USCL vs. VDY.TO

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Ishares Climate Conscious & Transition MSCI USA ETF (USCL) and Vanguard FTSE Canadian High Dividend Yield Index ETF (VDY.TO).

USCL and VDY.TO are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. USCL is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI USA Extended Climate Action Index - Benchmark TR Gross. It was launched on Jun 6, 2023. VDY.TO is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the FTSE Canada High Dividend Yield Index. It was launched on Nov 2, 2012. Both USCL and VDY.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

USCL vs. VDY.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Ishares Climate Conscious & Transition MSCI USA ETF (USCL) and Vanguard FTSE Canadian High Dividend Yield Index ETF (VDY.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

USCL vs. VDY.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
USCL Ishares Climate Conscious & Transition MSCI USA ETF	-6.39%	14.26%	27.04%	12.71%
VDY.TO Vanguard FTSE Canadian High Dividend Yield Index ETF	7.68%	35.39%	11.18%	7.32%

Different Trading Currencies

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

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, USCL achieves a -6.39% return, which is significantly lower than VDY.TO's 6.42% return.

USCL

• 1D: 2.77%
• 1M: -4.54%
• YTD: -6.39%
• 6M: -4.62%
• 1Y: 11.67%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

VDY.TO

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: -2.82%
• YTD: 6.42%
• 6M: 15.03%
• 1Y: 42.40%
• 3Y*: 20.39%
• 5Y*: 14.09%
• 10Y*: 12.64%

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

USCL vs. VDY.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

USCL has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is lower than VDY.TO's 0.22% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

VDY.TO

Vanguard FTSE Canadian High Dividend Yield Index ETF

USCL

Ishares Climate Conscious & Transition MSCI USA ETF

Return for Risk

USCL vs. VDY.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

USCL

USCL Risk / Return Rank: 41
USCL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 37
USCL Sortino Ratio Rank: 39
USCL Omega Ratio Rank: 41
USCL Calmar Ratio Rank: 43
USCL Martin Ratio Rank: 45

VDY.TO

VDY.TO Risk / Return Rank: 97
VDY.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 98
VDY.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 98
VDY.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 98
VDY.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 95
VDY.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 98

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.

USCL vs. VDY.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Ishares Climate Conscious & Transition MSCI USA ETF (USCL) and Vanguard FTSE Canadian High Dividend Yield Index ETF (VDY.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.

	USCL	VDY.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.65	3.35	-2.70
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.05	4.30	-3.25
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.15	1.70	-0.54
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.03	4.26	-3.23
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	4.13	26.93	-22.80
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

USCL vs. VDY.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current USCL Sharpe Ratio is 0.65, which is lower than the VDY.TO Sharpe Ratio of 3.35. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of USCL and VDY.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

	USCL	VDY.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.65	3.35	-2.70
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.92	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.65	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.10	0.49	+0.60

Correlation

The correlation between USCL and VDY.TO is 0.52, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.

Dividends

USCL vs. VDY.TO - Dividend Comparison

USCL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.23%, less than VDY.TO's 3.51% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
USCL Ishares Climate Conscious & Transition MSCI USA ETF	1.23%	1.10%	1.18%	0.85%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
VDY.TO Vanguard FTSE Canadian High Dividend Yield Index ETF	3.21%	3.59%	4.40%	4.64%	4.42%	3.58%	4.59%	4.25%	4.43%	3.82%	3.25%	4.11%

Drawdowns

USCL vs. VDY.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum USCL drawdown since its inception was -19.00%, smaller than the maximum VDY.TO drawdown of -44.60%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for USCL and VDY.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	USCL	VDY.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-19.00%	-39.21%	+20.21%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.94%	-10.07%	-1.87%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-16.18%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-39.21%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-7.75%	-0.55%	-7.20%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.33%	-4.67%	+2.34%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.98%	1.76%	+1.22%

Volatility

USCL vs. VDY.TO - Volatility Comparison

Ishares Climate Conscious & Transition MSCI USA ETF (USCL) has a higher volatility of 5.19% compared to Vanguard FTSE Canadian High Dividend Yield Index ETF (VDY.TO) at 3.21%. This indicates that USCL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VDY.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	USCL	VDY.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.19%	3.21%	+1.98%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.68%	7.52%	+2.16%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	18.07%	12.73%	+5.34%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.04%	15.45%	-0.41%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.04%	19.46%	-4.42%