CORE.TO vs. XEI.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

CORE.TO (PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund) and XEI.TO (iShares S&P/TSX Composite High Dividend Index ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - CORE.TO is a Canadian Government Bonds fund actively managed by PIMCO, while XEI.TO is a Canada Equities fund tracking the S&P/TSX Composite High Dividend Index. CORE.TO is actively managed, while XEI.TO is passively managed. Over the past year, CORE.TO returned 4.48% vs 43.59% for XEI.TO. At a 0.05 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. CORE.TO charges 0.32%/yr vs 0.22%/yr for XEI.TO.

Performance

CORE.TO vs. XEI.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 iShares S&P/TSX Composite High Dividend Index ETF (XEI.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CORE.TO achieves a 2.24% return, which is significantly lower than XEI.TO's 22.21% return.

CORE.TO

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 1.93%
• YTD: 2.24%
• 6M: 1.42%
• 1Y: 4.48%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

XEI.TO

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 3.33%
• YTD: 22.21%
• 6M: 23.56%
• 1Y: 43.59%
• 3Y*: 22.26%
• 5Y*: 15.55%
• 10Y*: 12.32%

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

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

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
CORE.TO PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund	2.24%	4.02%	0.77%
XEI.TO iShares S&P/TSX Composite High Dividend Index ETF	22.21%	25.96%	5.80%

Correlation

The correlation between CORE.TO and XEI.TO is -0.00, 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	-0.00
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 20, 2024	0.05

Return for Risk

CORE.TO vs. XEI.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: 29
CORE.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 31
CORE.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 28
CORE.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 29
CORE.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 31
CORE.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 27

XEI.TO

XEI.TO Risk / Return Rank: 98
XEI.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 98
XEI.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 98
XEI.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 98
XEI.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 98
XEI.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 98

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. XEI.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund (CORE.TO) and iShares S&P/TSX Composite High Dividend Index ETF (XEI.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.TO	XEI.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.09	6.08	-4.99
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.50	9.07	-7.57
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.19	2.27	-1.08
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.50	19.53	-18.02
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.71	66.28	-62.57
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. XEI.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CORE.TO Sharpe Ratio is 1.09, which is lower than the XEI.TO Sharpe Ratio of 6.08. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CORE.TO and XEI.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

	CORE.TO	XEI.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.09	6.08	-4.99
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	1.39	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.77	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.79	0.67	+0.13

Drawdowns

CORE.TO vs. XEI.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CORE.TO drawdown since its inception was -3.48%, smaller than the maximum XEI.TO drawdown of -45.51%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CORE.TO and XEI.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	CORE.TO	XEI.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-3.48%	-45.51%	+42.03%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.99%	-2.24%	-0.75%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-9.92%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-17.32%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-45.51%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.27%	-0.76%	+0.49%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.36%	-5.05%	+3.69%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.21%	0.66%	+0.55%

Volatility

CORE.TO vs. XEI.TO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund (CORE.TO) is 1.46%, while iShares S&P/TSX Composite High Dividend Index ETF (XEI.TO) has a volatility of 2.87%. This indicates that CORE.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XEI.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CORE.TO	XEI.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.46%	2.87%	-1.41%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	3.17%	6.01%	-2.84%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.13%	7.21%	-3.08%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	5.01%	11.24%	-6.23%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	5.01%	16.01%	-11.00%

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

CORE.TO has a 0.32% expense ratio, which is higher than XEI.TO's 0.22% expense ratio.

Dividends

CORE.TO vs. XEI.TO - Dividend Comparison

CORE.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.36%, less than XEI.TO's 3.56% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CORE.TO PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund	3.36%	3.42%	0.32%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
XEI.TO iShares S&P/TSX Composite High Dividend Index ETF	3.56%	4.39%	5.56%	5.08%	4.78%	3.65%	5.13%	4.71%	5.53%	4.37%	4.51%	5.75%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both CORE.TO and XEI.TO in my portfolio?

CORE.TO and XEI.TO have a correlation of -0.00, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, CORE.TO or XEI.TO?

On fees, XEI.TO is cheaper at 0.22% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, CORE.TO or XEI.TO?

XEI.TO is cheaper with a 0.22% expense ratio, compared with 0.32% for CORE.TO.

What is the main difference between CORE.TO and XEI.TO?

CORE.TO is categorized as Canadian Government Bonds, while XEI.TO is Canada Equities. They also come from different issuers: PIMCO and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.32% for CORE.TO and 0.22% for XEI.TO.