ETF Evaluator:
abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF ()
Follow This ETF
(as of Aug 26)
Best Performing in Commodities Focused Over the Last Year
| 2251.5% | Breakwave Tanker Shipping ETF (BWET) |
| 81.8% | United States Gasoline (UGA) |
| 64.2% | Commodities Focused () |
| 63.3% | Invesco DB Energy (DBE) |
| 61.8% | United States Oil (USO) |
Risk
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Risk
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ETF Details
abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF Overview
abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF (SGOL) is a passively managed Commodities Commodities Focused exchange-traded fund (ETF). Aberdeen Standard Investments launched the ETF in 2009.
The investment seeks to reflect the performance of the price of gold bullion, less the Trust’s expenses.
The Shares are intended to constitute a simple and cost-effective means of making an investment similar to an investment in gold. An investment in physical gold requires expensive and sometimes complicated arrangements in connection with the assay, transportation, warehousing and insurance of the metal. Although the Shares are not the exact equivalent of an investment in gold, they provide investors with an alternative that allows a level of participation in the gold market through the securities market.
About abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF (SGOL)
There are 1 members of the management team with an average tenure of 16.90 years: Management Team (2009). Management tenure is more important for actively managed ETFs than passive index ETFs.
The ETF has 1 primary benchmark: LBMA Gold Price PM USD index with a weighting of 100%. abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF has 1 securities in its portfolio. The top 10 holdings constitute 100.0% of the ETF’s assets. The ETF meets the SEC requirement of being classified as a diversified fund. The ETF is not considered to have an ESG focus with its investment selection and management.
abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF is part of the Real Assets global asset class and is within the Commodities ETF group. abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF has 0.0% of its portfolio invested in foreign issues. The overall assets allocated to domestic stock is 0.0% There is 0.0% allocated to foreign stock, and 0.0% is allocated to preferred stocks. The bond allocation as a percentage of total assets is 0.0% (0.0% domestic bond, 0.0% foreign bond and 0.0% convertible bond). abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF has 0.0% of the portfolio in cash.
Assets Under Management
The fund has $6 billion in total assets, which is above the $4 billion average for the Commodities Focused category. Normally, lower assets under management translates to higher average expense ratios, and greater total assets are desired. However, for some investment categories, such as small-cap investing, it may be difficult for the manager to fully employ the desired active strategy if assets grow too large or too quickly.
SGOL Performance and Fees
The expense ratio measures how much of a fund’s assets are used for administrative expenses and operating expenses, including adviser fees and fees for the transfer agent and custodial services. The abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF expense ratio is low compared to funds in the Commodities Focused category. abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF has an expense ratio of 0.17%, which is 78% lower than its category average, making the fund expense ratio grade a A. While it is difficult to predict returns, it is known that high annual expense ratios reduce your rate of return, and excessive fees are difficult to overcome. Active management normally comes with higher expense ratios than passive index management. Certain investment categories such as small company and foreign also normally have higher expense ratios. It is best to compare fund expense ratios against the category averages for meaningful assessments.
High portfolio turnover can translate to higher expenses and lower aftertax returns. abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF has a portfolio turnover rate of 11%, which indicates that it holds its assets around / 0.1 years. By way of comparison, the average portfolio turnover is 15% for the Commodities Focused category.
Recently, in the month of July 2026, abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF returned -0.0%, which earned it a grade of D, as the Commodities Focused category had an average return of 5.1%. The letter grades of A, B, C, D and F are based upon relative rankings within the investment category. A grade of A, for example, would indicate that the return is in the highest 20% for that time period compared to all ETFs in that category.
abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF has a trailing yield of 0.00%, which is below the 7.11% category average.
The fund normally distributes its income none.
It’s natural to seek the best-performing investments, but you must consider the relationship between risk and return and the impact of costs and taxes on your realized returns.
abrdn Physical Gold Shares ETF Grades
Year to date, the ETF has returned -6.6%, 38.0 percentage points worse than the category, which translates into a grade of D. The fund has returned 21.9% over the past year (grade of C), 26.7% over the past three years (grade of A) and 16.9% per year over the past five years (grade of B) and 11.4% per year over the past 10 years (grade of B).
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SGOL Trailing NAV Total Returns Data as of 7/31/26
| Last Month |
Last Quarter |
Ann'l. 1Yr |
Ann'l. 3Yr |
Ann'l. 5Yr |
Ann'l. 10Yr |
|
| SGOL Return (NAV) | -0.0% | -12.7% | 21.9% | 26.7% | 16.9% | 11.4% |
| SGOL Return (Price) | 0.9% | -12.3% | 22.9% | 27.1% | 17.2% | 11.4% |
| NAV +/- Price Return | -0.890% | -0.457% | -1.059% | -0.388% | -0.291% | 0.015% |
| Commodities Focused Avg | 5.1% | -6.8% | 64.2% | 14.3% | 9.6% | 6.0% |
| SGOL Grade (NAV) | D | D | C | A | B | B |
| +/- Category (NAV) | -5.1% | -5.9% | -42.3% | 12.4% | 7.4% | 5.3% |
| SGOL Tax-Cost Ratio | na | na | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
SGOL Annual NAV Total ReturnsData as of 7/31/26
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
| SGOL Return (NAV) | -6.6% | 64.7% | 25.4% | 14.4% | 0.3% | -4.5% | 24.4% | 18.0% | -1.5% | 11.4% | 8.7% |
| SGOL Return (Price) | -6.1% | 64.0% | 26.9% | 13.0% | -0.5% | -3.9% | 25.0% | 18.2% | -1.9% | 12.9% | 8.0% |
| NAV +/- Price Ret | -0.078% | -0.011% | 0.059% | -0.098% | -2.922% | -0.124% | 0.026% | 1.2% | 28.2% | 12.6% | -8.1% |
| Commodities Focused Avg | 31.4% | 35.6% | 6.2% | -1.1% | 9.2% | 27.8% | 1.5% | 14.9% | -9.5% | 3.1% | 10.0% |
| SGOL Grade (NAV) | D | B | B | A | D | F | A | C | B | A | C |
| +/- Category | -38.0% | 29.1% | 19.2% | 15.5% | -8.9% | -32.3% | 22.9% | 3.1% | 7.9% | 8.3% | -1.3% |
| Risk Measures | |
| Beta: | 0.36 |
| R-Squared: | 7% |
| Standard Deviation: | 18.6% |
| Category Risk Index: | 0.73 |
| Category Risk Rating: | Average |
| Total Risk Index: | 1.51 |
| Total Risk Rating: | Above Average |
| Portfolio Characteristics | |
| Yield: | 0.0% |
| Total Assets: | $ 6,728 Mil |
| Share Class Assets: | $ 6,728 Mil |
| Turnover: | 11.4% |
| Expense Ratio: | 0.17% |
| Index Fund: | Yes |
| Index Tracked: | LBMA Gold Price PM USD |
| Index Weighting: | 100% |
| Leveraged: | No |
| Socially Responsible Fund: | No |
| Capital Gains Distribution Frequency: | |
| Income Distribution Frequency: | None |
Management Team
| Number of Managers: 1 | |||
| Longest Tenure: 16.9 years | |||
| Average Tenure: 16.9 years | |||
| Managers (Year): Team Management (2009) | |||
Portfolio Composition (as of 7/31/26)
| # of Holdings: | 1 |
| % in Top 10 Holdings: | 100.0% |
| Fund is Non-Diversified: | No |
| % in Foreign Issues: | 0.0% |
Portfolio Allocation |
|
| Domestic Stock: | 0.0% |
| Foreign Stock: | 0.0% |
| Preferred Stock: | 0.0% |
| Domestic Bond: | 0.0% |
| Foreign Bond: | 0.0% |
| Convertible Bond: | 0.0% |
| Other: | 100.0% |
| Cash: | 0.0% |
Purchase Information
| Legal Structure: | Grantor Trust |
| Fund Family: | Aberdeen Standard Investments |
| Phone Number: | 212-918-4954 |
| Website: | www.etfsecurities.com |
| Inception Date: | September 9, 2009 |
Expenses and Fees
| Expense Ratio (%): | 0.17% (Rating: Low) |
| Category Average Expense Ratio (%): | 0.76% |
