CORE.TO vs. XGB.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

CORE.TO (PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund) and XGB.TO (iShares Core Canadian Government Bond Index ETF) are both Canadian Government Bonds funds. CORE.TO is actively managed, while XGB.TO is passively managed. Over the past year, CORE.TO returned 4.48% vs 2.67% for XGB.TO. Their correlation of 0.86 suggests significant overlap in exposure. CORE.TO charges 0.32%/yr vs 0.13%/yr for XGB.TO.

Performance

CORE.TO vs. XGB.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 Core Canadian Government Bond Index ETF (XGB.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 higher than XGB.TO's 1.57% return.

CORE.TO

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

XGB.TO

• 1D: -0.16%
• 1M: 1.63%
• YTD: 1.57%
• 6M: 0.52%
• 1Y: 2.67%
• 3Y*: 3.45%
• 5Y*: 0.13%
• 10Y*: 1.03%

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

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

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
CORE.TO PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund	2.24%	4.02%	0.77%
XGB.TO iShares Core Canadian Government Bond Index ETF	1.57%	1.65%	0.96%

Correlation

The correlation between CORE.TO and XGB.TO is 0.90, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.90
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 20, 2024	0.86

The correlation between CORE.TO and XGB.TO has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.86 to 0.90 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

CORE.TO vs. XGB.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

XGB.TO

XGB.TO Risk / Return Rank: 18
XGB.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 18
XGB.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 16
XGB.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 17
XGB.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 21
XGB.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 18

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. XGB.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 Core Canadian Government Bond Index ETF (XGB.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	XGB.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.09	0.59	+0.49
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.50	0.82	+0.68
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.19	1.11	+0.09
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.50	0.94	+0.57
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.71	2.02	+1.70
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. XGB.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CORE.TO Sharpe Ratio is 1.09, which is higher than the XGB.TO Sharpe Ratio of 0.59. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CORE.TO and XGB.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	XGB.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.09	0.59	+0.49
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.02	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.17	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.79	0.52	+0.27

Drawdowns

CORE.TO vs. XGB.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CORE.TO drawdown since its inception was -3.48%, smaller than the maximum XGB.TO drawdown of -19.53%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CORE.TO and XGB.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	CORE.TO	XGB.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-3.48%	-19.53%	+16.05%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.99%	-2.86%	-0.13%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-5.83%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-16.44%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-19.53%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.27%	-5.25%	+4.98%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.36%	-3.94%	+2.58%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.21%	1.33%	-0.12%

Volatility

CORE.TO vs. XGB.TO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund (CORE.TO) is 1.46%, while iShares Core Canadian Government Bond Index ETF (XGB.TO) has a volatility of 1.70%. This indicates that CORE.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XGB.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CORE.TO	XGB.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.46%	1.70%	-0.24%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	3.17%	3.49%	-0.32%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.13%	4.53%	-0.40%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	5.01%	6.92%	-1.91%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	5.01%	5.99%	-0.98%

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

CORE.TO has a 0.32% expense ratio, which is higher than XGB.TO's 0.13% expense ratio.

Dividends

CORE.TO vs. XGB.TO - Dividend Comparison

CORE.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.36%, more than XGB.TO's 3.11% 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%
XGB.TO iShares Core Canadian Government Bond Index ETF	3.11%	3.11%	2.95%	2.73%	2.64%	2.25%	2.12%	2.32%	2.44%	2.41%	2.53%	2.62%

Frequently Asked Questions

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

With a correlation of 0.90, CORE.TO and XGB.TO move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

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

On fees, XGB.TO is cheaper at 0.13% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

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

XGB.TO is cheaper with a 0.13% expense ratio, compared with 0.32% for CORE.TO.

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

They also come from different issuers: PIMCO and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.32% for CORE.TO and 0.13% for XGB.TO.