VBU.NEO vs. EWC
VBU.NEO (Vanguard U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF) and EWC (iShares MSCI Canada ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VBU.NEO is a Total Bond Market fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Bond Index (CAD Hedged), while EWC is a Canada Equities fund tracking the MSCI Canada Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VBU.NEO returned -0.16%/yr vs 12.10%/yr for EWC. At a correlation of -0.00, they often move in opposite directions. VBU.NEO charges 0.22%/yr vs 0.49%/yr for EWC.
Performance
VBU.NEO vs. EWC - Performance Comparison
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Different Trading Currencies
VBU.NEO is traded in CAD, while EWC is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the EWC values have been converted to CAD using the latest available exchange rates.
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VBU.NEO achieves a -2.13% return, which is significantly lower than EWC's 11.70% return. Over the past 10 years, VBU.NEO has underperformed EWC with an annualized return of -0.16%, while EWC has yielded a comparatively higher 12.10% annualized return.
VBU.NEO
- 1D
- 0.14%
- 1M
- -0.19%
- YTD
- -2.13%
- 6M
- -2.49%
- 1Y
- -1.03%
- 3Y*
- -0.45%
- 5Y*
- -2.71%
- 10Y*
- -0.16%
EWC
- 1D
- 1.43%
- 1M
- 5.18%
- YTD
- 11.70%
- 6M
- 12.58%
- 1Y
- 35.64%
- 3Y*
- 24.09%
- 5Y*
- 14.70%
- 10Y*
- 12.10%
VBU.NEO vs. EWC - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VBU.NEO Vanguard U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF | -2.13% | 1.31% | -2.90% | 4.56% | -13.69% | -2.10% | 7.24% | 7.76% | -1.05% | 3.47% |
EWC iShares MSCI Canada ETF | 11.70% | 29.69% | 22.04% | 12.20% | -6.75% | 25.83% | 3.74% | 21.31% | -10.14% | 8.36% |
Correlation
The correlation between VBU.NEO and EWC is 0.23, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.23 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.15 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.04 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 1, 2014 | -0.00 |
The correlation between VBU.NEO and EWC shifts across timeframes, from -0.00 (all time) to 0.23 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VBU.NEO vs. EWC — Risk / Return Rank
VBU.NEO
EWC
VBU.NEO vs. EWC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF (VBU.NEO) and iShares MSCI Canada ETF (EWC). 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.
| VBU.NEO | EWC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -3.08 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -4.00 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.97 | 1.51 | -0.54 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.23 | 4.34 | -4.57 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.59 | 20.41 | -21.01 |
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
| VBU.NEO | EWC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.22 | 2.86 | -3.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.43 | 1.10 | -1.53 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.03 | 0.80 | -0.83 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.08 | 0.67 | -0.60 |
Drawdowns
VBU.NEO vs. EWC - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VBU.NEO drawdown since its inception was -19.38%, smaller than the maximum EWC drawdown of -37.23%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VBU.NEO and EWC.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VBU.NEO | EWC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -19.38% | -37.23% | +17.85% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -4.55% | -8.24% | +3.69% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -6.80% | -12.37% | +5.57% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.46% | -16.79% | -1.67% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -19.38% | -37.23% | +17.85% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -15.47% | 0.00% | -15.47% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.05% | -5.19% | -0.86% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.74% | 1.75% | -0.01% |
Volatility
VBU.NEO vs. EWC - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF (VBU.NEO) is 2.45%, while iShares MSCI Canada ETF (EWC) has a volatility of 3.34%. This indicates that VBU.NEO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than EWC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VBU.NEO | EWC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.45% | 3.34% | -0.89% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.49% | 9.93% | -6.44% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.79% | 12.52% | -7.73% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.33% | 13.40% | -7.07% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.97% | 15.18% | -9.21% |
VBU.NEO vs. EWC - Expense Ratio Comparison
VBU.NEO has a 0.22% expense ratio, which is lower than EWC's 0.49% expense ratio.
Dividends
VBU.NEO vs. EWC - Dividend Comparison
VBU.NEO has not paid dividends to shareholders, while EWC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.31%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EWC iShares MSCI Canada ETF | 1.31% | 1.45% | 2.23% | 2.27% | 2.34% | 1.85% | 2.09% | 2.16% | 2.65% | 1.97% | 1.75% | 2.34% |
VBU.NEO Vanguard U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.24% | 2.72% | 2.31% | 1.83% | 2.14% | 2.36% | 2.28% | 2.20% | 2.19% | 2.18% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VBU.NEO and EWC have a correlation of 0.23, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, VBU.NEO is cheaper at 0.22% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
VBU.NEO is cheaper with a 0.22% expense ratio, compared with 0.49% for EWC.
VBU.NEO is categorized as Total Bond Market, while EWC is Canada Equities. VBU.NEO tracks Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Bond Index (CAD Hedged), while EWC tracks MSCI Canada Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.22% for VBU.NEO and 0.49% for EWC.
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