VAB.TO vs. XHB.TO
VAB.TO (Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF) and XHB.TO (iShares Canadian HYBrid Corporate Bond Index 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 XHB.TO is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the Morningstar Can Corp Bd GR CAD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VAB.TO returned 1.51%/yr vs 5.63%/yr for XHB.TO. A 0.50 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VAB.TO charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.50%/yr for XHB.TO.
Performance
VAB.TO vs. XHB.TO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VAB.TO achieves a 1.62% return, which is significantly lower than XHB.TO's 2.17% return. Over the past 10 years, VAB.TO has underperformed XHB.TO with an annualized return of 1.51%, while XHB.TO has yielded a comparatively higher 5.63% annualized return.
VAB.TO
- 1D
- -0.07%
- 1M
- 1.70%
- YTD
- 1.62%
- 6M
- 0.78%
- 1Y
- 3.12%
- 3Y*
- 4.12%
- 5Y*
- 0.66%
- 10Y*
- 1.51%
XHB.TO
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 1.76%
- YTD
- 2.17%
- 6M
- 2.20%
- 1Y
- 5.90%
- 3Y*
- 9.70%
- 5Y*
- 5.68%
- 10Y*
- 5.63%
VAB.TO vs. XHB.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VAB.TO Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF | 1.62% | 2.28% | 3.98% | 6.90% | -11.86% | -2.88% | 8.26% | 6.77% | 1.13% | 2.30% |
XHB.TO iShares Canadian HYBrid Corporate Bond Index ETF | 2.17% | 5.34% | 11.53% | 14.52% | -6.53% | 2.10% | 11.03% | 10.73% | 0.59% | 4.49% |
Correlation
The correlation between VAB.TO and XHB.TO is 0.79, 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 | 0.79 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.76 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.70 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.59 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 7, 2011 | 0.50 |
Over the past year, VAB.TO and XHB.TO have become more correlated (0.79) than their long-term average of 0.50, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
VAB.TO vs. XHB.TO — Risk / Return Rank
VAB.TO
XHB.TO
VAB.TO vs. XHB.TO - 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 Canadian HYBrid Corporate Bond Index ETF (XHB.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.
| VAB.TO | XHB.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.08 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.64 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.12 | 1.33 | -0.20 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.10 | 2.45 | -1.35 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.61 | 8.07 | -5.46 |
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 | XHB.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.72 | 1.80 | -1.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.10 | 1.02 | -0.92 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.23 | 0.51 | -0.28 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.39 | 0.58 | -0.19 |
Drawdowns
VAB.TO vs. XHB.TO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VAB.TO drawdown since its inception was -18.39%, smaller than the maximum XHB.TO drawdown of -26.03%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VAB.TO and XHB.TO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VAB.TO | XHB.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.39% | -26.03% | +7.64% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.83% | -2.42% | -0.41% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.31% | -2.42% | -2.89% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -15.82% | -11.83% | -3.99% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -18.39% | -26.03% | +7.64% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.92% | 0.00% | -1.92% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.11% | -1.59% | -2.52% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.20% | 0.73% | +0.47% |
Volatility
VAB.TO vs. XHB.TO - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Canadian Aggregate Bond Index ETF (VAB.TO) has a higher volatility of 1.59% compared to iShares Canadian HYBrid Corporate Bond Index ETF (XHB.TO) at 1.17%. This indicates that VAB.TO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XHB.TO 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 | XHB.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.59% | 1.17% | +0.42% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.45% | 2.62% | +0.83% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.38% | 3.32% | +1.06% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.58% | 5.61% | +0.97% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 6.48% | 11.05% | -4.57% |
VAB.TO vs. XHB.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison
VAB.TO has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is lower than XHB.TO's 0.50% expense ratio.
Dividends
VAB.TO vs. XHB.TO - Dividend Comparison
VAB.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.32%, less than XHB.TO's 4.52% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
XHB.TO iShares Canadian HYBrid Corporate Bond Index ETF | 4.52% | 4.48% | 7.49% | 8.06% | 7.74% | 5.57% | 5.47% | 5.75% | 4.07% | 4.08% | 4.35% | 4.78% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VAB.TO and XHB.TO have a correlation of 0.79, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, VAB.TO is cheaper at 0.09% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
VAB.TO is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.50% for XHB.TO.
VAB.TO is categorized as Canadian Government Bonds, while XHB.TO is Corporate Bonds. VAB.TO tracks Bloomberg Global Aggregate Canadian Float Adjusted Bond Index, while XHB.TO tracks Morningstar Can Corp Bd GR CAD. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.09% for VAB.TO and 0.50% for XHB.TO.
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