LVHD vs. FGDL
LVHD (Legg Mason Low Volatility High Dividend ETF) and FGDL (Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - LVHD is a Volatility Hedged Equity fund tracking the QS Low Volatility High Dividend Index, while FGDL is a Precious Metals fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price PM ($/ozt). Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, LVHD returned 9.33%/yr vs 31.32%/yr for FGDL. At a 0.15 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. LVHD charges 0.27%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for FGDL.
Performance
LVHD vs. FGDL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, LVHD achieves a 6.72% return, which is significantly higher than FGDL's 2.43% return.
LVHD
- 1D
- -0.14%
- 1M
- -1.27%
- YTD
- 6.72%
- 6M
- 6.51%
- 1Y
- 9.60%
- 3Y*
- 9.33%
- 5Y*
- 6.06%
- 10Y*
- 8.03%
FGDL
- 1D
- -1.09%
- 1M
- -1.94%
- YTD
- 2.43%
- 6M
- 4.89%
- 1Y
- 31.70%
- 3Y*
- 31.32%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
LVHD vs. FGDL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LVHD Legg Mason Low Volatility High Dividend ETF | 6.72% | 7.50% | 10.18% | -0.95% | 3.46% |
FGDL Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF | 2.43% | 64.15% | 27.31% | 12.92% | 0.91% |
Correlation
The correlation between LVHD and FGDL is 0.14, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 1, 2022 | 0.15 |
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Return for Risk
LVHD vs. FGDL — Risk / Return Rank
LVHD
FGDL
LVHD vs. FGDL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Legg Mason Low Volatility High Dividend ETF (LVHD) and Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF (FGDL). 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.
| LVHD | FGDL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.18 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.06 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.17 | 1.24 | -0.06 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.56 | 1.66 | -0.09 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.98 | 4.03 | -0.05 |
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
| LVHD | FGDL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.01 | 1.19 | -0.18 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.47 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.52 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.56 | 1.35 | -0.79 |
Drawdowns
LVHD vs. FGDL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum LVHD drawdown since its inception was -37.32%, which is greater than FGDL's maximum drawdown of -19.23%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LVHD and FGDL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| LVHD | FGDL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -37.32% | -19.23% | -18.09% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -6.17% | -19.23% | +13.06% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.29% | -19.23% | +4.94% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -16.75% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -37.32% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.84% | -18.16% | +13.32% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.05% | -3.83% | -0.22% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.42% | 7.88% | -5.46% |
Volatility
LVHD vs. FGDL - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Legg Mason Low Volatility High Dividend ETF (LVHD) is 2.86%, while Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF (FGDL) has a volatility of 5.61%. This indicates that LVHD experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than FGDL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| LVHD | FGDL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.86% | 5.61% | -2.75% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.64% | 23.18% | -16.54% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 9.52% | 26.78% | -17.26% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 12.87% | 19.03% | -6.16% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 15.50% | 19.03% | -3.53% |
LVHD vs. FGDL - Expense Ratio Comparison
LVHD has a 0.27% expense ratio, which is higher than FGDL's 0.15% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
LVHD vs. FGDL - Dividend Comparison
LVHD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.40%, while FGDL has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FGDL Franklin Responsibly Sourced Gold ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
LVHD Legg Mason Low Volatility High Dividend ETF | 3.40% | 3.35% | 4.23% | 3.55% | 3.30% | 2.56% | 3.27% | 3.30% | 3.82% | 3.33% | 2.48% |
Frequently Asked Questions
LVHD and FGDL have a correlation of 0.14, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FGDL has higher volatility (5.61%) compared to LVHD (2.86%). In terms of maximum drawdown, LVHD dropped -37.32% vs FGDL's -19.23%.
On 3-year performance, FGDL leads with 31.32% vs 9.33% for LVHD. On fees, FGDL is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, LVHD has been the lower-risk option at 2.86%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, FGDL has performed better with a 31.32% return vs 9.33%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
FGDL is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.27% for LVHD.
LVHD has the higher dividend yield at 3.40%, compared with 0.00% for FGDL.
LVHD is categorized as Volatility Hedged Equity, while FGDL is Precious Metals. LVHD tracks QS Low Volatility High Dividend Index, while FGDL tracks LBMA Gold Price PM ($/ozt). Their fees differ too: 0.27% for LVHD and 0.15% for FGDL.
FGDL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.19 vs 1.01), 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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