SGOL vs. ITA
SGOL (abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF) and ITA (iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SGOL is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price PM ($/ozt), while ITA is a Aerospace & Defense fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SGOL returned 11.62%/yr vs 15.17%/yr for ITA. Their 0.06 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. SGOL charges 0.17%/yr vs 0.38%/yr for ITA.
Performance
SGOL vs. ITA - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SGOL achieves a -6.06% return, which is significantly lower than ITA's 12.01% return. Over the past 10 years, SGOL has underperformed ITA with an annualized return of 11.62%, while ITA has yielded a comparatively higher 15.17% annualized return.
SGOL
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- 0.65%
- 6M
- -18.71%
- YTD
- -6.06%
- 1Y
- 21.20%
- 3Y*
- 27.11%
- 5Y*
- 17.42%
- 10Y*
- 11.62%
- ALL TIME*
- 8.34%
ITA
- 1D
- 0.80%
- 1M
- 1.16%
- 6M
- 2.29%
- YTD
- 12.01%
- 1Y
- 21.73%
- 3Y*
- 28.92%
- 5Y*
- 18.49%
- 10Y*
- 15.17%
- ALL TIME*
- 12.84%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $150.11M | $156.96M | $184.72M | |
| $79.87M | $79.24M | $102.39M |
SGOL vs. ITA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SGOL abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF | -6.06% | 63.99% | 26.90% | 12.99% | -0.51% | -3.94% | 25.03% | 18.21% | -1.94% | 12.86% |
ITA iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF | 12.01% | 48.64% | 15.81% | 14.33% | 9.96% | 9.39% | -13.57% | 30.51% | -7.22% | 35.24% |
Correlation
The correlation between SGOL and ITA is 0.33, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.33 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.20 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.15 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.07 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 9, 2009 | 0.06 |
Over the past year, SGOL and ITA have become more correlated (0.33) than their long-term average of 0.06, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
SGOL vs. ITA — Risk / Return Rank
SGOL
ITA
SGOL vs. ITA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF (SGOL) 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.
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.
| SGOL | ITA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.30 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.51 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.15 | 1.18 | -0.03 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.77 | 1.44 | -0.67 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.73 | 3.64 | -1.91 |
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Drawdowns
SGOL vs. ITA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SGOL drawdown since its inception was -45.51%, smaller than the maximum ITA drawdown of -59.72%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SGOL and ITA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SGOL | ITA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.51% | -59.72% | +14.21% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -26.32% | -15.82% | -10.50% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -26.32% | -15.82% | -10.50% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.32% | -18.72% | -7.60% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -26.32% | -51.00% | +24.68% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -24.94% | -4.24% | -20.70% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -18.45% | -9.43% | -9.02% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 11.64% | 6.23% | +5.41% |
Volatility
SGOL vs. ITA - Volatility Comparison
abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF (SGOL) and iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) have volatilities of 6.07% and 6.26%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SGOL | ITA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.07% | 6.26% | -0.19% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 23.69% | 17.97% | +5.72% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.79% | 22.14% | +5.65% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.34% | 20.18% | -1.84% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.08% | 23.26% | -7.18% |
SGOL vs. ITA - Expense Ratio Comparison
SGOL has a 0.17% expense ratio, which is lower than ITA's 0.38% expense ratio.
Dividends
SGOL vs. ITA - Dividend Comparison
SGOL has not paid dividends to shareholders, while ITA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.44%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ITA iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF | 0.44% | 0.55% | 0.85% | 0.93% | 0.95% | 0.82% | 1.07% | 1.54% | 1.13% | 0.91% | 1.07% | 1.04% |
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
SGOL and ITA have a correlation of 0.33, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ITA has higher volatility (6.26%) compared to SGOL (6.07%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SGOL dropped -45.51% vs ITA's -59.72%.
On 10-year performance, ITA leads with 15.17% vs 11.62% for SGOL. On fees, SGOL is cheaper at 0.17% per year. On volatility, SGOL has been the lower-risk option at 6.07%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, ITA has performed better with a 15.17% return vs 11.62%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SGOL is cheaper with a 0.17% expense ratio, compared with 0.38% for ITA.
ITA has the higher dividend yield at 0.44%, compared with 0.00% for SGOL.
SGOL is categorized as Gold, while ITA is Aerospace & Defense. SGOL tracks LBMA Gold Price PM ($/ozt), while ITA tracks Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index. They also come from different issuers: abrdn and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.17% for SGOL and 0.38% for ITA.
ITA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.03 vs 0.73), 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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