SGOV vs. AAAU
SGOV (iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF) and AAAU (Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SGOV is a Ultrashort Bond fund tracking the ICE 0-3 Month US Treasury Securities Index, while AAAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold PM Price. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, SGOV returned 3.56%/yr vs 17.33%/yr for AAAU. At a 0.01 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SGOV charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.18%/yr for AAAU.
Performance
SGOV vs. AAAU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SGOV achieves a 1.61% return, which is significantly higher than AAAU's -2.40% return.
SGOV
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- 0.26%
- YTD
- 1.61%
- 6M
- 1.78%
- 1Y
- 3.91%
- 3Y*
- 4.71%
- 5Y*
- 3.56%
- 10Y*
- —
AAAU
- 1D
- 0.12%
- 1M
- -7.36%
- YTD
- -2.40%
- 6M
- -2.14%
- 1Y
- 22.47%
- 3Y*
- 29.19%
- 5Y*
- 17.33%
- 10Y*
- —
SGOV vs. AAAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SGOV iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | 1.61% | 4.24% | 5.27% | 5.12% | 1.58% | 0.04% | 0.04% |
AAAU Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF | -2.40% | 64.06% | 26.91% | 12.96% | -0.50% | -4.01% | 10.76% |
Correlation
The correlation between SGOV and AAAU is 0.01, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.01 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.01 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.02 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 28, 2020 | 0.01 |
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Return for Risk
SGOV vs. AAAU — Risk / Return Rank
SGOV
AAAU
SGOV vs. AAAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) and Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF (AAAU). 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.
| SGOV | AAAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +19.38 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +274.43 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 195.55 | 1.19 | +194.37 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 398.20 | 0.99 | +397.20 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4,461.98 | 2.86 | +4,459.12 |
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Drawdowns
SGOV vs. AAAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SGOV drawdown since its inception was -0.03%, smaller than the maximum AAAU drawdown of -24.38%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SGOV and AAAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SGOV | AAAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -0.03% | -24.38% | +24.35% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.01% | -24.38% | +24.37% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.01% | -24.38% | +24.37% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -0.03% | -24.38% | +24.35% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -21.95% | +21.95% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.00% | -6.23% | +6.23% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.00% | 8.44% | -8.44% |
Volatility
SGOV vs. AAAU - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) is 0.05%, while Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF (AAAU) has a volatility of 7.77%. This indicates that SGOV experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than AAAU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SGOV | AAAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.05% | 7.77% | -7.72% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.13% | 23.88% | -23.75% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.20% | 27.10% | -26.90% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 0.24% | 18.06% | -17.82% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 0.24% | 17.13% | -16.89% |
SGOV vs. AAAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
SGOV has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is lower than AAAU's 0.18% 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
SGOV vs. AAAU - Dividend Comparison
SGOV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.85%, while AAAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AAAU Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
SGOV iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | 3.85% | 4.10% | 5.10% | 4.87% | 1.45% | 0.03% | 0.05% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SGOV and AAAU have a correlation of 0.01, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
AAAU has higher volatility (7.77%) compared to SGOV (0.05%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SGOV dropped -0.03% vs AAAU's -24.38%.
On 5-year performance, AAAU leads with 17.33% vs 3.56% for SGOV. On fees, SGOV is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, SGOV has been the lower-risk option at 0.05%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, AAAU has performed better with a 17.33% return vs 3.56%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SGOV is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.18% for AAAU.
SGOV has the higher dividend yield at 3.85%, compared with 0.00% for AAAU.
SGOV is categorized as Ultrashort Bond, while AAAU is Gold. SGOV tracks ICE 0-3 Month US Treasury Securities Index, while AAAU tracks LBMA Gold PM Price. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Goldman Sachs. Their fees differ too: 0.09% for SGOV and 0.18% for AAAU.
SGOV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (20.28 vs 0.89), 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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