NEAR vs. IAU
Compare and contrast key facts about iShares Short Duration Bond Active ETF (NEAR) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU).
NEAR and IAU are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. NEAR is an actively managed fund by iShares. It was launched on Sep 25, 2013. IAU is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the LBMA Gold Price. It was launched on Jan 21, 2005.
Performance
NEAR vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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NEAR vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NEAR iShares Short Duration Bond Active ETF | 0.17% | 5.90% | 5.09% | 7.42% | 0.41% | 0.32% | 1.39% | 3.55% | 1.71% | 1.41% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 10.48% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NEAR achieves a 0.17% return, which is significantly lower than IAU's 10.48% return. Over the past 10 years, NEAR has underperformed IAU with an annualized return of 2.83%, while IAU has yielded a comparatively higher 14.27% annualized return.
NEAR
- 1D
- 0.01%
- 1M
- -0.48%
- YTD
- 0.17%
- 6M
- 1.24%
- 1Y
- 4.48%
- 3Y*
- 5.76%
- 5Y*
- 3.78%
- 10Y*
- 2.83%
IAU
- 1D
- 1.72%
- 1M
- -10.66%
- YTD
- 10.48%
- 6M
- 23.05%
- 1Y
- 52.36%
- 3Y*
- 33.88%
- 5Y*
- 22.19%
- 10Y*
- 14.27%
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NEAR vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
Both NEAR 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%.
Return for Risk
NEAR vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
NEAR
IAU
NEAR vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Short Duration Bond Active ETF (NEAR) 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.
| NEAR | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 2.39 | 1.90 | +0.48 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 3.56 | 2.33 | +1.23 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.55 | 1.35 | +0.21 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.92 | 2.72 | +1.20 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 15.10 | 9.95 | +5.14 |
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
| NEAR | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.39 | 1.90 | +0.48 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 2.89 | 1.26 | +1.63 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 1.14 | 0.90 | +0.24 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.08 | 0.65 | +0.43 |
Correlation
The correlation between NEAR and IAU is 0.17, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.
Dividends
NEAR vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
NEAR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.50%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NEAR iShares Short Duration Bond Active ETF | 4.50% | 4.54% | 5.00% | 4.59% | 1.78% | 0.76% | 1.53% | 2.69% | 2.25% | 1.52% | 1.07% | 0.85% |
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% |
Drawdowns
NEAR vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NEAR drawdown since its inception was -9.61%, smaller than the maximum IAU drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NEAR and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NEAR | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -9.61% | -45.14% | +35.53% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.16% | -19.18% | +18.02% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -1.32% | -20.93% | +19.61% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -9.61% | -21.82% | +12.21% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.64% | -11.71% | +11.07% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.16% | -15.98% | +15.82% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.30% | 5.23% | -4.93% |
Volatility
NEAR vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Short Duration Bond Active ETF (NEAR) is 0.62%, while iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a volatility of 10.44%. This indicates that NEAR 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
| NEAR | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.62% | 10.44% | -9.82% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.93% | 24.15% | -23.22% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.88% | 27.64% | -25.76% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 1.32% | 17.70% | -16.38% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.49% | 15.83% | -13.34% |