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CORE.TO vs. VAB.TO
Performance
Return for Risk
Dividends
Drawdowns
Volatility

CORE.TO vs. VAB.TO

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund (CORE.TO) and Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF (VAB.TO).

CORE.TO and VAB.TO are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. CORE.TO is an actively managed fund by PIMCO. It was launched on Jan 20, 2011. VAB.TO is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg Global Aggregate Canadian Float Adjusted Bond Index. It was launched on Nov 30, 2011.

Performance

CORE.TO vs. VAB.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund (CORE.TO) and Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF (VAB.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

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CORE.TO vs. VAB.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

2026 (YTD)20252024
CORE.TO
PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund		0.15%4.02%0.77%
VAB.TO
Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF		0.13%2.28%1.41%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CORE.TO achieves a 0.15% return, which is significantly higher than VAB.TO's 0.13% return.

CORE.TO

1D
0.25%
1M
-2.31%
YTD
0.15%
6M
-0.27%
1Y
1.39%
3Y*
—
5Y*
—
10Y*
—

VAB.TO

1D
0.26%
1M
-2.02%
YTD
0.13%
6M
-0.33%
1Y
0.57%
3Y*
3.27%
5Y*
0.52%
10Y*
1.54%
*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs

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PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund

Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF

Often compared with CORE.TO:
CORE.TO vs. PMIF.TOCORE.TO vs. XSH.TOCORE.TO vs. XBB.TOCORE.TO vs. PMIF-U.TOCORE.TO vs. XFLB.TOCORE.TO vs. TDB.TOCORE.TO vs. CBIL.TO
Often compared with VAB.TO:
VAB.TO vs. ZAG.TOVAB.TO vs. XBB.TOVAB.TO vs. XCB.TOVAB.TO vs. VFV.TOVAB.TO vs. VSB.TOVAB.TO vs. VEQT.TOVAB.TO vs. TLT

CORE.TO vs. VAB.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

CORE.TO has a 0.32% expense ratio, which is higher than VAB.TO's 0.09% expense ratio.

CORE.TO
PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund
VAB.TO
Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF

Return for Risk

CORE.TO vs. VAB.TO — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.
CORE.TO
CORE.TO Risk / Return Rank: 2020
Overall Rank
CORE.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 2020
Sharpe Ratio Rank
CORE.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 1717
Sortino Ratio Rank
CORE.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 1717
Omega Ratio Rank
CORE.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 2525
Calmar Ratio Rank
CORE.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 2020
Martin Ratio Rank
VAB.TO
VAB.TO Risk / Return Rank: 1616
Overall Rank
VAB.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 1515
Sharpe Ratio Rank
VAB.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 1313
Sortino Ratio Rank
VAB.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 1313
Omega Ratio Rank
VAB.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 1919
Calmar Ratio Rank
VAB.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 1717
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.

CORE.TO vs. VAB.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund (CORE.TO) and Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF (VAB.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.

CORE.TOVAB.TODifference

Sharpe ratio

Return per unit of total volatility

0.30

0.12

+0.18

Sortino ratio

Return per unit of downside risk

0.43

0.19

+0.24

Omega ratio

Gain probability vs. loss probability

1.06

1.02

+0.03

Calmar ratio

Return relative to maximum drawdown

0.56

0.30

+0.26

Martin ratio

Return relative to average drawdown

1.08

0.62

+0.47

Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

CORE.TO vs. VAB.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CORE.TO Sharpe Ratio is 0.30, which is higher than the VAB.TO Sharpe Ratio of 0.12. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CORE.TO and VAB.TO, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

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Sharpe Ratios by Period

CORE.TOVAB.TODifference

Sharpe Ratio (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

0.30

0.12

+0.18

Sharpe Ratio (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period

—

0.08

—

Sharpe Ratio (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period

—

0.24

—

Sharpe Ratio (All Time)

Calculated using the full available price history

0.61

0.38

+0.23

Correlation

The correlation between CORE.TO and VAB.TO is 0.86, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

CORE.TO vs. VAB.TO - Dividend Comparison

CORE.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.43%, more than VAB.TO's 3.33% yield.

TTM20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
CORE.TO
PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund		3.43%3.42%0.32%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%
VAB.TO
Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF		3.33%3.33%3.19%2.95%2.87%2.48%2.50%2.65%2.79%2.77%2.75%2.78%

Drawdowns

CORE.TO vs. VAB.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CORE.TO drawdown since its inception was -3.48%, smaller than the maximum VAB.TO drawdown of -18.39%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CORE.TO and VAB.TO.

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Drawdown Indicators

CORE.TOVAB.TODifference

Max Drawdown

Largest peak-to-trough decline

-3.48%

-18.39%

+14.91%

Max Drawdown (1Y)

Largest decline over 1 year

-3.00%

-2.86%

-0.14%

Max Drawdown (5Y)

Largest decline over 5 years

—

-15.82%

—

Max Drawdown (10Y)

Largest decline over 10 years

—

-18.39%

—

Current Drawdown

Current decline from peak

-2.31%

-3.36%

+1.05%

Average Drawdown

Average peak-to-trough decline

-1.34%

-4.13%

+2.79%

Ulcer Index

Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks

1.56%

1.41%

+0.15%

Volatility

CORE.TO vs. VAB.TO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund (CORE.TO) is 1.77%, while Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF (VAB.TO) has a volatility of 2.02%. This indicates that CORE.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VAB.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

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Volatility by Period

CORE.TOVAB.TODifference

Volatility (1M)

Calculated over the trailing 1-month period

1.77%

2.02%

-0.25%

Volatility (6M)

Calculated over the trailing 6-month period

2.89%

3.06%

-0.17%

Volatility (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

4.62%

4.66%

-0.04%

Volatility (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized

5.04%

6.54%

-1.50%

Volatility (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized

5.04%

6.46%

-1.42%