AVDV vs. ZSP.TO

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

AVDV (Avantis International Small Cap Value ETF) and ZSP.TO (BMO S&P 500 Index ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - AVDV is a Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities fund actively managed by Avantis, while ZSP.TO is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. AVDV is actively managed, while ZSP.TO is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, AVDV returned 13.33%/yr vs 13.21%/yr for ZSP.TO. At a 0.47 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. AVDV charges 0.36%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for ZSP.TO.

Performance

AVDV vs. ZSP.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Avantis International Small Cap Value ETF (AVDV) and BMO S&P 500 Index ETF (ZSP.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

AVDV is traded in USD, while ZSP.TO is traded in CAD. To make them comparable, the ZSP.TO values have been converted to USD using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, AVDV achieves a 13.22% return, which is significantly higher than ZSP.TO's 8.46% return.

AVDV

• 1D: 0.26%
• 1M: -2.93%
• YTD: 13.22%
• 6M: 16.29%
• 1Y: 40.16%
• 3Y*: 26.61%
• 5Y*: 13.33%
• 10Y*: —

ZSP.TO

• 1D: 0.12%
• 1M: 0.25%
• YTD: 8.46%
• 6M: 8.59%
• 1Y: 24.52%
• 3Y*: 21.23%
• 5Y*: 13.21%
• 10Y*: 14.98%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

AVDV vs. ZSP.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
AVDV Avantis International Small Cap Value ETF	13.22%	49.37%	8.67%	16.85%	-11.47%	15.80%	5.01%	12.05%
ZSP.TO BMO S&P 500 Index ETF	8.40%	17.73%	24.53%	26.31%	-17.88%	27.60%	18.42%	8.18%

Correlation

The correlation between AVDV and ZSP.TO is 0.44, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.44
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.38
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.44
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 27, 2019	0.47

AVDV vs. ZSP.TO - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	AVDV	ZSP.TO
Basic Materials	22.5%	1.8%
Industrials	21.3%	8.2%
Consumer Cyclical	14.4%	10.1%
Financial Services	13.7%	11.9%
Energy	10.8%	3.5%
Technology	6.4%	36.2%
Consumer Defensive	3.4%	4.8%
Healthcare	2.1%	8.4%
Communication Services	2.0%	10.9%
Utilities	1.7%	2.3%
Real Estate	1.1%	1.9%

Return for Risk

AVDV vs. ZSP.TO — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

AVDV

AVDV Risk / Return Rank: 79
AVDV Sharpe Ratio Rank: 86
AVDV Sortino Ratio Rank: 83
AVDV Omega Ratio Rank: 84
AVDV Calmar Ratio Rank: 67
AVDV Martin Ratio Rank: 73

ZSP.TO

ZSP.TO Risk / Return Rank: 75
ZSP.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 80
ZSP.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 78
ZSP.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 80
ZSP.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 69
ZSP.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 70

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

AVDV vs. ZSP.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Avantis International Small Cap Value ETF (AVDV) and BMO S&P 500 Index ETF (ZSP.TO). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	AVDV	ZSP.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.54	1.95	+0.59
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.35	2.64	+0.71
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.46	1.36	+0.10
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.06	2.70	+0.36
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	12.34	11.80	+0.54
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

AVDV vs. ZSP.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current AVDV Sharpe Ratio is 2.54, which is higher than the ZSP.TO Sharpe Ratio of 1.95. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of AVDV and ZSP.TO, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	AVDV	ZSP.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.54	1.95	+0.59
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.77	0.82	-0.05
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.86	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.78	0.88	-0.10

Drawdowns

AVDV vs. ZSP.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum AVDV drawdown since its inception was -43.01%, which is greater than ZSP.TO's maximum drawdown of -33.11%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AVDV and ZSP.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	AVDV	ZSP.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-43.01%	-33.11%	-9.90%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.19%	-9.11%	-4.08%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-14.17%	-18.80%	+4.63%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-28.08%	-24.35%	-3.73%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-33.11%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-3.74%	-2.72%	-1.02%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.77%	-3.85%	-2.92%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.26%	2.08%	+1.18%

Volatility

AVDV vs. ZSP.TO - Volatility Comparison

Avantis International Small Cap Value ETF (AVDV) has a higher volatility of 5.49% compared to BMO S&P 500 Index ETF (ZSP.TO) at 3.86%. This indicates that AVDV's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ZSP.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	AVDV	ZSP.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.49%	3.86%	+1.63%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	13.49%	9.58%	+3.91%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.92%	12.69%	+3.23%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.35%	16.13%	+1.22%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.75%	17.53%	+2.22%

AVDV vs. ZSP.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

AVDV has a 0.36% expense ratio, which is higher than ZSP.TO's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

AVDV vs. ZSP.TO - Dividend Comparison

AVDV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.81%, more than ZSP.TO's 0.76% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
AVDV Avantis International Small Cap Value ETF	2.81%	3.05%	4.31%	3.29%	3.17%	2.39%	1.67%	0.36%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
ZSP.TO BMO S&P 500 Index ETF	0.76%	0.82%	0.94%	1.33%	1.44%	1.15%	1.45%	1.48%	1.68%	1.68%	2.23%	1.60%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both AVDV and ZSP.TO in my portfolio?

AVDV and ZSP.TO have a correlation of 0.44, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, AVDV or ZSP.TO?

On fees, ZSP.TO is cheaper at 0.09% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, AVDV or ZSP.TO?

ZSP.TO is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.36% for AVDV.

What is the main difference between AVDV and ZSP.TO?

AVDV is categorized as Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities, while ZSP.TO is S&P 500. They also come from different issuers: Avantis and BMO. Their fees differ too: 0.36% for AVDV and 0.09% for ZSP.TO.