LQDH vs. IAU
LQDH (iShares Interest Rate Hedged Corporate Bond ETF) and IAU (iShares Gold Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - LQDH is a Corporate Bonds fund actively managed by iShares, while IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. LQDH is actively managed, while IAU is passively managed. Over the past 10 years, LQDH returned 4.64%/yr vs 13.31%/yr for IAU. At a 0.04 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. Both charge a 0.25% expense ratio.
Performance
LQDH vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, LQDH achieves a 2.31% return, which is significantly lower than IAU's 2.98% return. Over the past 10 years, LQDH has underperformed IAU with an annualized return of 4.64%, while IAU has yielded a comparatively higher 13.31% annualized return.
LQDH
- 1D
- -0.09%
- 1M
- 1.29%
- YTD
- 2.31%
- 6M
- 3.11%
- 1Y
- 7.62%
- 3Y*
- 8.08%
- 5Y*
- 5.28%
- 10Y*
- 4.64%
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%
LQDH vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LQDH iShares Interest Rate Hedged Corporate Bond ETF | 2.31% | 7.00% | 7.43% | 11.14% | -1.88% | 1.84% | 1.68% | 9.50% | -2.20% | 6.00% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 2.98% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
Correlation
The correlation between LQDH and IAU is 0.06, 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 | 0.06 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.12 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.10 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.06 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 18, 2014 | 0.04 |
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Return for Risk
LQDH vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
LQDH
IAU
LQDH vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Interest Rate Hedged Corporate Bond ETF (LQDH) 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.
| LQDH | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.60 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.68 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.57 | 1.24 | +0.32 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.26 | 1.69 | +1.57 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 13.85 | 4.19 | +9.67 |
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
| LQDH | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.83 | 1.23 | +1.60 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 1.20 | 1.03 | +0.18 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.72 | 0.84 | -0.12 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.58 | 0.62 | -0.04 |
Drawdowns
LQDH vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum LQDH drawdown since its inception was -24.63%, smaller than the maximum IAU drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LQDH and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| LQDH | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -24.63% | -45.14% | +20.51% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.34% | -19.18% | +16.84% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -4.86% | -19.18% | +14.32% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -7.08% | -20.93% | +13.85% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -24.63% | -21.82% | -2.81% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.09% | -17.70% | +17.61% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -1.68% | -15.96% | +14.28% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.55% | 7.71% | -7.16% |
Volatility
LQDH vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Interest Rate Hedged Corporate Bond ETF (LQDH) is 0.50%, while iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a volatility of 5.50%. This indicates that LQDH 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
| LQDH | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.50% | 5.50% | -5.00% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.03% | 23.02% | -20.99% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.70% | 26.42% | -23.72% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 4.41% | 17.95% | -13.54% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 6.44% | 15.90% | -9.46% |
LQDH vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
Both LQDH and IAU have an expense ratio of 0.25%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
LQDH vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
LQDH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.95%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold 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% |
LQDH iShares Interest Rate Hedged Corporate Bond ETF | 5.95% | 6.06% | 7.57% | 7.69% | 3.73% | 1.65% | 2.22% | 3.09% | 5.08% | 2.37% | 2.33% | 2.98% |
Frequently Asked Questions
LQDH and IAU have a correlation of 0.06, 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 LQDH (0.50%). In terms of maximum drawdown, LQDH dropped -24.63% vs IAU's -45.14%.
On 10-year performance, IAU leads with 13.31% vs 4.64% for LQDH. Both ETFs have the same 0.25% expense ratio. On volatility, LQDH has been the lower-risk option at 0.50%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, IAU has performed better with a 13.31% return vs 4.64%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
LQDH and IAU have the same expense ratio: 0.25% per year.
LQDH has the higher dividend yield at 5.95%, compared with 0.00% for IAU.
LQDH is categorized as Corporate Bonds, while IAU is Gold.
LQDH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.83 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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