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

CORE.TO vs. XSAB.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

CORE.TO (PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund) and XSAB.TO (iShares ESG Aware Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF) are both Canadian Government Bonds funds. CORE.TO is actively managed, while XSAB.TO is passively managed. Over the past year, CORE.TO returned 4.48% vs 2.91% for XSAB.TO. Their correlation of 0.87 suggests significant overlap in exposure. CORE.TO charges 0.32%/yr vs 0.17%/yr for XSAB.TO.

Performance

CORE.TO vs. XSAB.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 ESG Aware Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF (XSAB.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, CORE.TO achieves a 2.24% return, which is significantly higher than XSAB.TO's 1.55% return.

CORE.TO

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

XSAB.TO

1D
-0.17%
1M
1.68%
YTD
1.55%
6M
0.71%
1Y
2.91%
3Y*
3.81%
5Y*
0.59%
10Y*
—
*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

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

2026 (YTD)20252024
CORE.TO
PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund		2.24%4.02%0.77%
XSAB.TO
iShares ESG Aware Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF		1.55%2.22%1.30%

Correlation

The correlation between CORE.TO and XSAB.TO is 0.89, 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

0.89

Correlation (All Time)
Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 20, 2024

0.87

The correlation between CORE.TO and XSAB.TO has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.87 to 0.89 - a consistent structural relationship.

Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs

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

PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund

iShares ESG Aware Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF

Often compared with CORE.TO:
CORE.TO vs. PMIF.TOCORE.TO vs. PMIF-U.TOCORE.TO vs. XBB.TOCORE.TO vs. XSH.TOCORE.TO vs. XFLB.TOCORE.TO vs. TCLB.TOCORE.TO vs. ZAG.TO
Often compared with XSAB.TO:
XSAB.TO vs. XSTB.TOXSAB.TO vs. XSUS.TOXSAB.TO vs. XSHG.TOXSAB.TO vs. ZST.TOXSAB.TO vs. ZAG.TOXSAB.TO vs. VSB.TOXSAB.TO vs. GEQT.TO

Return for Risk

CORE.TO vs. XSAB.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: 2929
Overall Rank
CORE.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 3131
Sharpe Ratio Rank
CORE.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 2828
Sortino Ratio Rank
CORE.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 2929
Omega Ratio Rank
CORE.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 3131
Calmar Ratio Rank
CORE.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 2727
Martin Ratio Rank
XSAB.TO
XSAB.TO Risk / Return Rank: 2121
Overall Rank
XSAB.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 2020
Sharpe Ratio Rank
XSAB.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 1919
Sortino Ratio Rank
XSAB.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 1919
Omega Ratio Rank
XSAB.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 2323
Calmar Ratio Rank
XSAB.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 2121
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. XSAB.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 ESG Aware Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF (XSAB.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.TOXSAB.TODifference
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility
1.09
0.69

+0.39

Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk
1.50
0.97

+0.53

Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability

1.19

1.12

+0.07

Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown

1.50

1.07

+0.43

Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown

3.71

2.50

+1.21

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. XSAB.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CORE.TO Sharpe Ratio is 1.09, which is higher than the XSAB.TO Sharpe Ratio of 0.69. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CORE.TO and XSAB.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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Sharpe Ratios by Period

CORE.TOXSAB.TODifference

Sharpe Ratio (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

1.09

0.69

+0.39

Sharpe Ratio (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period

—

0.09

—

Sharpe Ratio (All Time)

Calculated using the full available price history

0.79

0.18

+0.61

Drawdowns

CORE.TO vs. XSAB.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CORE.TO drawdown since its inception was -3.48%, smaller than the maximum XSAB.TO drawdown of -17.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CORE.TO and XSAB.TO.

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Drawdown Indicators

CORE.TOXSAB.TODifference

Max Drawdown

Largest peak-to-trough decline

-3.48%

-17.96%

+14.48%

Max Drawdown (1Y)

Largest decline over 1 year

-2.99%

-2.72%

-0.27%

Max Drawdown (3Y)

Largest decline over 3 years

—

-5.30%

—

Max Drawdown (5Y)

Largest decline over 5 years

—

-15.66%

—

Current Drawdown

Current decline from peak

-0.27%

-1.92%

+1.65%

Average Drawdown

Average peak-to-trough decline

-1.36%

-6.48%

+5.12%

Ulcer Index

Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks

1.21%

1.17%

+0.04%

Volatility

CORE.TO vs. XSAB.TO - Volatility Comparison

PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund (CORE.TO) and iShares ESG Aware Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF (XSAB.TO) have volatilities of 1.46% and 1.50%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

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Volatility by Period

CORE.TOXSAB.TODifference

Volatility (1M)

Calculated over the trailing 1-month period

1.46%

1.50%

-0.04%

Volatility (6M)

Calculated over the trailing 6-month period

3.17%

3.30%

-0.13%

Volatility (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

4.13%

4.22%

-0.09%

Volatility (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized

5.01%

6.33%

-1.32%

Volatility (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized

5.01%

6.67%

-1.66%

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

CORE.TO has a 0.32% expense ratio, which is higher than XSAB.TO's 0.17% expense ratio.

Dividends

CORE.TO vs. XSAB.TO - Dividend Comparison

CORE.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.36%, more than XSAB.TO's 3.26% yield.

PositionTTM2025202420232022202120202019
CORE.TO
PIMCO Canadian Core Bond Fund		3.36%3.42%0.32%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%
XSAB.TO
iShares ESG Aware Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF		3.26%3.20%3.01%2.81%2.75%2.35%2.49%2.05%

Frequently Asked Questions

CORE.TO and XSAB.TO have a correlation of 0.89, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

On fees, XSAB.TO is cheaper at 0.17% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

XSAB.TO is cheaper with a 0.17% expense ratio, compared with 0.32% for CORE.TO.

They also come from different issuers: PIMCO and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.32% for CORE.TO and 0.17% for XSAB.TO.

Portfolio Optimizer

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