SGOL vs. USERX
Compare and contrast key facts about abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF (SGOL) and U.S. Global Investors Gold & Precious Metals Fund (USERX).
SGOL is a passively managed fund by abrdn that tracks the performance of the LBMA Gold Price PM ($/ozt). It was launched on Sep 9, 2009. USERX is managed by US Global. It was launched on Jun 30, 1974.
Performance
SGOL vs. USERX - Performance Comparison
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SGOL vs. USERX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SGOL abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF | 10.52% | 63.99% | 26.90% | 12.99% | -0.51% | -3.94% | 25.03% | 18.21% | -1.94% | 12.86% |
USERX U.S. Global Investors Gold & Precious Metals Fund | 0.68% | 167.44% | 16.75% | 1.44% | -17.44% | -10.80% | 37.16% | 51.34% | -14.24% | 13.07% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SGOL achieves a 10.52% return, which is significantly higher than USERX's 0.68% return. Over the past 10 years, SGOL has underperformed USERX with an annualized return of 14.31%, while USERX has yielded a comparatively higher 17.78% annualized return.
SGOL
- 1D
- 1.75%
- 1M
- -10.65%
- YTD
- 10.52%
- 6M
- 23.14%
- 1Y
- 52.61%
- 3Y*
- 34.00%
- 5Y*
- 22.26%
- 10Y*
- 14.31%
USERX
- 1D
- 4.50%
- 1M
- -25.94%
- YTD
- 0.68%
- 6M
- 17.26%
- 1Y
- 102.52%
- 3Y*
- 43.69%
- 5Y*
- 20.98%
- 10Y*
- 17.78%
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SGOL vs. USERX - Expense Ratio Comparison
SGOL has a 0.17% expense ratio, which is lower than USERX's 1.52% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
SGOL vs. USERX — Risk / Return Rank
SGOL
USERX
SGOL vs. USERX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF (SGOL) and U.S. Global Investors Gold & Precious Metals Fund (USERX). 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.
| SGOL | USERX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.92 | 2.33 | -0.41 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.35 | 2.52 | -0.17 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.35 | 1.37 | -0.02 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.73 | 3.25 | -0.52 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.00 | 11.87 | -1.86 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| SGOL | USERX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.92 | 2.33 | -0.41 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 1.27 | 0.65 | +0.62 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.91 | 0.52 | +0.38 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.58 | 0.00 | +0.58 |
Correlation
The correlation between SGOL and USERX is 0.75, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
SGOL vs. USERX - Dividend Comparison
SGOL has not paid dividends to shareholders, while USERX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.93%.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
USERX U.S. Global Investors Gold & Precious Metals Fund | 2.93% | 2.95% | 1.48% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 2.13% | 2.68% | 0.00% | 1.76% | 0.00% | 0.88% | 0.47% |
Drawdowns
SGOL vs. USERX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SGOL drawdown since its inception was -45.51%, smaller than the maximum USERX drawdown of -97.74%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SGOL and USERX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SGOL | USERX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.51% | -97.74% | +52.23% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -19.14% | -32.20% | +13.06% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -20.92% | -43.45% | +22.53% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -21.56% | -43.45% | +21.89% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -11.69% | -44.95% | +33.26% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -18.46% | -75.17% | +56.71% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.22% | 8.81% | -3.59% |
Volatility
SGOL vs. USERX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF (SGOL) is 10.39%, while U.S. Global Investors Gold & Precious Metals Fund (USERX) has a volatility of 17.11%. This indicates that SGOL experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than USERX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SGOL | USERX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 10.39% | 17.11% | -6.72% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 24.05% | 37.36% | -13.31% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.52% | 44.08% | -16.56% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.64% | 32.54% | -14.90% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 15.84% | 34.00% | -18.16% |