SNA vs. IAU
SNA (Snap-on Incorporated) is a stock, while IAU (iShares Gold Trust) is Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. Over the past 10 years, SNA returned 12.41%/yr vs 12.31%/yr for IAU. At a 0.02 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
SNA vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SNA achieves a 13.93% return, which is significantly higher than IAU's -2.44% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with SNA having a 12.41% annualized return and IAU not far behind at 12.31%.
SNA
- 1D
- 0.73%
- 1M
- 8.47%
- YTD
- 13.93%
- 6M
- 11.91%
- 1Y
- 28.44%
- 3Y*
- 15.30%
- 5Y*
- 13.07%
- 10Y*
- 12.41%
IAU
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- -7.39%
- YTD
- -2.44%
- 6M
- -2.22%
- 1Y
- 22.32%
- 3Y*
- 29.07%
- 5Y*
- 17.23%
- 10Y*
- 12.31%
SNA vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SNA Snap-on Incorporated | 13.93% | 4.28% | 20.67% | 29.70% | 8.91% | 28.83% | 4.03% | 19.54% | -14.86% | 3.64% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | -2.44% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
Correlation
The correlation between SNA and IAU is 0.21, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.21 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.11 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.02 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 28, 2005 | 0.02 |
The correlation between SNA and IAU shifts across timeframes, from 0.02 (10 years) to 0.21 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SNA vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
SNA
IAU
SNA vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Snap-on Incorporated (SNA) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU). 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.
| SNA | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.28 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.58 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.21 | 1.19 | +0.03 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.93 | 0.99 | +1.95 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.51 | 2.83 | +4.67 |
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Drawdowns
SNA vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SNA drawdown since its inception was -65.76%, which is greater than IAU's maximum drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SNA and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SNA | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -65.76% | -45.14% | -20.62% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.47% | -24.40% | +15.93% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -20.77% | -24.40% | +3.63% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -20.77% | -24.40% | +3.63% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -47.38% | -24.40% | -22.98% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.16% | -22.03% | +21.87% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -13.87% | -15.97% | +2.10% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.36% | 8.47% | -5.11% |
Volatility
SNA vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Snap-on Incorporated (SNA) is 5.51%, while iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a volatility of 7.70%. This indicates that SNA experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IAU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SNA | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.51% | 7.70% | -2.19% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 14.82% | 23.94% | -9.12% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.36% | 27.17% | -5.81% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 23.91% | 18.16% | +5.75% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 27.18% | 16.02% | +11.16% |
Dividends
SNA vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
SNA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.44%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
SNA Snap-on Incorporated | 2.44% | 2.57% | 2.27% | 2.33% | 2.57% | 2.37% | 2.61% | 2.32% | 2.35% | 1.69% | 1.48% | 1.28% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SNA and IAU have a correlation of 0.21, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IAU has higher volatility (7.70%) compared to SNA (5.51%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SNA dropped -65.76% vs IAU's -45.14%.
SNA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.16 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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