VAB.TO vs. DGRO
VAB.TO (Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF) and DGRO (iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VAB.TO is a Canadian Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg Global Aggregate Canadian Float Adjusted Bond Index, while DGRO is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Morningstar US Dividend Growth Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VAB.TO returned 1.54%/yr vs 14.27%/yr for DGRO. At a correlation of -0.00, they often move in opposite directions. VAB.TO charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.08%/yr for DGRO.
Performance
VAB.TO vs. DGRO - Performance Comparison
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Different Trading Currencies
VAB.TO is traded in CAD, while DGRO is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the DGRO values have been converted to CAD using the latest available exchange rates.
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VAB.TO achieves a 1.60% return, which is significantly lower than DGRO's 11.15% return. Over the past 10 years, VAB.TO has underperformed DGRO with an annualized return of 1.54%, while DGRO has yielded a comparatively higher 14.27% annualized return.
VAB.TO
- 1D
- -0.04%
- 1M
- 1.55%
- YTD
- 1.60%
- 6M
- 1.06%
- 1Y
- 2.83%
- 3Y*
- 4.18%
- 5Y*
- 0.65%
- 10Y*
- 1.54%
DGRO
- 1D
- 0.91%
- 1M
- 5.48%
- YTD
- 11.15%
- 6M
- 9.49%
- 1Y
- 26.00%
- 3Y*
- 18.80%
- 5Y*
- 13.91%
- 10Y*
- 14.27%
VAB.TO vs. DGRO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VAB.TO Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF | 1.60% | 2.28% | 3.98% | 6.90% | -11.86% | -2.88% | 8.26% | 6.77% | 1.13% | 2.30% |
DGRO iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | 11.15% | 10.39% | 26.64% | 8.03% | -1.35% | 25.50% | 7.65% | 23.48% | 5.90% | 15.17% |
Correlation
The correlation between VAB.TO and DGRO is 0.32, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.32 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.19 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.02 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 13, 2014 | -0.00 |
The correlation between VAB.TO and DGRO shifts across timeframes, from -0.00 (all time) to 0.32 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VAB.TO vs. DGRO — Risk / Return Rank
VAB.TO
DGRO
VAB.TO vs. DGRO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF (VAB.TO) and iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO). 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.
| VAB.TO | DGRO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.05 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.95 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.11 | 1.49 | -0.37 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.00 | 4.36 | -3.36 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.37 | 17.35 | -14.97 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| VAB.TO | DGRO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.65 | 2.70 | -2.05 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.10 | 1.16 | -1.06 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.24 | 0.95 | -0.71 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.39 | 1.00 | -0.61 |
Drawdowns
VAB.TO vs. DGRO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VAB.TO drawdown since its inception was -18.39%, smaller than the maximum DGRO drawdown of -29.01%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VAB.TO and DGRO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VAB.TO | DGRO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.39% | -29.01% | +10.62% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.83% | -5.99% | +3.16% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.31% | -14.61% | +9.30% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -15.82% | -15.75% | -0.07% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -18.39% | -29.01% | +10.62% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.94% | 0.00% | -1.94% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.11% | -2.82% | -1.29% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.20% | 1.50% | -0.30% |
Volatility
VAB.TO vs. DGRO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF (VAB.TO) is 1.59%, while iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO) has a volatility of 2.22%. This indicates that VAB.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than DGRO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VAB.TO | DGRO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.59% | 2.22% | -0.63% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.45% | 7.33% | -3.88% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.38% | 9.68% | -5.30% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.58% | 12.03% | -5.45% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 6.48% | 15.03% | -8.55% |
VAB.TO vs. DGRO - Expense Ratio Comparison
VAB.TO has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is higher than DGRO's 0.08% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
VAB.TO vs. DGRO - Dividend Comparison
VAB.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.32%, more than DGRO's 1.94% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DGRO iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | 1.94% | 2.09% | 2.26% | 2.45% | 2.34% | 1.93% | 2.30% | 2.21% | 2.44% | 2.03% | 2.27% | 2.52% |
VAB.TO Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF | 3.32% | 3.33% | 3.19% | 2.95% | 2.87% | 2.48% | 2.50% | 2.65% | 2.79% | 2.77% | 2.75% | 2.78% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VAB.TO and DGRO have a correlation of 0.32, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, DGRO is cheaper at 0.08% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
DGRO is cheaper with a 0.08% expense ratio, compared with 0.09% for VAB.TO.
VAB.TO is categorized as Canadian Government Bonds, while DGRO is Large Cap Growth Equities. VAB.TO tracks Bloomberg Global Aggregate Canadian Float Adjusted Bond Index, while DGRO tracks Morningstar US Dividend Growth Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.09% for VAB.TO and 0.08% for DGRO.
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