BGIN.NEO vs. ZLB.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

BGIN.NEO (BMO Global Innovators Fund Active ETF Series) and ZLB.TO (BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - BGIN.NEO is a Technology Equities fund actively managed by BMO, while ZLB.TO is a Canada Equities fund actively managed by BMO. Both are actively managed. Over the past year, BGIN.NEO returned 88.73% vs 14.81% for ZLB.TO. At a 0.08 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. BGIN.NEO charges 1.07%/yr vs 0.39%/yr for ZLB.TO.

Performance

BGIN.NEO vs. ZLB.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in BMO Global Innovators Fund Active ETF Series (BGIN.NEO) and BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF (ZLB.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BGIN.NEO achieves a 54.53% return, which is significantly higher than ZLB.TO's 3.14% return.

BGIN.NEO

• 1D: 0.78%
• 1M: 21.71%
• YTD: 54.53%
• 6M: 53.21%
• 1Y: 88.73%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

ZLB.TO

• 1D: 0.03%
• 1M: 1.40%
• YTD: 3.14%
• 6M: 4.82%
• 1Y: 14.81%
• 3Y*: 15.17%
• 5Y*: 11.61%
• 10Y*: 10.67%

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

BGIN.NEO vs. ZLB.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
BGIN.NEO BMO Global Innovators Fund Active ETF Series	54.53%	19.37%	32.08%	11.72%
ZLB.TO BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF	3.14%	25.29%	15.31%	4.51%

Correlation

The correlation between BGIN.NEO and ZLB.TO is 0.12, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.12
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 28, 2023	0.08

Return for Risk

BGIN.NEO vs. ZLB.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

BGIN.NEO

BGIN.NEO Risk / Return Rank: 92
BGIN.NEO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 93
BGIN.NEO Sortino Ratio Rank: 89
BGIN.NEO Omega Ratio Rank: 93
BGIN.NEO Calmar Ratio Rank: 93
BGIN.NEO Martin Ratio Rank: 91

ZLB.TO

ZLB.TO Risk / Return Rank: 54
ZLB.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 51
ZLB.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 55
ZLB.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 51
ZLB.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 55
ZLB.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 58

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.

BGIN.NEO vs. ZLB.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BMO Global Innovators Fund Active ETF Series (BGIN.NEO) and BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF (ZLB.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.

	BGIN.NEO	ZLB.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	3.44	1.80	+1.64
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	4.02	2.69	+1.33
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.64	1.32	+0.32
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	6.75	2.77	+3.97
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	21.35	10.29	+11.06
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

BGIN.NEO vs. ZLB.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BGIN.NEO Sharpe Ratio is 3.44, which is higher than the ZLB.TO Sharpe Ratio of 1.80. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BGIN.NEO and ZLB.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

	BGIN.NEO	ZLB.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.44	1.80	+1.64
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	1.24	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.88	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.57	1.14	+0.43

Drawdowns

BGIN.NEO vs. ZLB.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BGIN.NEO drawdown since its inception was -29.19%, smaller than the maximum ZLB.TO drawdown of -33.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BGIN.NEO and ZLB.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	BGIN.NEO	ZLB.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-29.19%	-33.96%	+4.77%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.23%	-5.36%	-7.87%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-8.01%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-13.00%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-33.96%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-1.70%	+1.70%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.44%	-2.46%	-1.98%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.17%	1.45%	+2.72%

Volatility

BGIN.NEO vs. ZLB.TO - Volatility Comparison

BMO Global Innovators Fund Active ETF Series (BGIN.NEO) has a higher volatility of 9.24% compared to BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF (ZLB.TO) at 2.47%. This indicates that BGIN.NEO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ZLB.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BGIN.NEO	ZLB.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	9.24%	2.47%	+6.77%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	21.40%	6.38%	+15.02%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	25.92%	8.29%	+17.63%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	26.10%	9.44%	+16.66%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	26.10%	12.15%	+13.95%

BGIN.NEO vs. ZLB.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

BGIN.NEO has a 1.07% expense ratio, which is higher than ZLB.TO's 0.39% expense ratio.

Dividends

BGIN.NEO vs. ZLB.TO - Dividend Comparison

BGIN.NEO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.19%, less than ZLB.TO's 1.88% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BGIN.NEO BMO Global Innovators Fund Active ETF Series	0.19%	0.30%	0.36%	0.12%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
ZLB.TO BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF	1.88%	1.93%	2.37%	2.67%	2.66%	2.39%	2.83%	2.44%	2.76%	2.52%	2.94%	2.34%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BGIN.NEO and ZLB.TO in my portfolio?

BGIN.NEO and ZLB.TO have a correlation of 0.12, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, BGIN.NEO or ZLB.TO?

On fees, ZLB.TO is cheaper at 0.39% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, BGIN.NEO or ZLB.TO?

ZLB.TO is cheaper with a 0.39% expense ratio, compared with 1.07% for BGIN.NEO.

What is the main difference between BGIN.NEO and ZLB.TO?

BGIN.NEO is categorized as Technology Equities, while ZLB.TO is Canada Equities. Their fees differ too: 1.07% for BGIN.NEO and 0.39% for ZLB.TO.