Comparison of IAU and GLD Gold ETFs
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 2d ago
0mins
Source: Fool
- Expense Ratio Difference: IAU's expense ratio stands at 0.25%, significantly lower than GLD's 0.40%, which provides a cost advantage for long-term holders of IAU, thereby enhancing their investment returns.
- Assets Under Management: GLD manages $173.3 billion in assets, far exceeding IAU's $80.2 billion, indicating GLD's dominant market position, although IAU is more attractive in terms of fees.
- Historical Drawdown Comparison: Over the past five years, IAU and GLD experienced maximum drawdowns of 20.93% and 21.03% respectively, showing similar risk levels, suggesting that investors may consider other factors in their selection.
- Investor Choice Considerations: While both funds exhibit similar performance, IAU's lower expense ratio may attract more cost-conscious investors, whereas GLD's larger asset base provides it with greater market recognition.
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Analyst Views on BLK
Wall Street analysts forecast BLK stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for BLK is 1336 USD with a low forecast of 1218 USD and a high forecast of 1514 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
12 Analyst Rating
10 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 1054.800
Low
1218
Averages
1336
High
1514
Current: 1054.800
Low
1218
Averages
1336
High
1514
About BLK
BlackRock, Inc. is an investment management company. The Company provides a range of investment management and technology services to institutional and retail clients. Its diverse platform of alpha-seeking active, private markets, index and cash management investment strategies across asset classes enables the Company to tailor investment outcomes and asset allocation solutions for clients. Its product offerings include single- and multi-asset portfolios investing in equities, fixed income, alternatives, and money market instruments. Its products are offered directly and through intermediaries in a range of vehicles, including open-end and closed-end mutual funds, iShares exchange-traded funds, separate accounts, collective investment funds and other pooled investment vehicles. It also offers technology services, including the investment and risk management technology platform, Aladdin, Aladdin Wealth, eFront, and Cachematrix, as well as advisory services and solutions.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Assets Under Management: GLD manages $173.3 billion in assets, far exceeding IAU's $80.2 billion, indicating GLD's dominant market position, although IAU is more attractive in terms of fees.
- Historical Drawdown Comparison: Over the past five years, IAU and GLD experienced maximum drawdowns of 20.93% and 21.03% respectively, showing similar risk levels, suggesting that investors may consider other factors in their selection.
- Investor Choice Considerations: While both funds exhibit similar performance, IAU's lower expense ratio may attract more cost-conscious investors, whereas GLD's larger asset base provides it with greater market recognition.
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- Expanding Customer Base: The number of customers with ARR over $100,000 grew by 12% to 2,506, while those exceeding $1 million increased by 10% to 333, reflecting UiPath's appeal and market penetration among high-value clients.
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- Expense Ratio Difference: IAU's expense ratio stands at 0.25%, significantly lower than GLD's 0.40%, which provides a cost advantage for long-term holders of IAU, thereby enhancing their investment returns.
- Assets Under Management: GLD manages $173.3 billion in assets, far exceeding IAU's $80.2 billion, indicating GLD's dominant market position, although IAU is more attractive in terms of fees.
- Historical Drawdown Comparison: Over the past five years, IAU and GLD experienced maximum drawdowns of 20.93% and 21.03% respectively, showing similar risk levels, suggesting that investors may consider other factors in their selection.
- Investor Choice Considerations: While both funds exhibit similar performance, IAU's lower expense ratio may attract more cost-conscious investors, whereas GLD's larger asset base provides it with greater market recognition.
See More
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- Investment Attractiveness Analysis: Archer is viewed as an asymmetric investment; despite facing regulatory approval and capital management risks, partnerships with high-profile companies like Palantir and Nvidia may provide support for future growth, attracting strategic investors.
- Market Expectations and Risks: Analysts set a target price of about $12 for Archer, suggesting a potential upside of 71% from current levels, but due to the lack of actual business results, investors should approach with caution and avoid blindly following BlackRock's investment decisions.
See More
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- Bitcoin Price Drop: Bitcoin has fallen to a 52-week low, surpassing the slump during the tariff-induced market sell-off in April 2025, indicating a weakening confidence in the cryptocurrency market that may affect investor holdings.
- ETF Underperformance: The iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF has also hit a 52-week low, with current net assets around $67 billion, reflecting a cautious investor sentiment towards the crypto market that could lead to capital outflows and impact its liquidity.
- Shifting Investor Preferences: As institutional acceptance of cryptocurrencies increases, ETFs have become a popular choice for holding Bitcoin, despite a higher expense ratio compared to older ETFs, attracting significant inflows and demonstrating a long-term bullish outlook on Bitcoin.
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See More
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- Widespread Industry Impact: Fink noted that AI will disrupt various sectors including finance and manufacturing, while accelerating breakthroughs in drug discovery, energy efficiency, and scientific research; although initial investments may lead to failures, this is a natural part of capitalism.
- India's AI Opportunity: Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani framed AI as essential for India's development, capable of addressing major challenges in education and healthcare at a fraction of global costs, helping the country close the gap with wealthier nations over the next few decades.
- Joint Market Expansion: Reliance partnered with BlackRock to introduce mutual funds in India last year, with Jio BlackRock Asset Management launching its first equity fund in August, which grew to ₹31.98 billion ($353 million) in assets under management by December, highlighting the potential of India's financial market.
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