USAU vs. GLD
USAU (U.S. Gold Corp.) is a stock, while GLD (SPDR Gold Shares) is Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price PM. Over the past 10 years, USAU returned -16.51%/yr vs 11.25%/yr for GLD. At a 0.16 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
USAU vs. GLD - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, USAU achieves a -25.71% return, which is significantly lower than GLD's -7.67% return. Over the past 10 years, USAU has underperformed GLD with an annualized return of -16.51%, while GLD has yielded a comparatively higher 11.25% annualized return.
USAU
- 1D
- -5.01%
- 1M
- -6.85%
- YTD
- -25.71%
- 6M
- -35.83%
- 1Y
- 12.48%
- 3Y*
- 49.80%
- 5Y*
- 4.83%
- 10Y*
- -16.51%
GLD
- 1D
- -3.02%
- 1M
- -11.58%
- YTD
- -7.67%
- 6M
- -11.17%
- 1Y
- 19.51%
- 3Y*
- 27.10%
- 5Y*
- 17.04%
- 10Y*
- 11.25%
USAU vs. GLD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
USAU U.S. Gold Corp. | -25.71% | 216.64% | 44.24% | -11.46% | -46.49% | -45.80% | 104.32% | -10.00% | -44.79% | -81.48% |
GLD SPDR Gold Shares | -7.67% | 63.68% | 26.66% | 12.69% | -0.77% | -4.15% | 24.81% | 17.86% | -1.94% | 12.81% |
Correlation
The correlation between USAU and GLD is 0.54, 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 | 0.54 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.47 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.43 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 18, 2004 | 0.16 |
Over the past year, USAU and GLD have become more correlated (0.54) than their long-term average of 0.16, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
USAU vs. GLD — Risk / Return Rank
USAU
GLD
USAU vs. GLD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for U.S. Gold Corp. (USAU) and SPDR Gold Shares (GLD). 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.
| USAU | GLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.52 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.31 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.08 | 1.15 | -0.07 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.32 | 0.75 | -0.43 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.62 | 2.12 | -1.49 |
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Drawdowns
USAU vs. GLD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum USAU drawdown since its inception was -99.99%, which is greater than GLD's maximum drawdown of -45.56%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for USAU and GLD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| USAU | GLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -99.99% | -45.56% | -54.43% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -39.12% | -26.21% | -12.91% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -39.12% | -26.21% | -12.91% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -73.40% | -26.21% | -47.19% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -96.96% | -26.21% | -70.75% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -99.95% | -26.21% | -73.74% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -83.20% | -16.17% | -67.03% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 20.06% | 9.24% | +10.82% |
Volatility
USAU vs. GLD - Volatility Comparison
U.S. Gold Corp. (USAU) has a higher volatility of 19.11% compared to SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) at 8.58%. This indicates that USAU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than GLD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| USAU | GLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 19.11% | 8.58% | +10.53% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 49.95% | 24.57% | +25.38% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 65.32% | 27.75% | +37.57% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 63.05% | 18.30% | +44.75% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 83.23% | 16.07% | +67.16% |
Dividends
USAU vs. GLD - Dividend Comparison
Neither USAU nor GLD has paid dividends to shareholders.
Frequently Asked Questions
USAU and GLD have a correlation of 0.54, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
USAU has higher volatility (19.11%) compared to GLD (8.58%). In terms of maximum drawdown, USAU dropped -99.99% vs GLD's -45.56%.
GLD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.71 vs 0.19), 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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