SMAX.TO vs. XEQT.TO

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Hamilton U.S. Equity YIELD MAXIMIZER ETF (SMAX.TO) and iShares Core Equity ETF Portfolio (XEQT.TO).

SMAX.TO and XEQT.TO are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. SMAX.TO is an actively managed fund by Hamilton Capital. It was launched on Oct 25, 2023. XEQT.TO is an actively managed fund by iShares. It was launched on Aug 7, 2019.

Performance

SMAX.TO vs. XEQT.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in Hamilton U.S. Equity YIELD MAXIMIZER ETF (SMAX.TO) and iShares Core Equity ETF Portfolio (XEQT.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

SMAX.TO vs. XEQT.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
SMAX.TO Hamilton U.S. Equity YIELD MAXIMIZER ETF	-0.31%	18.64%	40.16%	7.98%
XEQT.TO iShares Core Equity ETF Portfolio	1.51%	19.47%	24.36%	11.26%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SMAX.TO achieves a -0.31% return, which is significantly lower than XEQT.TO's 1.51% return.

SMAX.TO

• 1D: 0.82%
• 1M: -1.07%
• YTD: -0.31%
• 6M: 3.10%
• 1Y: 23.01%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

XEQT.TO

• 1D: 0.85%
• 1M: -3.50%
• YTD: 1.51%
• 6M: 2.89%
• 1Y: 21.17%
• 3Y*: 18.44%
• 5Y*: 11.98%
• 10Y*: —

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

SMAX.TO vs. XEQT.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

SMAX.TO has a 0.65% expense ratio, which is higher than XEQT.TO's 0.20% expense ratio.

SMAX.TO

Hamilton U.S. Equity YIELD MAXIMIZER ETF

XEQT.TO

iShares Core Equity ETF Portfolio

Return for Risk

SMAX.TO vs. XEQT.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

SMAX.TO

SMAX.TO Risk / Return Rank: 73
SMAX.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 72
SMAX.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 72
SMAX.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 77
SMAX.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 72
SMAX.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 72

XEQT.TO

XEQT.TO Risk / Return Rank: 72
XEQT.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 72
XEQT.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 71
XEQT.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 74
XEQT.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
XEQT.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 73

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.

SMAX.TO vs. XEQT.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Hamilton U.S. Equity YIELD MAXIMIZER ETF (SMAX.TO) and iShares Core Equity ETF Portfolio (XEQT.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.

	SMAX.TO	XEQT.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.33	1.33	0.00
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.89	1.85	+0.04
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.30	1.29	+0.02
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.97	1.79	+0.19
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	7.89	7.98	-0.09
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SMAX.TO vs. XEQT.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SMAX.TO Sharpe Ratio is 1.33, which is comparable to the XEQT.TO Sharpe Ratio of 1.33. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SMAX.TO and XEQT.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

	SMAX.TO	XEQT.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.33	1.33	0.00
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.93	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.87	0.86	+1.01

Correlation

The correlation between SMAX.TO and XEQT.TO is 0.79, 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

SMAX.TO vs. XEQT.TO - Dividend Comparison

SMAX.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 15.29%, more than XEQT.TO's 1.64% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
SMAX.TO Hamilton U.S. Equity YIELD MAXIMIZER ETF	15.29%	14.67%	13.88%	2.57%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
XEQT.TO iShares Core Equity ETF Portfolio	1.64%	1.66%	2.01%	2.07%	2.12%	1.64%	1.66%	1.19%

Drawdowns

SMAX.TO vs. XEQT.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SMAX.TO drawdown since its inception was -18.22%, smaller than the maximum XEQT.TO drawdown of -29.74%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SMAX.TO and XEQT.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	SMAX.TO	XEQT.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-18.22%	-29.74%	+11.52%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.37%	-11.78%	+0.41%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-19.56%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.73%	-4.27%	+1.54%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.20%	-4.20%	+2.00%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.85%	2.64%	+0.21%

Volatility

SMAX.TO vs. XEQT.TO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Hamilton U.S. Equity YIELD MAXIMIZER ETF (SMAX.TO) is 5.40%, while iShares Core Equity ETF Portfolio (XEQT.TO) has a volatility of 5.77%. This indicates that SMAX.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XEQT.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SMAX.TO	XEQT.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.40%	5.77%	-0.37%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.36%	9.49%	-0.13%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.35%	15.99%	+1.36%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.56%	13.03%	+1.53%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.56%	15.63%	-1.07%