SPPP vs. IAU
SPPP (Sprott Physical Platinum and Palladium Trust) and IAU (iShares Gold Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - SPPP is a Precious Metals fund actively managed by Sprott, while IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. SPPP is actively managed, while IAU is passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SPPP returned 8.53%/yr vs 13.31%/yr for IAU. At a 0.47 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SPPP charges 1.02%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for IAU.
Performance
SPPP vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SPPP achieves a -14.37% return, which is significantly lower than IAU's 2.98% return. Over the past 10 years, SPPP has underperformed IAU with an annualized return of 8.53%, while IAU has yielded a comparatively higher 13.31% annualized return.
SPPP
- 1D
- -4.12%
- 1M
- -6.42%
- YTD
- -14.37%
- 6M
- -2.30%
- 1Y
- 39.19%
- 3Y*
- 5.59%
- 5Y*
- -6.33%
- 10Y*
- 8.53%
IAU
- 1D
- -0.98%
- 1M
- -1.62%
- YTD
- 2.98%
- 6M
- 5.50%
- 1Y
- 32.20%
- 3Y*
- 31.29%
- 5Y*
- 18.32%
- 10Y*
- 13.31%
SPPP vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPPP Sprott Physical Platinum and Palladium Trust | -14.37% | 89.43% | -11.89% | -25.86% | -2.37% | -21.77% | 23.84% | 46.00% | 5.53% | 35.36% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 2.98% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
Correlation
The correlation between SPPP and IAU is 0.65, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.65 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.56 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.53 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.46 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 20, 2012 | 0.47 |
The correlation between SPPP and IAU shifts across timeframes, from 0.46 (10 years) to 0.65 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SPPP vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
SPPP
IAU
SPPP vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Sprott Physical Platinum and Palladium Trust (SPPP) 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.
| SPPP | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.45 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.39 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.18 | 1.24 | -0.07 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.05 | 1.69 | -0.63 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.23 | 4.19 | -1.95 |
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
| SPPP | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.77 | 1.23 | -0.45 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.18 | 1.03 | -1.21 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.26 | 0.84 | -0.58 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.09 | 0.62 | -0.53 |
Drawdowns
SPPP vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SPPP drawdown since its inception was -59.09%, which is greater than IAU's maximum drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SPPP and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SPPP | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -59.09% | -45.14% | -13.95% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -37.42% | -19.18% | -18.24% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -37.42% | -19.18% | -18.24% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -58.50% | -20.93% | -37.57% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -59.09% | -21.82% | -37.27% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -36.14% | -17.70% | -18.44% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -26.48% | -15.96% | -10.52% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 17.60% | 7.71% | +9.89% |
Volatility
SPPP vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
Sprott Physical Platinum and Palladium Trust (SPPP) has a higher volatility of 10.71% compared to iShares Gold Trust (IAU) at 5.50%. This indicates that SPPP's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier 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
| SPPP | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 10.71% | 5.50% | +5.21% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 45.53% | 23.02% | +22.51% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 50.97% | 26.42% | +24.55% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 34.89% | 17.95% | +16.94% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 33.10% | 15.90% | +17.20% |
SPPP vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
SPPP has a 1.02% expense ratio, which is higher than IAU's 0.25% expense ratio.
Dividends
SPPP vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
Neither SPPP nor IAU has paid dividends to shareholders.
Frequently Asked Questions
SPPP and IAU have a correlation of 0.65, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SPPP has higher volatility (10.71%) compared to IAU (5.50%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SPPP dropped -59.09% vs IAU's -45.14%.
On 10-year performance, IAU leads with 13.31% vs 8.53% for SPPP. On fees, IAU is cheaper at 0.25% per year. On volatility, IAU has been the lower-risk option at 5.50%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, IAU has performed better with a 13.31% return vs 8.53%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IAU is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 1.02% for SPPP.
SPPP and IAU have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.
SPPP is categorized as Precious Metals, while IAU is Gold. They also come from different issuers: Sprott and iShares. Their fees differ too: 1.02% for SPPP and 0.25% for IAU.
IAU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.23 vs 0.77), 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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