PFL.TO vs. VSB.TO

Last updated Jul 17, 2026

PFL.TO (Invesco Canadian Government Floating Rate Index ETF) and VSB.TO (Vanguard Canadian Short Term Bond) are both Canadian Government Bonds funds - PFL.TO tracks the FTSE Canada Government Floating Rate Note Index while VSB.TO tracks the FTSE Canada Short Term Government Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, PFL.TO returned 2.16%/yr vs 1.91%/yr for VSB.TO. At a 0.05 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

PFL.TO vs. VSB.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in Invesco Canadian Government Floating Rate Index ETF (PFL.TO) and Vanguard Canadian Short Term Bond (VSB.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PFL.TO achieves a 1.31% return, which is significantly higher than VSB.TO's 1.15% return. Over the past 10 years, PFL.TO has outperformed VSB.TO with an annualized return of 2.16%, while VSB.TO has yielded a comparatively lower 1.91% annualized return.

PFL.TO

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.15%
• 6M: 1.31%
• YTD: 1.31%
• 1Y: 2.62%
• 3Y*: 3.72%
• 5Y*: 3.15%
• 10Y*: 2.16%

VSB.TO

• 1D: -0.04%
• 1M: -0.12%
• 6M: 0.85%
• YTD: 1.15%
• 1Y: 3.17%
• 3Y*: 4.66%
• 5Y*: 1.99%
• 10Y*: 1.91%

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

PFL.TO vs. VSB.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PFL.TO Invesco Canadian Government Floating Rate Index ETF	1.31%	3.00%	4.53%	5.09%	1.78%	0.25%	0.91%	1.80%	1.09%	1.46%
VSB.TO Vanguard Canadian Short Term Bond	1.15%	3.66%	5.11%	4.92%	-3.93%	-1.15%	5.29%	3.06%	1.67%	-0.36%

Correlation

The correlation between PFL.TO and VSB.TO is 0.23, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.23
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.08
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.04
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.06
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 18, 2014	0.05

The correlation between PFL.TO and VSB.TO shifts across timeframes, from 0.04 (5 years) to 0.23 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

PFL.TO vs. VSB.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

PFL.TO

PFL.TO Risk / Return Rank: 97
PFL.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 96
PFL.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 97
PFL.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 97
PFL.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 99
PFL.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 98

VSB.TO

VSB.TO Risk / Return Rank: 60
VSB.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 62
VSB.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 60
VSB.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 67
VSB.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 55
VSB.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 55

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.

PFL.TO vs. VSB.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Invesco Canadian Government Floating Rate Index ETF (PFL.TO) and Vanguard Canadian Short Term Bond (VSB.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.

	PFL.TO	VSB.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	3.20	1.63	+1.56
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	5.54	2.28	+3.26
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.75	1.32	+0.44
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	17.09	2.23	+14.86
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	55.86	7.59	+48.27

PFL.TO vs. VSB.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PFL.TO Sharpe Ratio is 3.20, which is higher than the VSB.TO Sharpe Ratio of 1.63. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PFL.TO and VSB.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

PFL.TO vs. VSB.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PFL.TO drawdown since its inception was -2.07%, smaller than the maximum VSB.TO drawdown of -8.38%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PFL.TO and VSB.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	PFL.TO	VSB.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-2.07%	-8.38%	+6.31%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-0.15%	-1.43%	+1.28%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-0.22%	-1.43%	+1.21%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-0.30%	-6.88%	+6.58%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-2.07%	-8.38%	+6.31%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-0.21%	+0.21%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.08%	-0.95%	+0.87%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.05%	0.42%	-0.37%

Volatility

PFL.TO vs. VSB.TO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Invesco Canadian Government Floating Rate Index ETF (PFL.TO) is 0.22%, while Vanguard Canadian Short Term Bond (VSB.TO) has a volatility of 0.65%. This indicates that PFL.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VSB.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PFL.TO	VSB.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.22%	0.65%	-0.43%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	0.56%	1.62%	-1.06%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.82%	1.95%	-1.13%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	0.97%	2.59%	-1.62%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	1.33%	3.49%	-2.16%

Dividends

PFL.TO vs. VSB.TO - Dividend Comparison

PFL.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.63%, less than VSB.TO's 3.00% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PFL.TO Invesco Canadian Government Floating Rate Index ETF	2.63%	2.95%	5.23%	5.13%	2.22%	0.36%	1.21%	2.10%	1.59%	0.95%	0.81%	0.95%
VSB.TO Vanguard Canadian Short Term Bond	3.00%	3.04%	2.64%	2.66%	2.24%	2.02%	2.24%	2.31%	2.29%	2.34%	2.45%	2.38%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PFL.TO and VSB.TO in my portfolio?

PFL.TO and VSB.TO have a correlation of 0.23, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

What is the main difference between PFL.TO and VSB.TO?

PFL.TO tracks FTSE Canada Government Floating Rate Note Index, while VSB.TO tracks FTSE Canada Short Term Government Bond Index. They also come from different issuers: Invesco and Vanguard.