LQDB vs. IAU
LQDB (iShares BBB Rated Corporate Bond ETF) and IAU (iShares Gold Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - LQDB is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the iBoxx USD Liquid Investment Grade BBB 0+ Index , while IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, LQDB returned 0.84%/yr vs 18.32%/yr for IAU. At a 0.31 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. LQDB charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for IAU.
Performance
LQDB vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, LQDB achieves a 0.77% return, which is significantly lower than IAU's 2.98% return.
LQDB
- 1D
- -0.18%
- 1M
- 0.58%
- YTD
- 0.77%
- 6M
- 0.56%
- 1Y
- 5.96%
- 3Y*
- 5.59%
- 5Y*
- 0.84%
- 10Y*
- —
IAU
- 1D
- -0.98%
- 1M
- -1.62%
- YTD
- 2.98%
- 6M
- 5.50%
- 1Y
- 32.20%
- 3Y*
- 31.29%
- 5Y*
- 18.32%
- 10Y*
- 13.31%
LQDB vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LQDB iShares BBB Rated Corporate Bond ETF | 0.77% | 7.50% | 2.37% | 9.60% | -15.51% | 2.35% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 2.98% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -2.77% |
Correlation
The correlation between LQDB and IAU is 0.22, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.25 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 21, 2021 | 0.31 |
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Return for Risk
LQDB vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
LQDB
IAU
LQDB vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares BBB Rated Corporate Bond ETF (LQDB) 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.
| LQDB | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.24 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.53 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.26 | 1.24 | +0.02 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.24 | 1.69 | +0.55 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.94 | 4.19 | +2.76 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| LQDB | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.47 | 1.23 | +0.24 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.12 | 1.03 | -0.90 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.84 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.15 | 0.62 | -0.48 |
Drawdowns
LQDB vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum LQDB drawdown since its inception was -21.63%, smaller than the maximum IAU drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LQDB and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| LQDB | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -21.63% | -45.14% | +23.51% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.67% | -19.18% | +16.51% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.90% | -19.18% | +13.28% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.63% | -20.93% | -0.70% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -21.82% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.83% | -17.70% | +16.87% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.93% | -15.96% | +8.03% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.86% | 7.71% | -6.85% |
Volatility
LQDB vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares BBB Rated Corporate Bond ETF (LQDB) is 1.31%, while iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a volatility of 5.50%. This indicates that LQDB experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky 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
| LQDB | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.31% | 5.50% | -4.19% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.08% | 23.02% | -19.94% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.07% | 26.42% | -22.35% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.87% | 17.95% | -11.08% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 6.85% | 15.90% | -9.05% |
LQDB vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
LQDB has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than IAU's 0.25% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
LQDB vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
LQDB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.70%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
LQDB iShares BBB Rated Corporate Bond ETF | 4.70% | 4.65% | 4.46% | 3.90% | 4.14% | 1.32% |
Frequently Asked Questions
LQDB and IAU have a correlation of 0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IAU has higher volatility (5.50%) compared to LQDB (1.31%). In terms of maximum drawdown, LQDB dropped -21.63% vs IAU's -45.14%.
On 5-year performance, IAU leads with 18.32% vs 0.84% for LQDB. On fees, LQDB is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, LQDB has been the lower-risk option at 1.31%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, IAU has performed better with a 18.32% return vs 0.84%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
LQDB is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for IAU.
LQDB has the higher dividend yield at 4.70%, compared with 0.00% for IAU.
LQDB is categorized as Corporate Bonds, while IAU is Gold. LQDB tracks iBoxx USD Liquid Investment Grade BBB 0+ Index , while IAU tracks LBMA Gold Price. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for LQDB and 0.25% for IAU.
LQDB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.47 vs 1.23), 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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