SCHR vs. IAU
SCHR (Schwab Intermediate-Term U.S. Treasury ETF) and IAU (iShares Gold Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - SCHR is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg US Treasury 3-10 Year Index, while IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SCHR returned 1.19%/yr vs 12.49%/yr for IAU. At a 0.31 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SCHR charges 0.05%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for IAU.
Performance
SCHR vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SCHR achieves a -0.15% return, which is significantly lower than IAU's 0.11% return. Over the past 10 years, SCHR has underperformed IAU with an annualized return of 1.19%, while IAU has yielded a comparatively higher 12.49% annualized return.
SCHR
- 1D
- 0.12%
- 1M
- 0.78%
- YTD
- -0.15%
- 6M
- 0.05%
- 1Y
- 3.55%
- 3Y*
- 3.66%
- 5Y*
- 0.18%
- 10Y*
- 1.19%
IAU
- 1D
- 2.61%
- 1M
- -4.97%
- YTD
- 0.11%
- 6M
- 0.22%
- 1Y
- 25.52%
- 3Y*
- 29.91%
- 5Y*
- 18.47%
- 10Y*
- 12.49%
SCHR vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SCHR Schwab Intermediate-Term U.S. Treasury ETF | -0.15% | 7.33% | 1.42% | 4.27% | -10.58% | -2.62% | 7.72% | 6.18% | 1.46% | 1.59% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.11% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
Correlation
The correlation between SCHR and IAU is 0.29, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.29 |
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 | 0.39 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 5, 2010 | 0.31 |
The correlation between SCHR and IAU shifts across timeframes, from 0.27 (3 years) to 0.39 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SCHR vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
SCHR
IAU
SCHR vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Schwab Intermediate-Term U.S. Treasury ETF (SCHR) 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.
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.
| SCHR | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.12 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.31 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.18 | 1.19 | -0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.27 | 1.05 | +0.22 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.56 | 3.00 | +0.57 |
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Drawdowns
SCHR vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SCHR drawdown since its inception was -16.11%, smaller than the maximum IAU drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SCHR and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SCHR | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -16.11% | -45.14% | +29.03% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.79% | -24.40% | +21.61% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -4.35% | -24.40% | +20.05% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -15.07% | -24.40% | +9.33% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -16.11% | -24.40% | +8.29% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.09% | -20.00% | +17.91% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.64% | -15.97% | +12.33% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.00% | 8.56% | -7.56% |
Volatility
SCHR vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Schwab Intermediate-Term U.S. Treasury ETF (SCHR) is 1.11%, while iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a volatility of 8.29%. This indicates that SCHR 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
| SCHR | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.11% | 8.29% | -7.18% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.41% | 24.06% | -21.65% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.38% | 27.29% | -23.91% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.38% | 18.20% | -12.82% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 4.47% | 16.04% | -11.57% |
SCHR vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
SCHR has a 0.05% expense ratio, which is lower than IAU's 0.25% 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
SCHR vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
SCHR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.91%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
SCHR Schwab Intermediate-Term U.S. Treasury ETF | 3.91% | 3.85% | 3.77% | 3.16% | 2.02% | 1.00% | 1.62% | 2.31% | 2.11% | 1.65% | 1.45% | 1.56% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SCHR and IAU have a correlation of 0.29, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IAU has higher volatility (8.29%) compared to SCHR (1.11%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SCHR dropped -16.11% vs IAU's -45.14%.
On 10-year performance, IAU leads with 12.49% vs 1.19% for SCHR. On fees, SCHR is cheaper at 0.05% per year. On volatility, SCHR has been the lower-risk option at 1.11%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, IAU has performed better with a 12.49% return vs 1.19%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SCHR is cheaper with a 0.05% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for IAU.
SCHR has the higher dividend yield at 3.91%, compared with 0.00% for IAU.
SCHR is categorized as Government Bonds, while IAU is Gold. SCHR tracks Bloomberg US Treasury 3-10 Year Index, while IAU tracks LBMA Gold Price. They also come from different issuers: Charles Schwab and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.05% for SCHR and 0.25% for IAU.
SCHR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.06 vs 0.94), 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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