SGOL vs. VGSH
SGOL (abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF) and VGSH (Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SGOL is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price PM ($/ozt), while VGSH is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 1-3 Year Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SGOL returned 12.74%/yr vs 1.71%/yr for VGSH. At a 0.29 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SGOL charges 0.17%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VGSH.
Performance
SGOL vs. VGSH - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SGOL achieves a 0.32% return, which is significantly lower than VGSH's 0.36% return. Over the past 10 years, SGOL has outperformed VGSH with an annualized return of 12.74%, while VGSH has yielded a comparatively lower 1.71% annualized return.
SGOL
- 1D
- 0.22%
- 1M
- -8.40%
- YTD
- 0.32%
- 6M
- 3.15%
- 1Y
- 30.41%
- 3Y*
- 29.97%
- 5Y*
- 17.81%
- 10Y*
- 12.74%
VGSH
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- -0.20%
- YTD
- 0.36%
- 6M
- 0.76%
- 1Y
- 3.41%
- 3Y*
- 4.14%
- 5Y*
- 1.79%
- 10Y*
- 1.71%
SGOL vs. VGSH - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SGOL abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF | 0.32% | 63.99% | 26.90% | 12.99% | -0.51% | -3.94% | 25.03% | 18.21% | -1.94% | 12.86% |
VGSH Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF | 0.36% | 5.07% | 4.00% | 4.31% | -3.86% | -0.60% | 3.04% | 3.52% | 1.55% | 0.04% |
Correlation
The correlation between SGOL and VGSH 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 | 0.29 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.37 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.37 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 24, 2009 | 0.29 |
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Return for Risk
SGOL vs. VGSH — Risk / Return Rank
SGOL
VGSH
SGOL vs. VGSH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF (SGOL) and Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF (VGSH). 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 | VGSH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.54 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.91 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.23 | 1.57 | -0.34 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.53 | 3.88 | -2.35 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.82 | 15.29 | -11.47 |
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 | VGSH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.15 | 2.69 | -1.54 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 1.00 | 0.91 | +0.09 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.80 | 1.09 | -0.29 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.54 | 1.01 | -0.47 |
Drawdowns
SGOL vs. VGSH - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SGOL drawdown since its inception was -45.51%, which is greater than VGSH's maximum drawdown of -5.70%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SGOL and VGSH.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SGOL | VGSH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.51% | -5.70% | -39.81% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -20.02% | -0.88% | -19.14% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -20.02% | -0.97% | -19.05% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -20.92% | -5.66% | -15.26% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -21.56% | -5.70% | -15.86% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -19.84% | -0.41% | -19.43% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -18.41% | -0.60% | -17.81% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.98% | 0.22% | +7.76% |
Volatility
SGOL vs. VGSH - Volatility Comparison
abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF (SGOL) has a higher volatility of 5.62% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF (VGSH) at 0.35%. This indicates that SGOL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VGSH based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SGOL | VGSH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.62% | 0.35% | +5.27% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 23.24% | 0.89% | +22.35% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 26.58% | 1.28% | +25.30% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.96% | 1.97% | +15.99% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 15.95% | 1.58% | +14.37% |
SGOL vs. VGSH - Expense Ratio Comparison
SGOL has a 0.17% expense ratio, which is higher than VGSH's 0.03% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
SGOL vs. VGSH - Dividend Comparison
SGOL has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VGSH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.88%.
| Position | 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% |
VGSH Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF | 3.88% | 4.00% | 4.18% | 3.31% | 1.15% | 0.66% | 1.74% | 2.28% | 1.79% | 1.10% | 0.84% | 0.69% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SGOL and VGSH 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.
SGOL has higher volatility (5.62%) compared to VGSH (0.35%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SGOL dropped -45.51% vs VGSH's -5.70%.
On 10-year performance, SGOL leads with 12.74% vs 1.71% for VGSH. On fees, VGSH is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VGSH has been the lower-risk option at 0.35%. 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 12.74% return vs 1.71%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VGSH is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.17% for SGOL.
VGSH has the higher dividend yield at 3.88%, compared with 0.00% for SGOL.
SGOL is categorized as Gold, while VGSH is Government Bonds. SGOL tracks LBMA Gold Price PM ($/ozt), while VGSH tracks Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 1-3 Year Index. They also come from different issuers: abrdn and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.17% for SGOL and 0.03% for VGSH.
VGSH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.69 vs 1.15), 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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