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RY.TO vs. XUS.TO
Performance
Return for Risk
Drawdowns
Volatility
Dividends

RY.TO vs. XUS.TO

Last updated Jun 13, 2026

RY.TO (Royal Bank of Canada) is a stock, while XUS.TO (iShares Core S&P 500 Index ETF) is S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 10 years, RY.TO returned 18.12%/yr vs 17.59%/yr for XUS.TO. At a 0.46 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

RY.TO vs. XUS.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in Royal Bank of Canada (RY.TO) and iShares Core S&P 500 Index ETF (XUS.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, RY.TO achieves a 20.87% return, which is significantly higher than XUS.TO's 11.06% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with RY.TO having a 18.12% annualized return and XUS.TO not far behind at 17.59%.

RY.TO

1D
0.36%
1M
10.50%
YTD
20.87%
6M
23.89%
1Y
65.59%
3Y*
35.54%
5Y*
21.56%
10Y*
18.12%

XUS.TO

1D
0.70%
1M
1.05%
YTD
11.06%
6M
11.01%
1Y
29.23%
3Y*
23.38%
5Y*
17.34%
10Y*
17.59%
*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

RY.TO vs. XUS.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

2026 (YTD)202520242023202220212020201920182017
RY.TO
Royal Bank of Canada		20.87%39.60%34.37%9.80%-1.52%33.09%6.52%14.33%-5.50%17.12%
XUS.TO
iShares Core S&P 500 Index ETF		11.06%12.19%35.81%24.87%-11.33%28.81%17.22%27.24%5.11%15.32%

Correlation

The correlation between RY.TO and XUS.TO is 0.53, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

Correlation
Correlation (1Y)
Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

0.53

Correlation (3Y)
Calculated over the trailing 3-year period

0.46

Correlation (5Y)
Calculated over the trailing 5-year period

0.48

Correlation (10Y)
Calculated over the trailing 10-year period

0.48

Correlation (All Time)
Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 15, 2013

0.46

The correlation between RY.TO and XUS.TO has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.46 to 0.53 - 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.

Royal Bank of Canada

iShares Core S&P 500 Index ETF

Often compared with RY.TO:
RY.TO vs. TD.TORY.TO vs. VDY.TORY.TO vs. BMO.TORY.TO vs. CNR.TORY.TO vs. BNS.TORY.TO vs. XDIV.TORY.TO vs. CM.TO
Often compared with XUS.TO:
XUS.TO vs. XSP.TOXUS.TO vs. XEQT.TOXUS.TO vs. XUU.TOXUS.TO vs. ZSP.TOXUS.TO vs. VOOXUS.TO vs. XEF.TOXUS.TO vs. HXS.TO

Return for Risk

RY.TO vs. XUS.TO — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.
RY.TO
RY.TO Risk / Return Rank: 9898
Overall Rank
RY.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 9999
Sharpe Ratio Rank
RY.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 9999
Sortino Ratio Rank
RY.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 9999
Omega Ratio Rank
RY.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 9797
Calmar Ratio Rank
RY.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 9898
Martin Ratio Rank
XUS.TO
XUS.TO Risk / Return Rank: 7979
Overall Rank
XUS.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 8383
Sharpe Ratio Rank
XUS.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 8181
Sortino Ratio Rank
XUS.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 8383
Omega Ratio Rank
XUS.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 7373
Calmar Ratio Rank
XUS.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 7474
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.

RY.TO vs. XUS.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Royal Bank of Canada (RY.TO) and iShares Core S&P 500 Index ETF (XUS.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.

RY.TOXUS.TODifference
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility
4.65
2.32

+2.34

Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk
6.62
3.11

+3.50

Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability

1.85

1.43

+0.43

Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown

7.91

3.22

+4.70

Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown

29.39

12.06

+17.33

RY.TO vs. XUS.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current RY.TO Sharpe Ratio is 4.65, which is higher than the XUS.TO Sharpe Ratio of 2.32. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of RY.TO and XUS.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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Drawdowns

RY.TO vs. XUS.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum RY.TO drawdown since its inception was -54.03%, which is greater than XUS.TO's maximum drawdown of -27.24%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RY.TO and XUS.TO.

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Drawdown Indicators

RY.TOXUS.TODifference

Max Drawdown

Largest peak-to-trough decline

-54.03%

-27.24%

-26.79%

Max Drawdown (1Y)

Largest decline over 1 year

-8.12%

-8.63%

+0.51%

Max Drawdown (3Y)

Largest decline over 3 years

-16.00%

-18.96%

+2.96%

Max Drawdown (5Y)

Largest decline over 5 years

-21.21%

-21.29%

+0.08%

Max Drawdown (10Y)

Largest decline over 10 years

-33.84%

-27.24%

-6.60%

Current Drawdown

Current decline from peak

0.00%

-1.50%

+1.50%

Average Drawdown

Average peak-to-trough decline

-6.72%

-3.24%

-3.48%

Ulcer Index

Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks

2.18%

2.30%

-0.12%

Volatility

RY.TO vs. XUS.TO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Royal Bank of Canada (RY.TO) is 4.23%, while iShares Core S&P 500 Index ETF (XUS.TO) has a volatility of 4.54%. This indicates that RY.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XUS.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

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Volatility by Period

RY.TOXUS.TODifference

Volatility (1M)

Calculated over the trailing 1-month period

4.23%

4.54%

-0.31%

Volatility (6M)

Calculated over the trailing 6-month period

10.44%

9.33%

+1.11%

Volatility (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

13.82%

11.98%

+1.84%

Volatility (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized

14.93%

15.06%

-0.13%

Volatility (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized

17.26%

16.54%

+0.72%

Dividends

RY.TO vs. XUS.TO - Dividend Comparison

RY.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.28%, more than XUS.TO's 1.13% yield.

PositionTTM20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
RY.TO
Royal Bank of Canada		2.28%2.58%3.23%3.99%3.90%3.22%4.10%3.96%4.03%3.39%3.57%4.15%
XUS.TO
iShares Core S&P 500 Index ETF		1.13%1.26%1.45%2.43%2.76%1.99%2.70%4.05%3.55%2.96%3.32%3.41%

Frequently Asked Questions

RY.TO and XUS.TO have a correlation of 0.53, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

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