BCE.TO vs. XBB.TO

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

BCE.TO (BCE Inc.) is a stock, while XBB.TO (iShares Core Canadian Universe Bond Index ETF) is Intermediate Core Bond fund tracking the FTSE Canada Universe Bond Index. Over the past 10 years, BCE.TO returned 0.29%/yr vs 1.55%/yr for XBB.TO. At a 0.03 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

BCE.TO vs. XBB.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in BCE Inc. (BCE.TO) and iShares Core Canadian Universe Bond Index ETF (XBB.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BCE.TO achieves a 4.45% return, which is significantly higher than XBB.TO's 0.89% return. Over the past 10 years, BCE.TO has underperformed XBB.TO with an annualized return of 0.29%, while XBB.TO has yielded a comparatively higher 1.55% annualized return.

BCE.TO

• 1D: -0.79%
• 1M: 2.06%
• YTD: 4.45%
• 6M: 7.05%
• 1Y: 19.46%
• 3Y*: -11.69%
• 5Y*: -5.02%
• 10Y*: 0.29%

XBB.TO

• 1D: -0.39%
• 1M: 0.01%
• YTD: 0.89%
• 6M: 1.29%
• 1Y: 2.87%
• 3Y*: 4.23%
• 5Y*: 0.54%
• 10Y*: 1.55%

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

BCE.TO vs. XBB.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
BCE.TO BCE Inc.	4.45%	5.35%	-30.02%	-6.22%	-4.33%	27.90%	-3.92%	17.38%	-5.65%	9.18%
XBB.TO iShares Core Canadian Universe Bond Index ETF	0.89%	2.59%	4.00%	6.64%	-11.66%	-2.81%	8.58%	7.28%	1.00%	2.42%

Correlation

The correlation between BCE.TO and XBB.TO is 0.09, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.09
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.21
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.21
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.15
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 7, 2006	0.03

The correlation between BCE.TO and XBB.TO shifts across timeframes, from 0.03 (all time) to 0.21 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

BCE.TO vs. XBB.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

BCE.TO

BCE.TO Risk / Return Rank: 71
BCE.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 75
BCE.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 70
BCE.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 66
BCE.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 73
BCE.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 70

XBB.TO

XBB.TO Risk / Return Rank: 21
XBB.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 21
XBB.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 19
XBB.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 19
XBB.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 25
XBB.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 22

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.

BCE.TO vs. XBB.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BCE Inc. (BCE.TO) and iShares Core Canadian Universe Bond Index ETF (XBB.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.

	BCE.TO	XBB.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.12	0.66	+0.46
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.68	0.92	+0.76
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.19	1.11	+0.08
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.81	1.06	+0.75
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.45	2.47	+0.97
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

BCE.TO vs. XBB.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BCE.TO Sharpe Ratio is 1.12, which is higher than the XBB.TO Sharpe Ratio of 0.66. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BCE.TO and XBB.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

	BCE.TO	XBB.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.12	0.66	+0.46
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.29	0.08	-0.38
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.02	0.23	-0.22
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.29	0.60	-0.32

Drawdowns

BCE.TO vs. XBB.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BCE.TO drawdown since its inception was -50.02%, which is greater than XBB.TO's maximum drawdown of -18.16%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BCE.TO and XBB.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	BCE.TO	XBB.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-50.02%	-18.16%	-31.86%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.82%	-2.73%	-8.09%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-43.81%	-5.42%	-38.39%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-50.02%	-15.90%	-34.12%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-50.02%	-18.16%	-31.86%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-39.17%	-1.98%	-37.19%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-11.54%	-3.07%	-8.47%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.66%	1.16%	+4.50%

Volatility

BCE.TO vs. XBB.TO - Volatility Comparison

BCE Inc. (BCE.TO) has a higher volatility of 4.92% compared to iShares Core Canadian Universe Bond Index ETF (XBB.TO) at 1.54%. This indicates that BCE.TO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XBB.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BCE.TO	XBB.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.92%	1.54%	+3.38%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.16%	3.42%	+8.74%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.52%	4.37%	+13.15%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.15%	6.63%	+10.52%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.51%	6.70%	+10.81%

Dividends

BCE.TO vs. XBB.TO - Dividend Comparison

BCE.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.18%, more than XBB.TO's 3.43% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BCE.TO BCE Inc.	5.18%	7.06%	11.97%	7.42%	6.19%	5.32%	6.12%	5.27%	5.60%	4.75%	4.70%	4.86%
XBB.TO iShares Core Canadian Universe Bond Index ETF	3.43%	3.39%	3.25%	3.01%	2.91%	2.54%	2.55%	2.80%	2.92%	2.83%	2.81%	2.87%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BCE.TO and XBB.TO in my portfolio?

BCE.TO and XBB.TO have a correlation of 0.09, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.