# ETFs and Stocks That Consistently Outperformed GLD (Gold)

> Source: EasyCompare research, https://easycompare.io/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-gld
> Data as of October 20, 2026. Total returns include reinvested dividends. Past performance does not predict future results; nothing here is investment advice.

GLD (SPDR Gold Shares) screened against the entire market of over 10,000 stocks and ETFs over 8 periods from 1 month to 10 years, with dividends reinvested. To make the list, an investment had to outperform GLD in at least 3 of 5 short-term periods and 2 of 3 long-term periods. "All-weather" means outperforming in every long-term period and all but one short-term period. Returns in the tables are total returns over each period; volatility and Sharpe ratio cover 5 years.

## Key findings

- How hard it was to top GLD: Across over 10,000 stocks and ETFs screened, 66 of 954 eligible ETFs (6.9%) and 317 of 1,502 eligible stocks (21%) outperformed GLD under the consistency rule. A smaller group kept ahead in all but one short-term period and every long-term period: 18 ETFs and 123 stocks.
- Who came out ahead across the three groups:
  - Popular alternatives: Gold-miner funds RING and GDX made the list, each outperforming in 4 of 5 short-term periods and 3 of 3 long-term periods. DGP managed 3 of 3 long-term periods but only 1 of 5 short-term periods, while SPY led in 5 of 5 short-term periods but just 1 of 3 long-term periods. Same-index gold funds IAU and SGOL tied GLD in every period.
  - Top ETFs: International and technology funds led the displayed group, with 8 international and 4 technology ETFs among the top ETFs. Standouts include IYW, VGT, DXJ, and OPPJ. In all, 66 ETFs qualified, while the table shows the top 15.
  - Top stocks: 317 stocks qualified, and the table shows the top 10. Healthcare names NTRA, MEDP, and LLY and technology company FTNT each outperformed in 5 of 5 short-term and 3 of 3 long-term periods.
- The risk trade-off: Over 5 years, the top ETFs had median volatility of 24.9%, above GLD's 18.9%, while their median Sharpe ratio was lower at 0.89 versus 0.96. The top stocks were bumpier still, with median volatility of 47.8% and a median Sharpe ratio of 0.86. Seven of the top 15 ETFs and 4 of the top 10 stocks had higher Sharpe ratios than GLD, so only some delivered more return per unit of risk.

## How popular alternatives compare

| Investment | Status | Periods outperformed | 1M | 3M | 6M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y | Volatility | Sharpe |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| GLD: SPDR Gold Shares (benchmark) |  |  | −5.2% | +2.7% | −14.6% | −5.2% | −6.3% | +106% | +126% | +213% | 18.9% | 0.96 |
| RING: iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | Made the list | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −9.2% | +24.5% | −11.4% | +3.3% | +11.1% | +243% | +201% | +315% | 38.2% | 0.77 |
| GDX: VanEck Gold Miners ETF | Made the list | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −8.8% | +21.7% | −13.1% | +0.4% | +7.9% | +203% | +181% | +283% | 38.2% | 0.73 |
| DGP: DB Gold Double Long ETN | Fell short | 1/5 short, 3/3 long | −9.7% | +7.4% | −28.0% | −14.9% | −17.6% | +236% | +266% | +458% | 40.7% | 0.85 |
| SLV: iShares Silver Trust | Fell short | 1/5 short, 2/3 long | −12.6% | +2.2% | −27.8% | −20.7% | +9.2% | +144% | +131% | +213% | 37.5% | 0.64 |
| [SPY](https://easycompare.io/research/spy): State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | Fell short | 5/5 short, 1/3 long | −0.6% | +3.9% | +9.1% | +13.5% | +15.8% | +89.3% | +81.7% | +321% | 17.1% | 0.79 |
| DBC: Invesco DB Commodity Index Tracking Fund | Fell short | 5/5 short, 0/3 long | +3.0% | +15.2% | +17.1% | +49.9% | +55.3% | +52.5% | +76.6% | +160% | 19.3% | 0.69 |
| SGOL: abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF | Same index | about the same returns | −5.2% | +2.7% | −14.5% | −5.0% | −6.1% | +107% | +129% | +218% | 18.8% | 0.98 |
| [IAU](https://easycompare.io/research/iau): iShares Gold Trust | Same index | about the same returns | −5.2% | +2.8% | −14.5% | −5.1% | −6.1% | +107% | +128% | +218% | 18.9% | 0.97 |
| BAR: GraniteShares Gold Trust | Fell short | 0/5 short, 0/3 long | −5.2% | +2.8% | −14.5% | −5.0% | −6.1% | +107% | +129% | — | 18.8% | 0.98 |
| GLDM: SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust | Fell short | 0/5 short, 0/3 long | −5.2% | +2.8% | −14.5% | −5.0% | −6.0% | +108% | +130% | — | 18.9% | 0.98 |

## ETFs that consistently outperformed GLD

| Investment | Periods outperformed | 1M | 3M | 6M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y | Volatility | Sharpe | Expense | Assets |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| GLD: SPDR Gold Shares (benchmark) |  | −5.2% | +2.7% | −14.6% | −5.2% | −6.3% | +106% | +126% | +213% | 18.9% | 0.96 |  |  |
| IYW: iShares U.S. Technology ETF | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −4.2% | +5.6% | +20.4% | +26.8% | +27.0% | +143% | +138% | +805% | 26.6% | 0.79 | 0.37% | $24B |
| [VGT](https://easycompare.io/research/vgt): Vanguard Information Technology ETF | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −4.2% | +6.3% | +19.1% | +27.6% | +26.7% | +138% | +133% | +779% | 26.0% | 0.78 | 0.09% | $178B |
| FTEC: Fidelity MSCI Information Technology Index ETF | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −4.2% | +6.3% | +19.1% | +27.6% | +27.0% | +139% | +135% | +763% | 26.1% | 0.79 | 0.08% | $22B |
| DXJ: WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | 0.0% | +4.7% | +9.9% | +25.0% | +36.4% | +127% | +225% | +428% | 19.1% | 1.34 | 0.48% | $8.1B |
| UGA: United States Gasoline Fund, LP | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −0.9% | +16.9% | +40.5% | +130% | +130% | +111% | +221% | +399% | 35.1% | 0.84 | 1.08% | $167M |
| OPPJ: WisdomTree Japan Opportunities Fund | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −4.4% | +3.6% | +3.6% | +23.6% | +36.6% | +124% | +193% | +357% | 18.5% | 1.26 | 0.58% | $333M |
| DBJP: Xtrackers MSCI Japan Hedged Equity ETF | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −1.7% | +3.4% | +8.5% | +21.9% | +29.0% | +113% | +159% | +348% | 19.2% | 1.09 | 0.45% | $726M |
| HEWJ: iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Japan ETF | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −1.6% | +3.5% | +8.6% | +22.0% | +29.0% | +113% | +158% | +346% | 19.4% | 1.08 | 1.02% | $639M |
| CRAK: VanEck Oil Refiners ETF | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +1.6% | +20.3% | +41.5% | +73.9% | +81.5% | +121% | +146% | +336% | 20.9% | 0.97 | 0.61% | $810M |
| EPU: iShares MSCI Peru and Global Exposure ETF | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −1.8% | +5.9% | +7.2% | +25.1% | +42.7% | +246% | +264% | +275% | 24.9% | 1.17 | 0.59% | $551M |
| [XLK](https://easycompare.io/research/xlk): State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −4.8% | +5.7% | +20.3% | +29.0% | +29.3% | +131% | +143% | +767% | 26.0% | 0.82 | 0.08% | $125B |
| IXN: iShares Global Tech ETF | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −6.2% | +4.4% | +19.3% | +31.2% | +32.0% | +145% | +141% | +720% | 26.2% | 0.81 | 0.37% | $9.1B |
| EWT: iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −7.2% | +11.9% | +28.4% | +65.7% | +69.7% | +195% | +153% | +468% | 24.2% | 0.89 | 0.59% | $12B |
| GREK: Global X - MSCI Greece ETF | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −5.6% | +8.8% | +14.9% | +21.4% | +32.7% | +175% | +234% | +380% | 24.6% | 1.11 | 0.56% | $327M |
| RING: iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | 4/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −9.2% | +24.5% | −11.4% | +3.3% | +11.1% | +243% | +201% | +315% | 38.2% | 0.77 | 0.39% | $2.3B |

## Stocks that consistently outperformed GLD

| Investment | Periods outperformed | 1M | 3M | 6M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y | Volatility | Sharpe | Market cap |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| GLD: SPDR Gold Shares (benchmark) |  | −5.2% | +2.7% | −14.6% | −5.2% | −6.3% | +106% | +126% | +213% | 18.9% | 0.96 |  |
| [NTRA](https://easycompare.io/research/ntra): Natera, Inc. | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +9.5% | +54.6% | +95.4% | +77.4% | +115% | +896% | +261% | +3,841% | 57.6% | 0.74 | $59B |
| BWLP: BW LPG Limited | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −1.7% | +22.6% | +44.0% | +117% | +136% | +230% | +958% | +2,672% | 50.9% | 1.19 | $3.8B |
| [FTNT](https://easycompare.io/research/ftnt): Fortinet, Inc. | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −2.5% | +6.6% | +107% | +119% | +101% | +203% | +156% | +2,626% | 44.8% | 0.65 | $125B |
| MEDP: Medpace Holdings, Inc. | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −0.3% | +17.9% | +17.8% | +9.0% | +14.3% | +172% | +231% | +1,914% | 52.0% | 0.70 | $17B |
| [LLY](https://easycompare.io/research/lly): Eli Lilly and Company | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +10.2% | +12.1% | +40.0% | +19.4% | +59.7% | +124% | +451% | +1,807% | 32.8% | 1.21 | $1.2T |
| CORT: Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +2.4% | +27.2% | +151% | +205% | +48.2% | +317% | +498% | +1,593% | 75.9% | 0.81 | $13B |
| COKE: Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +12.3% | +17.3% | +14.9% | +42.9% | +61.7% | +255% | +461% | +1,569% | 38.0% | 1.10 | $14B |
| [TSM](https://easycompare.io/research/tsm): Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | −4.5% | +5.9% | +16.6% | +34.0% | +44.3% | +382% | +293% | +1,505% | 38.5% | 0.91 | $2.2T |
| CVI: CVR Energy, Inc. | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +16.4% | +79.1% | +106% | +147% | +78.5% | +115% | +304% | +1,424% | 52.3% | 0.80 | $6.2B |
| [MPC](https://easycompare.io/research/mpc): Marathon Petroleum Corporation | 5/5 short, 3/3 long, all-weather | +18.1% | +51.1% | +123% | +191% | +159% | +234% | +690% | +1,387% | 33.4% | 1.41 | $133B |

## What stands out

The ETF results were led by international and technology funds, while healthcare and technology names feature among the leading stocks. Gold-miner funds RING and GDX also kept ahead across the long-term periods, though their short-term record was less complete. The mix suggests GLD's challengers came from several areas, rather than one single theme.

The strongest listed funds and stocks outperformed across both short- and long-term periods, but their risk measures show the cost of that lead. The top ETF group was more volatile than GLD, and the top stocks were roughly double or more as volatile. Median Sharpe ratios were below GLD's for both groups, even though 7 of the top 15 ETFs and 4 of the top 10 stocks had higher Sharpe ratios. Past results do not establish how these investments will perform next.

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## Explore further

- Full page: https://easycompare.io/research/etfs-and-stocks-that-outperform-gld
- All research pages: https://easycompare.io/llms.txt