BTAL vs. DGRO
BTAL (AGFiQ US Market Neutral Anti-Beta Fund) and DGRO (iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - BTAL is a Long-Short fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Thematic Market Neutral Anti-Beta Total Return Index, while DGRO is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Morningstar US Dividend Growth Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, BTAL returned -5.05%/yr vs 13.52%/yr for DGRO. At a correlation of -0.45, they often move in opposite directions. BTAL charges 2.11%/yr vs 0.08%/yr for DGRO.
Performance
BTAL vs. DGRO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BTAL achieves a -20.15% return, which is significantly lower than DGRO's 9.86% return. Over the past 10 years, BTAL has underperformed DGRO with an annualized return of -5.05%, while DGRO has yielded a comparatively higher 13.52% annualized return.
BTAL
- 1D
- -0.09%
- 1M
- -4.17%
- YTD
- -20.15%
- 6M
- -19.27%
- 1Y
- -37.44%
- 3Y*
- -12.17%
- 5Y*
- -4.94%
- 10Y*
- -5.05%
DGRO
- 1D
- 0.69%
- 1M
- 2.86%
- YTD
- 9.86%
- 6M
- 9.27%
- 1Y
- 23.49%
- 3Y*
- 16.74%
- 5Y*
- 10.82%
- 10Y*
- 13.52%
BTAL vs. DGRO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BTAL AGFiQ US Market Neutral Anti-Beta Fund | -20.15% | -20.17% | 12.83% | -15.11% | 20.48% | -6.81% | -13.86% | 1.07% | 15.13% | -2.13% |
DGRO iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | 9.86% | 15.69% | 16.62% | 10.47% | -7.91% | 26.64% | 9.50% | 29.87% | -2.38% | 23.00% |
Correlation
The correlation between BTAL and DGRO is -0.41, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.41 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.41 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.46 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.47 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 12, 2014 | -0.45 |
BTAL vs. DGRO - Sectors Allocation Comparison
Sectors
BTAL
DGRO
Technology
Financial Services
Industrials
Consumer Cyclical
Healthcare
Real Estate
-
Consumer Defensive
Utilities
Energy
Basic Materials
Communication Services
Technology
BTAL
DGRO
Financial Services
BTAL
DGRO
Industrials
BTAL
DGRO
Consumer Cyclical
BTAL
DGRO
Healthcare
BTAL
DGRO
Real Estate
BTAL
DGRO
-
Consumer Defensive
BTAL
DGRO
Utilities
BTAL
DGRO
Energy
BTAL
DGRO
Basic Materials
BTAL
DGRO
Communication Services
BTAL
DGRO
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Return for Risk
BTAL vs. DGRO — Risk / Return Rank
BTAL
DGRO
BTAL vs. DGRO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for AGFiQ US Market Neutral Anti-Beta Fund (BTAL) and iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| BTAL | DGRO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -3.97 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -5.96 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.73 | 1.42 | -0.68 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.98 | 3.46 | -4.44 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.64 | 13.36 | -15.00 |
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Drawdowns
BTAL vs. DGRO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BTAL drawdown since its inception was -50.28%, which is greater than DGRO's maximum drawdown of -35.10%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BTAL and DGRO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BTAL | DGRO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -50.28% | -35.10% | -15.18% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -37.50% | -6.47% | -31.03% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -45.16% | -14.03% | -31.13% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -45.16% | -19.31% | -25.85% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -50.28% | -35.10% | -15.18% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -50.23% | 0.00% | -50.23% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -22.01% | -3.44% | -18.57% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 22.38% | 1.68% | +20.70% |
Volatility
BTAL vs. DGRO - Volatility Comparison
AGFiQ US Market Neutral Anti-Beta Fund (BTAL) has a higher volatility of 8.74% compared to iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO) at 2.64%. This indicates that BTAL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than DGRO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BTAL | DGRO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.74% | 2.64% | +6.10% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.58% | 6.96% | +9.62% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 22.49% | 9.59% | +12.90% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.96% | 13.83% | +5.13% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.33% | 16.62% | +0.71% |
BTAL vs. DGRO - Expense Ratio Comparison
BTAL has a 2.11% expense ratio, which is higher than DGRO's 0.08% expense ratio.
Dividends
BTAL vs. DGRO - Dividend Comparison
BTAL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.11%, more than DGRO's 1.94% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BTAL AGFiQ US Market Neutral Anti-Beta Fund | 3.11% | 2.49% | 3.49% | 6.14% | 1.01% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.88% | 0.39% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
DGRO iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | 1.94% | 2.09% | 2.26% | 2.45% | 2.34% | 1.93% | 2.30% | 2.21% | 2.44% | 2.03% | 2.27% | 2.52% |
Frequently Asked Questions
BTAL and DGRO have a correlation of -0.41, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
BTAL has higher volatility (8.74%) compared to DGRO (2.64%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BTAL dropped -50.28% vs DGRO's -35.10%.
On 10-year performance, DGRO leads with 13.52% vs -5.05% for BTAL. On fees, DGRO is cheaper at 0.08% per year. On volatility, DGRO has been the lower-risk option at 2.64%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, DGRO has performed better with a 13.52% return vs -5.05%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
DGRO is cheaper with a 0.08% expense ratio, compared with 2.11% for BTAL.
BTAL has the higher dividend yield at 3.11%, compared with 1.94% for DGRO.
BTAL is categorized as Long-Short, while DGRO is Large Cap Growth Equities. BTAL tracks Dow Jones U.S. Thematic Market Neutral Anti-Beta Total Return Index, while DGRO tracks Morningstar US Dividend Growth Index. They also come from different issuers: AGF and iShares. Their fees differ too: 2.11% for BTAL and 0.08% for DGRO.
DGRO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.34 vs -1.64), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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