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CNR.TO vs. VFV.TO
Performance
Return for Risk
Drawdowns
Volatility
Dividends

CNR.TO vs. VFV.TO

Last updated Jul 16, 2026
Documentation

CNR.TO (Canadian National Railway Company) is a stock, while VFV.TO (Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF) is S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 10 years, CNR.TO returned 10.11%/yr vs 15.83%/yr for VFV.TO. At a 0.46 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

CNR.TO vs. VFV.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in Canadian National Railway Company (CNR.TO) and Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF (VFV.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

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Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CNR.TO achieves a 29.88% return, which is significantly higher than VFV.TO's 13.67% return. Over the past 10 years, CNR.TO has underperformed VFV.TO with an annualized return of 10.11%, while VFV.TO has yielded a comparatively higher 15.83% annualized return.

CNR.TO

1D
-0.75%
1M
6.08%
6M
30.04%
YTD
29.88%
1Y
26.39%
3Y*
6.03%
5Y*
8.00%
10Y*
10.11%

VFV.TO

1D
0.09%
1M
0.59%
6M
10.98%
YTD
13.67%
1Y
25.21%
3Y*
22.61%
5Y*
15.57%
10Y*
15.83%
*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

CNR.TO vs. VFV.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

2026 (YTD)202520242023202220212020201920182017
CNR.TO
Canadian National Railway Company		29.88%-4.60%-10.53%5.67%5.47%12.88%21.30%18.29%-0.77%16.60%
VFV.TO
Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF		13.67%12.18%35.23%23.23%-12.58%27.51%15.61%25.14%2.95%13.69%

Correlation

The correlation between CNR.TO and VFV.TO is 0.16, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

Correlation
Correlation (1Y)
Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

0.16

Correlation (3Y)
Calculated over the trailing 3-year period

0.30

Correlation (5Y)
Calculated over the trailing 5-year period

0.39

Correlation (10Y)
Calculated over the trailing 10-year period

0.44

Correlation (All Time)
Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 8, 2012

0.46

Over the past year, the correlation between CNR.TO and VFV.TO has dropped to 0.16 - well below their long-term average of 0.46, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs

Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.

Canadian National Railway Company

Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF

Often compared with CNR.TO:
CNR.TO vs. CPCNR.TO vs. CP.TOCNR.TO vs. RY.TOCNR.TO vs. ATD.TOCNR.TO vs. UNPCNR.TO vs. TRP.TOCNR.TO vs. MRU.TO
Often compared with VFV.TO:
VFV.TO vs. XEQT.TOVFV.TO vs. VEQT.TOVFV.TO vs. VOOVFV.TO vs. QQC.TOVFV.TO vs. VSP.TOVFV.TO vs. VCN.TOVFV.TO vs. XQQ.TO

Return for Risk

CNR.TO vs. VFV.TO — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.
CNR.TO
CNR.TO Risk / Return Rank: 7979
Overall Rank
CNR.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 8181
Sharpe Ratio Rank
CNR.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 7474
Sortino Ratio Rank
CNR.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 7676
Omega Ratio Rank
CNR.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 8181
Calmar Ratio Rank
CNR.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 8181
Martin Ratio Rank
VFV.TO
VFV.TO Risk / Return Rank: 7979
Overall Rank
VFV.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 8383
Sharpe Ratio Rank
VFV.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 8282
Sortino Ratio Rank
VFV.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 8282
Omega Ratio Rank
VFV.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 7373
Calmar Ratio Rank
VFV.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 7575
Martin Ratio Rank
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.

CNR.TO vs. VFV.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Canadian National Railway Company (CNR.TO) and Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF (VFV.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.

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.

CNR.TOVFV.TODifference
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility
1.25
2.10

-0.85

Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk
1.71
2.88

-1.18

Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability

1.23

1.38

-0.15

Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown

2.25

2.94

-0.69

Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown

5.58

11.01

-5.44

CNR.TO vs. VFV.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CNR.TO Sharpe Ratio is 1.25, which is lower than the VFV.TO Sharpe Ratio of 2.10. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CNR.TO and VFV.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.

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Drawdowns

CNR.TO vs. VFV.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CNR.TO drawdown since its inception was -32.54%, which is greater than VFV.TO's maximum drawdown of -27.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CNR.TO and VFV.TO.

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Drawdown Indicators

CNR.TOVFV.TODifference

Max Drawdown

Largest peak-to-trough decline

-32.54%

-27.43%

-5.11%

Max Drawdown (1Y)

Largest decline over 1 year

-11.79%

-8.62%

-3.17%

Max Drawdown (3Y)

Largest decline over 3 years

-27.25%

-19.05%

-8.20%

Max Drawdown (5Y)

Largest decline over 5 years

-27.25%

-22.19%

-5.06%

Max Drawdown (10Y)

Largest decline over 10 years

-27.25%

-27.43%

+0.18%

Current Drawdown

Current decline from peak

-1.84%

-0.84%

-1.00%

Average Drawdown

Average peak-to-trough decline

-7.13%

-3.33%

-3.80%

Ulcer Index

Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks

4.96%

2.29%

+2.67%

Volatility

CNR.TO vs. VFV.TO - Volatility Comparison

Canadian National Railway Company (CNR.TO) has a higher volatility of 5.52% compared to Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF (VFV.TO) at 3.01%. This indicates that CNR.TO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VFV.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

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Volatility by Period

CNR.TOVFV.TODifference

Volatility (1M)

Calculated over the trailing 1-month period

5.52%

3.01%

+2.51%

Volatility (6M)

Calculated over the trailing 6-month period

16.63%

9.46%

+7.17%

Volatility (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

21.18%

12.07%

+9.11%

Volatility (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized

20.20%

15.04%

+5.16%

Volatility (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized

20.78%

16.59%

+4.19%

Dividends

CNR.TO vs. VFV.TO - Dividend Comparison

CNR.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.07%, more than VFV.TO's 0.84% yield.

PositionTTM20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
CNR.TO
Canadian National Railway Company		2.07%2.62%2.32%1.90%1.82%1.58%1.64%1.83%1.80%1.59%1.66%1.62%
VFV.TO
Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF		0.84%0.92%0.99%1.20%1.31%1.06%1.33%1.55%1.69%1.51%1.65%1.63%

Frequently Asked Questions

CNR.TO and VFV.TO have a correlation of 0.16, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

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