Services	10.6%	-
Healthcare	9.3%	-
Consumer Cyclical	9.0%	-
Industrials	7.8%	-
Consumer Defensive	4.7%	-
Energy	3.8%	-
Real Estate	1.8%	-
Utilities	1.7%	-
Basic Materials	1.6%	100.0%

Return for Risk

IUQF.L vs. GLD — Risk / Return Rank

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

IUQF.L

IUQF.L Risk / Return Rank: 71
IUQF.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
IUQF.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 69
IUQF.L Omega Ratio Rank: 71
IUQF.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 71
IUQF.L Martin Ratio Rank: 71

GLD

GLD Risk / Return Rank: 34
GLD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 35
GLD Sortino Ratio Rank: 31
GLD Omega Ratio Rank: 38
GLD Calmar Ratio Rank: 35
GLD Martin Ratio Rank: 29

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.

IUQF.L vs. GLD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Edge MSCI USA Quality Factor UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IUQF.L) and SPDR Gold Shares (GLD). 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.

	IUQF.L	GLD	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.27	1.29	+0.98
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.11	1.70	+1.42
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.42	1.26	+0.16
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.47	1.83	+1.64
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	13.01	4.53	+8.48
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IUQF.L vs. GLD - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IUQF.L Sharpe Ratio is 2.27, which is higher than the GLD Sharpe Ratio of 1.29. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IUQF.L and GLD, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	IUQF.L	GLD	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.27	1.29	+0.98
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.89	1.17	-0.27
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.86	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.84	0.70	+0.14

Drawdowns

IUQF.L vs. GLD - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IUQF.L drawdown since its inception was -25.74%, smaller than the maximum GLD drawdown of -41.89%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IUQF.L and GLD.

Drawdown Indicators

	IUQF.L	GLD	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-25.74%	-41.89%	+16.15%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.64%	-17.78%	+11.14%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-20.18%	-17.78%	-2.40%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-20.18%	-17.78%	-2.40%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-22.78%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-16.88%	+16.88%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.97%	-13.21%	+9.24%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.78%	7.18%	-5.40%

Volatility

IUQF.L vs. GLD - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares Edge MSCI USA Quality Factor UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IUQF.L) is 2.63%, while SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) has a volatility of 4.79%. This indicates that IUQF.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GLD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IUQF.L	GLD	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.63%	4.79%	-2.16%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.06%	21.78%	-14.72%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.17%	25.30%	-15.13%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.69%	16.71%	-2.02%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.80%	16.23%	-0.43%

IUQF.L vs. GLD - Expense Ratio Comparison

IUQF.L has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is lower than GLD's 0.40% expense ratio.

Dividends

IUQF.L vs. GLD - Dividend Comparison

Neither IUQF.L nor GLD has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IUQF.L and GLD in my portfolio?

IUQF.L and GLD have a correlation of 0.08, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, IUQF.L or GLD?

On fees, IUQF.L is cheaper at 0.20% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, IUQF.L or GLD?

IUQF.L is cheaper with a 0.20% expense ratio, compared with 0.40% for GLD.

What is the main difference between IUQF.L and GLD?

IUQF.L is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while GLD is Gold. IUQF.L tracks Russell 1000 TR USD, while GLD tracks LBMA Gold Price PM. They also come from different issuers: iShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.20% for IUQF.L and 0.40% for GLD.