PFD vs. ZLB.TO

Last updated Jul 14, 2026

PFD (Flaherty & Crumrine Preferred Income Fund) and ZLB.TO (BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF) are both funds - PFD is a Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds fund actively managed by Flaherty & Crumrine, while ZLB.TO is a Canada Equities fund actively managed by BMO. Both are actively managed. Over the past 10 years, PFD returned 3.75%/yr vs 9.57%/yr for ZLB.TO. At a 0.19 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. PFD charges 1.29%/yr vs 0.39%/yr for ZLB.TO.

Performance

PFD vs. ZLB.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Flaherty & Crumrine Preferred Income Fund (PFD) and BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF (ZLB.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

PFD is traded in USD, while ZLB.TO is traded in CAD. To make them comparable, the ZLB.TO values have been converted to USD using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PFD achieves a 0.52% return, which is significantly lower than ZLB.TO's 4.20% return. Over the past 10 years, PFD has underperformed ZLB.TO with an annualized return of 3.75%, while ZLB.TO has yielded a comparatively higher 9.57% annualized return.

PFD

• 1D: -0.17%
• 1M: 1.57%
• 6M: 0.35%
• YTD: 0.52%
• 1Y: 8.11%
• 3Y*: 12.61%
• 5Y*: -0.65%
• 10Y*: 3.75%

ZLB.TO

• 1D: 0.20%
• 1M: 0.59%
• 6M: 4.39%
• YTD: 4.20%
• 1Y: 9.43%
• 3Y*: 12.35%
• 5Y*: 8.79%
• 10Y*: 9.57%

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

PFD vs. ZLB.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PFD Flaherty & Crumrine Preferred Income Fund	0.52%	12.96%	21.69%	-4.87%	-31.92%	-2.03%	29.67%	43.46%	-17.25%	10.69%
ZLB.TO BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF	4.20%	26.16%	6.31%	12.07%	-6.29%	22.99%	3.98%	27.16%	-10.30%	19.18%

Correlation

The correlation between PFD and ZLB.TO is 0.08, 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	0.08
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.25
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.23
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.20
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 27, 2011	0.19

The correlation between PFD and ZLB.TO shifts across timeframes, from 0.08 (1 year) to 0.25 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

PFD vs. ZLB.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

PFD

PFD Risk / Return Rank: 18
PFD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 20
PFD Sortino Ratio Rank: 17
PFD Omega Ratio Rank: 21
PFD Calmar Ratio Rank: 16
PFD Martin Ratio Rank: 17

ZLB.TO

ZLB.TO Risk / Return Rank: 54
ZLB.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 54
ZLB.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 50
ZLB.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 55
ZLB.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 60
ZLB.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 52

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.

PFD vs. ZLB.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Flaherty & Crumrine Preferred Income Fund (PFD) and BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF (ZLB.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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	PFD	ZLB.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.92	0.94	-0.02
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.26	1.32	-0.06
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.18	1.17	0.00
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.01	1.55	-0.53
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.21	4.16	-0.95

PFD vs. ZLB.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PFD Sharpe Ratio is 0.92, which is comparable to the ZLB.TO Sharpe Ratio of 0.94. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PFD and ZLB.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.

Drawdowns

PFD vs. ZLB.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PFD drawdown since its inception was -81.70%, which is greater than ZLB.TO's maximum drawdown of -39.55%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PFD and ZLB.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	PFD	ZLB.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-81.70%	-39.55%	-42.15%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.05%	-6.13%	-1.92%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-14.29%	-12.27%	-2.02%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-45.60%	-20.63%	-24.97%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-53.39%	-39.55%	-13.84%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-20.16%	-0.61%	-19.55%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-17.24%	-4.07%	-13.17%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.53%	2.27%	+0.26%

Volatility

PFD vs. ZLB.TO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Flaherty & Crumrine Preferred Income Fund (PFD) is 1.93%, while BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF (ZLB.TO) has a volatility of 2.14%. This indicates that PFD experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ZLB.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PFD	ZLB.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.93%	2.14%	-0.21%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	6.65%	7.19%	-0.54%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	8.84%	10.07%	-1.23%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.47%	11.63%	+4.84%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	23.48%	13.89%	+9.59%

PFD vs. ZLB.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

PFD has a 1.29% expense ratio, which is higher than ZLB.TO's 0.39% expense ratio.

Dividends

PFD vs. ZLB.TO - Dividend Comparison

PFD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.00%, more than ZLB.TO's 1.83% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PFD Flaherty & Crumrine Preferred Income Fund	7.00%	6.47%	6.46%	6.94%	7.97%	5.82%	5.09%	5.85%	8.14%	6.85%	7.44%	8.36%
ZLB.TO BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF	1.83%	1.99%	2.37%	2.67%	2.66%	2.39%	2.83%	2.44%	2.76%	2.55%	2.94%	2.34%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PFD and ZLB.TO in my portfolio?

PFD and ZLB.TO have a correlation of 0.08, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.