ESG.TO vs. VFV.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

ESG.TO (Invesco S&P 500 ESG Index ETF) and VFV.TO (Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF) are both S&P 500 funds - ESG.TO tracks the S&P 500 Equal Weight ESG Leaders Select Index while VFV.TO tracks the S&P 500 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, ESG.TO returned 16.77%/yr vs 16.84%/yr for VFV.TO. Their correlation of 0.81 suggests significant overlap in exposure. ESG.TO charges 0.20%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for VFV.TO.

Performance

ESG.TO vs. VFV.TO - Performance Comparison

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

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ESG.TO achieves a 10.72% return, which is significantly lower than VFV.TO's 12.30% return.

ESG.TO

• 1D: -0.18%
• 1M: 6.87%
• YTD: 10.72%
• 6M: 7.79%
• 1Y: 29.42%
• 3Y*: 21.78%
• 5Y*: 16.77%
• 10Y*: —

VFV.TO

• 1D: -0.18%
• 1M: 7.30%
• YTD: 12.30%
• 6M: 10.47%
• 1Y: 29.48%
• 3Y*: 23.57%
• 5Y*: 16.84%
• 10Y*: 16.04%

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

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

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
ESG.TO Invesco S&P 500 ESG Index ETF	10.72%	10.99%	33.33%	25.19%	-14.05%	32.71%	19.30%
VFV.TO Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF	12.30%	12.18%	35.23%	23.23%	-12.58%	27.51%	19.04%

Correlation

The correlation between ESG.TO and VFV.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 (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.90
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.87
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 6, 2020	0.81

The correlation between ESG.TO and VFV.TO has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.81 to 0.90 - a consistent structural relationship.

ESG.TO vs. VFV.TO - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	ESG.TO	VFV.TO
Technology	38.6%	35.7%
Communication Services	14.5%	11.3%
Financial Services	12.0%	11.6%
Healthcare	9.3%	8.5%
Industrials	6.8%	8.3%
Consumer Defensive	5.1%	4.9%
Consumer Cyclical	4.6%	10.2%
Energy	4.2%	3.5%
Real Estate	2.2%	1.9%
Basic Materials	1.9%	1.8%
Utilities	0.8%	2.4%

Return for Risk

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

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

ESG.TO

ESG.TO Risk / Return Rank: 71
ESG.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 76
ESG.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 77
ESG.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 78
ESG.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 62
ESG.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 63

VFV.TO

VFV.TO Risk / Return Rank: 74
VFV.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 78
VFV.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 77
VFV.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 78
VFV.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
VFV.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 69

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.

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

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Invesco S&P 500 ESG Index ETF (ESG.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.

	ESG.TO	VFV.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.46	2.59	-0.13
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.46	3.53	-0.07
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.46	1.48	-0.02
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.05	3.44	-0.39
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	11.22	13.10	-1.88
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

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

The current ESG.TO Sharpe Ratio is 2.46, which is comparable to the VFV.TO Sharpe Ratio of 2.59. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ESG.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.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	ESG.TO	VFV.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.46	2.59	-0.13
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.13	1.14	-0.01
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.97	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.10	1.14	-0.04

Drawdowns

ESG.TO vs. VFV.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ESG.TO drawdown since its inception was -22.31%, smaller than the maximum VFV.TO drawdown of -27.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ESG.TO and VFV.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	ESG.TO	VFV.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-22.31%	-27.43%	+5.12%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.69%	-8.62%	-1.07%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.85%	-19.05%	-0.80%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-22.31%	-22.19%	-0.12%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-27.43%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.63%	-0.18%	-0.45%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.30%	-3.35%	-0.95%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.63%	2.26%	+0.37%

Volatility

ESG.TO vs. VFV.TO - Volatility Comparison

Invesco S&P 500 ESG Index ETF (ESG.TO) and Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF (VFV.TO) have volatilities of 3.00% and 3.05%, 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.

Volatility by Period

	ESG.TO	VFV.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.00%	3.05%	-0.05%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.36%	8.55%	+0.81%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.04%	11.46%	+0.58%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.98%	14.91%	+0.07%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.34%	16.57%	-0.23%

ESG.TO vs. VFV.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

ESG.TO has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is higher than VFV.TO's 0.09% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

ESG.TO vs. VFV.TO - Dividend Comparison

ESG.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.76%, less than VFV.TO's 0.83% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ESG.TO Invesco S&P 500 ESG Index ETF	0.76%	0.85%	0.92%	1.11%	1.38%	1.11%	0.95%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
VFV.TO Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF	0.83%	0.92%	0.99%	1.20%	1.31%	1.06%	1.33%	1.55%	1.68%	1.50%	1.66%	1.63%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ESG.TO and VFV.TO in my portfolio?

ESG.TO and VFV.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.

Which ETF is better, ESG.TO or VFV.TO?

On fees, VFV.TO is cheaper at 0.09% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, ESG.TO or VFV.TO?

VFV.TO is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.20% for ESG.TO.

What is the main difference between ESG.TO and VFV.TO?

ESG.TO tracks S&P 500 Equal Weight ESG Leaders Select Index, while VFV.TO tracks S&P 500 Index. They also come from different issuers: Invesco and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.20% for ESG.TO and 0.09% for VFV.TO.