PPFB.DE vs. ITA

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

PPFB.DE (iShares Physical Gold ETC) and ITA (iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - PPFB.DE is a Precious Metals fund tracking the Gold, while ITA is a Aerospace & Defense fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, PPFB.DE returned 28.05%/yr vs 25.04%/yr for ITA. At a 0.08 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. PPFB.DE charges 0.12%/yr vs 0.38%/yr for ITA.

Performance

PPFB.DE vs. ITA - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a €10,000 investment in iShares Physical Gold ETC (PPFB.DE) and iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

PPFB.DE is traded in EUR, while ITA is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the ITA values have been converted to EUR using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PPFB.DE achieves a 2.74% return, which is significantly lower than ITA's 9.16% return.

PPFB.DE

• 1D: 0.61%
• 1M: -1.58%
• YTD: 2.74%
• 6M: 6.39%
• 1Y: 30.20%
• 3Y*: 28.05%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

ITA

• 1D: 2.83%
• 1M: 8.24%
• YTD: 9.16%
• 6M: 13.52%
• 1Y: 27.07%
• 3Y*: 25.04%
• 5Y*: 17.69%
• 10Y*: 14.80%

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

PPFB.DE vs. ITA - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
PPFB.DE iShares Physical Gold ETC	2.74%	49.11%	34.17%	9.42%	7.03%	3.62%
ITA iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF	9.16%	31.00%	23.46%	10.91%	16.78%	2.05%

Correlation

The correlation between PPFB.DE and ITA is 0.19, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.19
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.14
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 19, 2021	0.08

The correlation between PPFB.DE and ITA shifts across timeframes, from 0.08 (all time) to 0.19 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

PPFB.DE vs. ITA — Risk / Return Rank

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

PPFB.DE

PPFB.DE Risk / Return Rank: 36
PPFB.DE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 37
PPFB.DE Sortino Ratio Rank: 34
PPFB.DE Omega Ratio Rank: 40
PPFB.DE Calmar Ratio Rank: 37
PPFB.DE Martin Ratio Rank: 32

ITA

ITA Risk / Return Rank: 38
ITA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 41
ITA Sortino Ratio Rank: 40
ITA Omega Ratio Rank: 38
ITA Calmar Ratio Rank: 38
ITA Martin Ratio Rank: 34

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.

PPFB.DE vs. ITA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Physical Gold ETC (PPFB.DE) and iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA). 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.

	PPFB.DE	ITA	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.30	1.29	+0.01
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.75	1.87	-0.12
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.26	1.22	+0.03
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.81	1.84	-0.03
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	4.60	4.58	+0.02
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PPFB.DE vs. ITA - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PPFB.DE Sharpe Ratio is 1.30, which is comparable to the ITA Sharpe Ratio of 1.29. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PPFB.DE and ITA, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	PPFB.DE	ITA	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.30	1.29	+0.01
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.88	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.63	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.26	0.53	+0.74

Drawdowns

PPFB.DE vs. ITA - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PPFB.DE drawdown since its inception was -16.60%, smaller than the maximum ITA drawdown of -54.92%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PPFB.DE and ITA.

Drawdown Indicators

	PPFB.DE	ITA	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-16.60%	-54.92%	+38.32%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-16.60%	-14.75%	-1.85%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-16.60%	-18.93%	+2.33%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-18.93%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-50.33%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-15.00%	-6.92%	-8.08%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.40%	-10.44%	+6.04%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.55%	5.93%	+0.62%

Volatility

PPFB.DE vs. ITA - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares Physical Gold ETC (PPFB.DE) is 5.11%, while iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) has a volatility of 6.89%. This indicates that PPFB.DE experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ITA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PPFB.DE	ITA	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.11%	6.89%	-1.78%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	20.18%	17.03%	+3.15%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	23.12%	21.06%	+2.06%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.13%	20.28%	-4.15%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.13%	23.56%	-7.43%

PPFB.DE vs. ITA - Expense Ratio Comparison

PPFB.DE has a 0.12% expense ratio, which is lower than ITA's 0.38% expense ratio.

Dividends

PPFB.DE vs. ITA - Dividend Comparison

PPFB.DE has not paid dividends to shareholders, while ITA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.46%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ITA iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF	0.46%	0.55%	0.85%	0.93%	0.95%	0.82%	1.07%	1.54%	1.13%	0.91%	1.07%	1.04%
PPFB.DE iShares Physical Gold ETC	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PPFB.DE and ITA in my portfolio?

PPFB.DE and ITA have a correlation of 0.19, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, PPFB.DE or ITA?

On fees, PPFB.DE is cheaper at 0.12% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, PPFB.DE or ITA?

PPFB.DE is cheaper with a 0.12% expense ratio, compared with 0.38% for ITA.

What is the main difference between PPFB.DE and ITA?

PPFB.DE is categorized as Precious Metals, while ITA is Aerospace & Defense. PPFB.DE tracks Gold, while ITA tracks Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index. Their fees differ too: 0.12% for PPFB.DE and 0.38% for ITA.