NUGY vs. IAU

Last updated Jun 7, 2026

NUGY (GraniteShares YieldBOOST Gold Miners ETF) and IAU (iShares Gold Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - NUGY is a Derivative Income fund actively managed by GraniteShares, while IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. NUGY is actively managed, while IAU is passively managed. A 0.74 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. NUGY charges 1.07%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for IAU.

Performance

NUGY vs. IAU - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in GraniteShares YieldBOOST Gold Miners ETF (NUGY) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NUGY achieves a -3.86% return, which is significantly lower than IAU's 0.06% return.

NUGY

• 1D: -3.44%
• 1M: -4.01%
• YTD: -3.86%
• 6M: -2.77%
• 1Y: —
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

IAU

• 1D: -3.63%
• 1M: -8.61%
• YTD: 0.06%
• 6M: 2.63%
• 1Y: 30.01%
• 3Y*: 29.73%
• 5Y*: 17.65%
• 10Y*: 12.97%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

NUGY vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
NUGY GraniteShares YieldBOOST Gold Miners ETF	-3.86%	2.38%
IAU iShares Gold Trust	0.06%	5.84%

Correlation

The correlation between NUGY and IAU is 0.74, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 19, 2025	0.74

Return for Risk

NUGY vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

IAU

IAU Risk / Return Rank: 29
IAU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 30
IAU Sortino Ratio Rank: 27
IAU Omega Ratio Rank: 33
IAU Calmar Ratio Rank: 30
IAU Martin Ratio Rank: 27

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

NUGY vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for GraniteShares YieldBOOST Gold Miners ETF (NUGY) 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.

Risk / return metrics aren't available yet — we need at least 12 months of trading data to calculate them.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	NUGY	IAU	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	—	1.07	—
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.98	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.82	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.11	0.61	-0.72

Drawdowns

NUGY vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NUGY drawdown since its inception was -17.39%, smaller than the maximum IAU drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NUGY and IAU.

Drawdown Indicators

	NUGY	IAU	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-17.39%	-45.14%	+27.75%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	—	-20.04%	—
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-20.04%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-20.93%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-21.82%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-16.56%	-20.04%	+3.48%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.46%	-15.97%	+8.51%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	—	7.89%	—

Volatility

Volatility by Period

	NUGY	IAU	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	—	5.64%	—
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	—	23.33%	—
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	26.88%	26.67%	+0.21%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	26.88%	18.01%	+8.87%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	26.88%	15.94%	+10.94%

NUGY vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison

NUGY has a 1.07% expense ratio, which is higher than IAU's 0.25% expense ratio.

Dividends

NUGY vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison

NUGY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 74.97%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025
IAU iShares Gold Trust	0.00%	0.00%
NUGY GraniteShares YieldBOOST Gold Miners ETF	74.97%	12.18%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NUGY and IAU in my portfolio?

NUGY and IAU have a correlation of 0.74, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, NUGY or IAU?

On fees, IAU is cheaper at 0.25% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, NUGY or IAU?

IAU is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 1.07% for NUGY.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, NUGY or IAU?

NUGY has the higher dividend yield at 74.97%, compared with 0.00% for IAU.

What is the main difference between NUGY and IAU?

NUGY is categorized as Derivative Income, while IAU is Gold. They also come from different issuers: GraniteShares and iShares. Their fees differ too: 1.07% for NUGY and 0.25% for IAU.