SCHR vs. OUNZ
SCHR (Schwab Intermediate-Term U.S. Treasury ETF) and OUNZ (VanEck Merk Gold ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SCHR is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg US Treasury 3-10 Year Index, while OUNZ is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price PM ($/ozt). Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SCHR returned 1.15%/yr vs 11.37%/yr for OUNZ. At a 0.38 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SCHR charges 0.05%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for OUNZ.
Performance
SCHR vs. OUNZ - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SCHR achieves a -0.40% return, which is significantly higher than OUNZ's -7.16% return. Over the past 10 years, SCHR has underperformed OUNZ with an annualized return of 1.15%, while OUNZ has yielded a comparatively higher 11.37% annualized return.
SCHR
- 1D
- -0.20%
- 1M
- -0.13%
- 6M
- -0.16%
- YTD
- -0.40%
- 1Y
- 2.72%
- 3Y*
- 3.60%
- 5Y*
- -0.11%
- 10Y*
- 1.15%
- ALL TIME*
- 1.91%
OUNZ
- 1D
- -0.23%
- 1M
- -5.03%
- 6M
- -12.66%
- YTD
- -7.16%
- 1Y
- 19.37%
- 3Y*
- 26.53%
- 5Y*
- 17.02%
- 10Y*
- 11.37%
- ALL TIME*
- 9.39%
SCHR vs. OUNZ - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SCHR Schwab Intermediate-Term U.S. Treasury ETF | -0.40% | 7.33% | 1.42% | 4.27% | -10.58% | -2.62% | 7.72% | 6.18% | 1.46% | 1.59% |
OUNZ VanEck Merk Gold ETF | -7.16% | 63.95% | 26.75% | 12.83% | -0.51% | -4.00% | 24.71% | 18.00% | -2.06% | 12.82% |
Correlation
The correlation between SCHR and OUNZ is 0.32, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.32 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.36 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.39 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 16, 2014 | 0.38 |
The correlation between SCHR and OUNZ 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. OUNZ — Risk / Return Rank
SCHR
OUNZ
SCHR vs. OUNZ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Schwab Intermediate-Term U.S. Treasury ETF (SCHR) and VanEck Merk Gold ETF (OUNZ). 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 | OUNZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.10 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.17 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.14 | 1.15 | -0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.98 | 0.74 | +0.24 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.42 | 1.73 | +0.69 |
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Drawdowns
SCHR vs. OUNZ - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SCHR drawdown since its inception was -16.11%, smaller than the maximum OUNZ drawdown of -26.31%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SCHR and OUNZ.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SCHR | OUNZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -16.11% | -26.31% | +10.20% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.79% | -26.31% | +23.52% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -4.35% | -26.31% | +21.96% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -15.07% | -26.31% | +11.24% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -16.11% | -26.31% | +10.20% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.33% | -25.79% | +23.46% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.63% | -7.73% | +4.10% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.13% | 11.23% | -10.10% |
Volatility
SCHR vs. OUNZ - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Schwab Intermediate-Term U.S. Treasury ETF (SCHR) is 1.01%, while VanEck Merk Gold ETF (OUNZ) has a volatility of 6.41%. This indicates that SCHR experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than OUNZ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SCHR | OUNZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.01% | 6.41% | -5.40% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.59% | 23.99% | -21.40% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.43% | 27.86% | -24.43% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.39% | 18.33% | -12.94% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 4.47% | 16.12% | -11.65% |
SCHR vs. OUNZ - Expense Ratio Comparison
SCHR has a 0.05% expense ratio, which is lower than OUNZ'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. OUNZ - Dividend Comparison
SCHR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.94%, while OUNZ has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OUNZ VanEck Merk Gold 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% |
SCHR Schwab Intermediate-Term U.S. Treasury ETF | 3.94% | 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 OUNZ have a correlation of 0.32, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
OUNZ has higher volatility (6.41%) compared to SCHR (1.01%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SCHR dropped -16.11% vs OUNZ's -26.31%.
On 10-year performance, OUNZ leads with 11.37% vs 1.15% for SCHR. On fees, SCHR is cheaper at 0.05% per year. On volatility, SCHR has been the lower-risk option at 1.01%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, OUNZ has performed better with a 11.37% return vs 1.15%. 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 OUNZ.
SCHR has the higher dividend yield at 3.94%, compared with 0.00% for OUNZ.
SCHR is categorized as Government Bonds, while OUNZ is Gold. SCHR tracks Bloomberg US Treasury 3-10 Year Index, while OUNZ tracks LBMA Gold Price PM ($/ozt). They also come from different issuers: Charles Schwab and VanEck. Their fees differ too: 0.05% for SCHR and 0.25% for OUNZ.
SCHR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.80 vs 0.70), 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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