MA vs. IAU
MA (Mastercard Incorporated) is a stock, while IAU (iShares Gold Trust) is Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. Over the past 10 years, MA returned 18.40%/yr vs 12.71%/yr for IAU. At a 0.01 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
MA vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MA achieves a -14.65% return, which is significantly lower than IAU's 0.26% return. Over the past 10 years, MA has outperformed IAU with an annualized return of 18.40%, while IAU has yielded a comparatively lower 12.71% annualized return.
MA
- 1D
- -1.10%
- 1M
- -1.98%
- YTD
- -14.65%
- 6M
- -9.84%
- 1Y
- -17.21%
- 3Y*
- 10.21%
- 5Y*
- 6.59%
- 10Y*
- 18.40%
IAU
- 1D
- 0.20%
- 1M
- -8.43%
- YTD
- 0.26%
- 6M
- 3.08%
- 1Y
- 30.27%
- 3Y*
- 29.88%
- 5Y*
- 17.71%
- 10Y*
- 12.71%
MA vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MA Mastercard Incorporated | -14.65% | 9.04% | 24.17% | 23.40% | -2.66% | 1.16% | 20.19% | 59.16% | 25.31% | 47.69% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.26% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
Correlation
The correlation between MA and IAU is -0.09, 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 | -0.09 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.02 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.01 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.01 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 26, 2006 | 0.01 |
The correlation between MA and IAU shifts across timeframes, from -0.09 (1 year) to 0.01 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
MA vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
MA
IAU
MA vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Mastercard Incorporated (MA) 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.
| MA | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.92 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.49 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.88 | 1.23 | -0.35 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.83 | 1.52 | -2.34 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.68 | 3.80 | -5.48 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| MA | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.78 | 1.14 | -1.92 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.28 | 0.99 | -0.71 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.69 | 0.80 | -0.11 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.83 | 0.61 | +0.22 |
Drawdowns
MA vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MA drawdown since its inception was -62.67%, which is greater than IAU's maximum drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MA and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MA | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -62.67% | -45.14% | -17.53% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -20.91% | -20.04% | -0.87% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -20.91% | -20.04% | -0.87% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -28.25% | -20.93% | -7.32% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -41.00% | -21.82% | -19.18% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -18.55% | -19.88% | +1.33% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.82% | -15.97% | +6.15% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 10.26% | 7.99% | +2.27% |
Volatility
MA vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
Mastercard Incorporated (MA) has a higher volatility of 6.33% compared to iShares Gold Trust (IAU) at 5.64%. This indicates that MA's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier 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
| MA | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.33% | 5.64% | +0.69% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.37% | 23.33% | -5.96% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 22.28% | 26.68% | -4.40% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 23.99% | 18.02% | +5.97% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 26.93% | 15.94% | +10.99% |
Dividends
MA vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
MA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.67%, 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% |
MA Mastercard Incorporated | 0.67% | 0.53% | 0.50% | 0.53% | 0.56% | 0.49% | 0.45% | 0.44% | 0.53% | 0.58% | 0.74% | 0.66% |
Frequently Asked Questions
MA and IAU have a correlation of -0.09, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
MA has higher volatility (6.33%) compared to IAU (5.64%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MA dropped -62.67% vs IAU's -45.14%.
IAU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.14 vs -0.78), 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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