As gold prices breached $4,300 an ounce in 2025, renowned valuation professor Aswath Damodaran is reinforcing a long-held skepticism championed by Warren Buffett: gold is not a true financial asset.Damodaran Echoes Buffett’s Core Reason For Avoiding GoldIn a recent video analysis of gold’s “insane rise,” Damodaran agreed with Buffett’s core logic, explaining that because gold generates no cash flows, it “cannot be valued” like a stock or a bond.Instead, Damodaran classifies gold as a “collectible,” whose pr ...

Core Insights - Investors are presented with a choice between the SPDR Gold Shares, which has significant assets under management, and the Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF, which offers lower costs for similar gold exposure [1][9]. Cost and Size Comparison - The Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF (AAAU) has an expense ratio of 0.18%, while the SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) has a higher expense ratio of 0.40% [3][11]. - As of October 31, 2025, AAAU has a one-year return of 45.4%, slightly outperforming GLD's return of 45.2% [3]. - Assets under management (AUM) for AAAU stand at $2.2 billion, compared to GLD's $134.0 billion, indicating a significant size difference [3][11]. Performance and Risk Metrics - Over a five-year period, the maximum drawdown for AAAU is -20.94%, while GLD's is -21.03%, showing comparable risk profiles [4]. - The growth of an initial investment of $1,000 over five years would yield $2,092 for AAAU and $2,069 for GLD, indicating similar performance despite the size difference [4]. Fund Structure and Holdings - Both ETFs are designed to track the price of physical gold and hold only gold bullion, ensuring straightforward exposure to gold's performance [5][6]. - SPDR Gold Shares is categorized as 100% Basic Materials, while Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF is classified as 100% Real Estate, which is a labeling quirk rather than actual exposure [5][6]. Market Context - The price of gold has increased by over 50% in 2025, driven by geopolitical tensions and economic factors, leading central banks to increase their gold reserves [7].