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GRO.TO vs. XBAL.TO
Performance
Return for Risk
Dividends
Drawdowns
Volatility

GRO.TO vs. XBAL.TO

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Franklin Growth ETF Portfolio (GRO.TO) and iShares Core Balanced ETF Portfolio (XBAL.TO).

GRO.TO and XBAL.TO are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. GRO.TO is an actively managed fund by Franklin Templeton. It was launched on Feb 20, 2019. XBAL.TO is an actively managed fund by iShares. It was launched on Jun 21, 2007.

Performance

GRO.TO vs. XBAL.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in Franklin Growth ETF Portfolio (GRO.TO) and iShares Core Balanced ETF Portfolio (XBAL.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

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GRO.TO vs. XBAL.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

2026 (YTD)20252024
GRO.TO
Franklin Growth ETF Portfolio		-2.38%11.09%15.17%
XBAL.TO
iShares Core Balanced ETF Portfolio		0.29%11.87%8.17%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, GRO.TO achieves a -2.38% return, which is significantly lower than XBAL.TO's 0.29% return.

GRO.TO

1D
0.00%
1M
-5.81%
YTD
-2.38%
6M
0.01%
1Y
13.17%
3Y*
—
5Y*
—
10Y*
—

XBAL.TO

1D
1.71%
1M
-3.45%
YTD
0.29%
6M
0.54%
1Y
11.30%
3Y*
11.77%
5Y*
6.99%
10Y*
7.19%
*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs

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

Franklin Growth ETF Portfolio

iShares Core Balanced ETF Portfolio

Often compared with GRO.TO:
GRO.TO vs. FCRI.TOGRO.TO vs. MIX.TOGRO.TO vs. VBAL.TOGRO.TO vs. CEQT.TOGRO.TO vs. VRIF.TOGRO.TO vs. CSBG.NEOGRO.TO vs. FLVI.NEO
Often compared with XBAL.TO:
XBAL.TO vs. XEQT.TOXBAL.TO vs. VBAL.TOXBAL.TO vs. XCNS.TOXBAL.TO vs. XEI.TOXBAL.TO vs. ZBAL.TOXBAL.TO vs. ZLB.TOXBAL.TO vs. GBAL.TO

GRO.TO vs. XBAL.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

GRO.TO has a 0.21% expense ratio, which is higher than XBAL.TO's 0.20% 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%.

GRO.TO
Franklin Growth ETF Portfolio
XBAL.TO
iShares Core Balanced ETF Portfolio

Return for Risk

GRO.TO vs. XBAL.TO — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.
GRO.TO
GRO.TO Risk / Return Rank: 5858
Overall Rank
GRO.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 4747
Sharpe Ratio Rank
GRO.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 4545
Sortino Ratio Rank
GRO.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 9797
Omega Ratio Rank
GRO.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 5050
Calmar Ratio Rank
GRO.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 5151
Martin Ratio Rank
XBAL.TO
XBAL.TO Risk / Return Rank: 6565
Overall Rank
XBAL.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 6666
Sharpe Ratio Rank
XBAL.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 6363
Sortino Ratio Rank
XBAL.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 6565
Omega Ratio Rank
XBAL.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 6565
Calmar Ratio Rank
XBAL.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 6767
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.

GRO.TO vs. XBAL.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Franklin Growth ETF Portfolio (GRO.TO) and iShares Core Balanced ETF Portfolio (XBAL.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.

GRO.TOXBAL.TODifference

Sharpe ratio

Return per unit of total volatility

0.89

1.11

-0.22

Sortino ratio

Return per unit of downside risk

1.29

1.53

-0.25

Omega ratio

Gain probability vs. loss probability

1.59

1.23

+0.37

Calmar ratio

Return relative to maximum drawdown

1.34

1.53

-0.19

Martin ratio

Return relative to average drawdown

5.10

6.31

-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.

GRO.TO vs. XBAL.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GRO.TO Sharpe Ratio is 0.89, which is comparable to the XBAL.TO Sharpe Ratio of 1.11. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GRO.TO and XBAL.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

GRO.TOXBAL.TODifference

Sharpe Ratio (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

0.89

1.11

-0.22

Sharpe Ratio (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period

—

0.81

—

Sharpe Ratio (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period

—

0.78

—

Sharpe Ratio (All Time)

Calculated using the full available price history

1.06

0.64

+0.42

Correlation

The correlation between GRO.TO and XBAL.TO is 0.03, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.

Dividends

GRO.TO vs. XBAL.TO - Dividend Comparison

GRO.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.36%, more than XBAL.TO's 2.25% yield.

TTM20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
GRO.TO
Franklin Growth ETF Portfolio		2.36%2.04%1.50%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%
XBAL.TO
iShares Core Balanced ETF Portfolio		2.25%2.24%2.68%2.40%2.09%1.74%1.99%2.26%3.39%2.93%3.64%3.29%

Drawdowns

GRO.TO vs. XBAL.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GRO.TO drawdown since its inception was -12.96%, smaller than the maximum XBAL.TO drawdown of -28.83%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GRO.TO and XBAL.TO.

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Drawdown Indicators

GRO.TOXBAL.TODifference

Max Drawdown

Largest peak-to-trough decline

-12.96%

-28.83%

+15.87%

Max Drawdown (1Y)

Largest decline over 1 year

-9.16%

-7.68%

-1.48%

Max Drawdown (5Y)

Largest decline over 5 years

—

-17.12%

—

Max Drawdown (10Y)

Largest decline over 10 years

—

-20.93%

—

Current Drawdown

Current decline from peak

-5.81%

-3.84%

-1.97%

Average Drawdown

Average peak-to-trough decline

-1.36%

-3.41%

+2.05%

Ulcer Index

Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks

2.41%

1.86%

+0.55%

Volatility

GRO.TO vs. XBAL.TO - Volatility Comparison

Franklin Growth ETF Portfolio (GRO.TO) has a higher volatility of 5.34% compared to iShares Core Balanced ETF Portfolio (XBAL.TO) at 4.28%. This indicates that GRO.TO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XBAL.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

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Volatility by Period

GRO.TOXBAL.TODifference

Volatility (1M)

Calculated over the trailing 1-month period

5.34%

4.28%

+1.06%

Volatility (6M)

Calculated over the trailing 6-month period

6.82%

6.56%

+0.26%

Volatility (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

14.93%

10.21%

+4.72%

Volatility (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized

12.42%

8.64%

+3.78%

Volatility (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized

12.42%

9.27%

+3.15%