PALL vs. IAUM

Last updated Jun 24, 2026

PALL (Aberdeen Standard Physical Palladium Shares ETF) and IAUM (iShares Gold Trust Micro) are both exchange-traded funds - PALL is a Precious Metals fund tracking the Palladium London PM Fix ($/ozt), while IAUM is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price PM. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, PALL returned -1.99%/yr vs 28.82%/yr for IAUM. At a 0.45 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. PALL charges 0.60%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for IAUM.

Performance

PALL vs. IAUM - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Aberdeen Standard Physical Palladium Shares ETF (PALL) and iShares Gold Trust Micro (IAUM). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PALL achieves a -23.17% return, which is significantly lower than IAUM's -4.68% return.

PALL

• 1D: -2.40%
• 1M: -8.89%
• YTD: -23.17%
• 6M: -33.98%
• 1Y: 13.76%
• 3Y*: -1.99%
• 5Y*: -14.70%
• 10Y*: 7.79%

IAUM

• 1D: -1.87%
• 1M: -8.79%
• YTD: -4.68%
• 6M: -8.59%
• 1Y: 21.67%
• 3Y*: 28.82%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

PALL vs. IAUM - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
PALL Aberdeen Standard Physical Palladium Shares ETF	-23.17%	74.07%	-17.38%	-38.77%	-6.28%	-29.82%
IAUM iShares Gold Trust Micro	-4.68%	64.27%	27.04%	13.12%	-0.49%	3.87%

Correlation

The correlation between PALL and IAUM is 0.60, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.60
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.47
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 29, 2021	0.45

The correlation between PALL and IAUM shifts across timeframes, from 0.45 (all time) to 0.60 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

PALL vs. IAUM — Risk / Return Rank

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

PALL

PALL Risk / Return Rank: 13
PALL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 12
PALL Sortino Ratio Rank: 14
PALL Omega Ratio Rank: 15
PALL Calmar Ratio Rank: 12
PALL Martin Ratio Rank: 12

IAUM

IAUM Risk / Return Rank: 22
IAUM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 23
IAUM Sortino Ratio Rank: 21
IAUM Omega Ratio Rank: 25
IAUM Calmar Ratio Rank: 20
IAUM Martin Ratio Rank: 21

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.

PALL vs. IAUM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Aberdeen Standard Physical Palladium Shares ETF (PALL) and iShares Gold Trust Micro (IAUM). 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	PALL	IAUM	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.27	0.80	-0.53
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.70	1.15	-0.45
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.09	1.17	-0.07
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.34	0.89	-0.55
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	0.75	2.40	-1.65

PALL vs. IAUM - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PALL Sharpe Ratio is 0.27, which is lower than the IAUM Sharpe Ratio of 0.80. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PALL and IAUM, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

PALL vs. IAUM - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PALL drawdown since its inception was -73.63%, which is greater than IAUM's maximum drawdown of -24.37%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PALL and IAUM.

Drawdown Indicators

	PALL	IAUM	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-73.63%	-24.37%	-49.26%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-40.70%	-24.37%	-16.33%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-40.70%	-24.37%	-16.33%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-73.63%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-73.63%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-62.14%	-23.81%	-38.33%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-26.91%	-5.46%	-21.45%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	18.39%	9.06%	+9.33%

Volatility

PALL vs. IAUM - Volatility Comparison

Aberdeen Standard Physical Palladium Shares ETF (PALL) has a higher volatility of 12.76% compared to iShares Gold Trust Micro (IAUM) at 8.12%. This indicates that PALL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IAUM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PALL	IAUM	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	12.76%	8.12%	+4.64%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	42.39%	24.11%	+18.28%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	51.04%	27.27%	+23.77%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	42.41%	18.10%	+24.31%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	38.03%	18.10%	+19.93%

PALL vs. IAUM - Expense Ratio Comparison

PALL has a 0.60% expense ratio, which is higher than IAUM's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

PALL vs. IAUM - Dividend Comparison

Neither PALL nor IAUM has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PALL and IAUM in my portfolio?

PALL and IAUM have a correlation of 0.60, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PALL or IAUM?

PALL has higher volatility (12.76%) compared to IAUM (8.12%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PALL dropped -73.63% vs IAUM's -24.37%.

Which ETF is better, PALL or IAUM?

On 3-year performance, IAUM leads with 28.82% vs -1.99% for PALL. On fees, IAUM is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, IAUM has been the lower-risk option at 8.12%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, PALL or IAUM?

Over the 3-year period, IAUM has performed better with a 28.82% return vs -1.99%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, PALL or IAUM?

IAUM is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.60% for PALL.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, PALL or IAUM?

PALL and IAUM have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.

What is the main difference between PALL and IAUM?

PALL is categorized as Precious Metals, while IAUM is Gold. PALL tracks Palladium London PM Fix ($/ozt), while IAUM tracks LBMA Gold Price PM. They also come from different issuers: Aberdeen and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.60% for PALL and 0.09% for IAUM.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

IAUM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.80 vs 0.27), 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.