SCHO vs. SGOL
SCHO (Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF) and SGOL (abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SCHO is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 1-3 Year Index, while SGOL is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price PM ($/ozt). Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SCHO returned 1.71%/yr vs 12.34%/yr for SGOL. At a 0.29 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SCHO charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.17%/yr for SGOL.
Performance
SCHO vs. SGOL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SCHO achieves a 0.54% return, which is significantly higher than SGOL's -2.39% return. Over the past 10 years, SCHO has underperformed SGOL with an annualized return of 1.71%, while SGOL has yielded a comparatively higher 12.34% annualized return.
SCHO
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.18%
- YTD
- 0.54%
- 6M
- 0.82%
- 1Y
- 3.43%
- 3Y*
- 4.25%
- 5Y*
- 1.82%
- 10Y*
- 1.71%
SGOL
- 1D
- 0.10%
- 1M
- -9.48%
- YTD
- -2.39%
- 6M
- -2.15%
- 1Y
- 22.44%
- 3Y*
- 29.18%
- 5Y*
- 17.34%
- 10Y*
- 12.34%
SCHO vs. SGOL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SCHO Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF | 0.54% | 5.49% | 3.65% | 4.31% | -3.87% | -0.64% | 3.11% | 3.47% | 1.37% | 0.33% |
SGOL abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF | -2.39% | 63.99% | 26.90% | 12.99% | -0.51% | -3.94% | 25.03% | 18.21% | -1.94% | 12.86% |
Correlation
The correlation between SCHO and SGOL is 0.27, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.35 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.35 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 5, 2010 | 0.29 |
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Return for Risk
SCHO vs. SGOL — Risk / Return Rank
SCHO
SGOL
SCHO vs. SGOL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF (SCHO) and abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF (SGOL). 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.
| SCHO | SGOL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.57 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.76 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.50 | 1.19 | +0.31 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.91 | 0.99 | +2.92 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 16.48 | 2.85 | +13.63 |
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Drawdowns
SCHO vs. SGOL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SCHO drawdown since its inception was -5.69%, smaller than the maximum SGOL drawdown of -45.51%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SCHO and SGOL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SCHO | SGOL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -5.69% | -45.51% | +39.82% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.86% | -24.37% | +23.51% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.98% | -24.37% | +23.39% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -5.69% | -24.37% | +18.68% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -5.69% | -24.37% | +18.68% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.14% | -22.00% | +21.86% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.61% | -18.41% | +17.80% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.20% | 8.46% | -8.26% |
Volatility
SCHO vs. SGOL - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF (SCHO) is 0.43%, while abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF (SGOL) has a volatility of 7.69%. This indicates that SCHO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SGOL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SCHO | SGOL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.43% | 7.69% | -7.26% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.93% | 23.85% | -22.92% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.37% | 27.08% | -25.71% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 1.98% | 18.10% | -16.12% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 1.56% | 16.04% | -14.48% |
SCHO vs. SGOL - Expense Ratio Comparison
SCHO has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than SGOL's 0.17% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
SCHO vs. SGOL - Dividend Comparison
SCHO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.90%, while SGOL has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SCHO Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF | 3.90% | 4.06% | 4.29% | 3.76% | 1.34% | 0.41% | 1.27% | 2.27% | 1.60% | 1.12% | 0.82% | 0.68% |
SGOL abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF | 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
SCHO and SGOL have a correlation of 0.27, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SGOL has higher volatility (7.69%) compared to SCHO (0.43%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SCHO dropped -5.69% vs SGOL's -45.51%.
On 10-year performance, SGOL leads with 12.34% vs 1.71% for SCHO. On fees, SCHO is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, SCHO has been the lower-risk option at 0.43%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, SGOL has performed better with a 12.34% return vs 1.71%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SCHO is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.17% for SGOL.
SCHO has the higher dividend yield at 3.90%, compared with 0.00% for SGOL.
SCHO is categorized as Government Bonds, while SGOL is Gold. SCHO tracks Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 1-3 Year Index, while SGOL tracks LBMA Gold Price PM ($/ozt). They also come from different issuers: Charles Schwab and abrdn. Their fees differ too: 0.03% for SCHO and 0.17% for SGOL.
SCHO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.46 vs 0.89), 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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