SGDJ vs. ZJG.TO

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Sprott Junior Gold Miners ETF (SGDJ) and BMO Junior Gold Index ETF (ZJG.TO).

SGDJ and ZJG.TO are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. SGDJ is a passively managed fund by Sprott that tracks the performance of the Solactive Junior Gold Miners Custom Factors Index. It was launched on Mar 31, 2015. ZJG.TO is a passively managed fund by BMO that tracks the performance of the Dow Jones North America Select Junior Gold Index. It was launched on Jan 19, 2010. Both SGDJ and ZJG.TO are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

SGDJ vs. ZJG.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Sprott Junior Gold Miners ETF (SGDJ) and BMO Junior Gold Index ETF (ZJG.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

SGDJ vs. ZJG.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SGDJ Sprott Junior Gold Miners ETF	6.92%	174.44%	19.35%	6.66%	-27.60%	-15.12%	47.91%	37.00%	-25.63%	5.94%
ZJG.TO BMO Junior Gold Index ETF	15.25%	166.86%	25.66%	8.52%	-7.52%	-16.10%	26.89%	49.10%	-25.07%	19.57%

Different Trading Currencies

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

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SGDJ achieves a 6.92% return, which is significantly lower than ZJG.TO's 15.25% return. Over the past 10 years, SGDJ has underperformed ZJG.TO with an annualized return of 15.04%, while ZJG.TO has yielded a comparatively higher 20.27% annualized return.

SGDJ

• 1D: 4.50%
• 1M: -21.22%
• YTD: 6.92%
• 6M: 31.71%
• 1Y: 132.50%
• 3Y*: 47.73%
• 5Y*: 21.70%
• 10Y*: 15.04%

ZJG.TO

• 1D: 4.09%
• 1M: -18.93%
• YTD: 15.25%
• 6M: 32.03%
• 1Y: 137.63%
• 3Y*: 54.02%
• 5Y*: 30.06%
• 10Y*: 20.27%

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

SGDJ vs. ZJG.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

SGDJ has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is lower than ZJG.TO's 0.61% expense ratio.

ZJG.TO

BMO Junior Gold Index ETF

SGDJ

Sprott Junior Gold Miners ETF

Return for Risk

SGDJ vs. ZJG.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

SGDJ

SGDJ Risk / Return Rank: 93
SGDJ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 96
SGDJ Sortino Ratio Rank: 91
SGDJ Omega Ratio Rank: 90
SGDJ Calmar Ratio Rank: 94
SGDJ Martin Ratio Rank: 93

ZJG.TO

ZJG.TO Risk / Return Rank: 94
ZJG.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 97
ZJG.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 93
ZJG.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 93
ZJG.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 94
ZJG.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 93

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.

SGDJ vs. ZJG.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Sprott Junior Gold Miners ETF (SGDJ) and BMO Junior Gold Index ETF (ZJG.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.

	SGDJ	ZJG.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.63	2.92	-0.28
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.71	2.97	-0.26
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.39	1.44	-0.05
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.90	4.22	-0.32
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	14.05	14.91	-0.86
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SGDJ vs. ZJG.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SGDJ Sharpe Ratio is 2.63, which is comparable to the ZJG.TO Sharpe Ratio of 2.92. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SGDJ and ZJG.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.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	SGDJ	ZJG.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.63	2.92	-0.28
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.55	0.79	-0.25
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.37	0.50	-0.14
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.38	0.14	+0.23

Correlation

The correlation between SGDJ and ZJG.TO is 0.85, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

SGDJ vs. ZJG.TO - Dividend Comparison

SGDJ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.83%, more than ZJG.TO's 0.10% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SGDJ Sprott Junior Gold Miners ETF	7.83%	8.37%	6.55%	4.55%	2.46%	2.20%	1.97%	0.65%	0.00%	0.14%	1.77%	0.85%
ZJG.TO BMO Junior Gold Index ETF	0.10%	0.12%	0.68%	0.90%	0.83%	0.36%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Drawdowns

SGDJ vs. ZJG.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SGDJ drawdown since its inception was -59.27%, smaller than the maximum ZJG.TO drawdown of -87.34%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SGDJ and ZJG.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	SGDJ	ZJG.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-59.27%	-81.59%	+22.32%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-33.22%	-32.02%	-1.20%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-56.82%	-41.63%	-15.19%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-59.27%	-48.58%	-10.69%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-22.05%	-17.70%	-4.35%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-26.33%	-49.37%	+23.04%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	9.22%	9.03%	+0.19%

Volatility

SGDJ vs. ZJG.TO - Volatility Comparison

Sprott Junior Gold Miners ETF (SGDJ) and BMO Junior Gold Index ETF (ZJG.TO) have volatilities of 18.92% and 18.22%, 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

	SGDJ	ZJG.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	18.92%	18.22%	+0.70%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	42.20%	40.46%	+1.74%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	50.65%	47.51%	+3.14%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	39.92%	38.09%	+1.83%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	41.25%	40.54%	+0.71%