ETF Versus

DVY vs IAU

iShares Select Dividend ETF vs iShares Gold Trust

Last updated: 2026-04-02

DVY iShares

iShares Select Dividend ETF (DVY) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to U.S. dividend-paying stocks selected for yield or dividend growth. It charges an above-average expense ratio of 0.38%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.47%. Launched in 2003, the fund has a 23-year track record.

AUM: $22.0B ER: 0.38% Yield: 3.47% Since: Nov 3, 2003
IAU iShares

iShares Gold Trust (IAU) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to gold securities. It charges a moderate expense ratio of 0.25%. Launched in 2005, the fund has a 21-year track record.

AUM: $68.7B ER: 0.25% Yield: 0.00% Since: Jan 21, 2005

Quick Verdict

IAU is significantly cheaper at 0.25% vs 0.38% expense ratio, saving you approximately $253 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Over the past year, IAU has significantly outperformed with a 52.4% return vs 12.6%. Income investors may prefer DVY for its higher yield (3.5% vs 0.0%).

Key Metrics

Metric DVY IAU
Expense Ratio 0.38% 0.25%
Dividend Yield 3.5% 0.0%
Fund Family iShares iShares
Category US Dividend Gold

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

85 128 171 214 257 300 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
DVY +30.7%
IAU +172.6%

Performance Comparison

Period DVY IAU Difference
1 Month -3.15% -10.66% +7.51%
3 Months +5.89% +9.96% -4.07%
6 Months +5.53% +22.48% -16.95%
YTD +5.89% +9.96% -4.07%
1 Year +12.56% +52.36% -39.80%
3 Years +28.73% +138.19% -109.46%
5 Years +30.67% +172.58% -141.91%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period DVY Fees IAU Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $748 $495 $253
$10.000 20 years $3.173 $2.111 $1.062
$10.000 30 years $10.097 $6.758 $3.339
$50.000 10 years $3.739 $2.473 $1.266
$50.000 30 years $50.486 $33.792 $16.694
$100.000 30 years $100.972 $67.584 $33.388

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric DVY IAU
Annualized Volatility 15.5% 17.7%
Max Drawdown -22.1% -20.9%
Sharpe Ratio 0.13 0.97

Dividend Comparison

Metric DVY IAU
Annual Dividend (per share) $5.24 $0.00
Dividend Yield 3.47% 0.00%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly None

Top Holdings

DVY Top Holdings

NameWeight
Pfizer Inc.PFE2.33%
Altria Group, Inc.MO2.17%
Verizon Communications Inc.VZ2.01%
ONEOK, Inc.OKE1.93%
Prudential Financial, Inc.PRU1.81%
T. Rowe Price Group, Inc.TROW1.75%
LyondellBasell Industries N.V.LYB1.70%
General Mills, Inc.GIS1.62%
Edison InternationalEIX1.60%
Kimberly-Clark CorporationKMB1.57%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose IAU if...

you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.

Choose IAU if...

recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.

Choose DVY if...

you prioritize dividend income and want higher regular distributions from your portfolio.

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