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VFV.TO vs. ITA
Performance
Return for Risk
Drawdowns
Volatility
Dividends

VFV.TO vs. ITA

Last updated Jun 16, 2026

VFV.TO (Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF) and ITA (iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VFV.TO is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index, while ITA is a Aerospace & Defense fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VFV.TO returned 16.32%/yr vs 16.45%/yr for ITA. A 0.52 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VFV.TO charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.38%/yr for ITA.

Performance

VFV.TO vs. ITA - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF (VFV.TO) and iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

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Different Trading Currencies

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

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with VFV.TO having a 13.00% return and ITA slightly lower at 12.90%. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with VFV.TO having a 16.32% annualized return and ITA not far ahead at 16.45%.

VFV.TO

1D
1.74%
1M
3.84%
YTD
13.00%
6M
13.01%
1Y
31.44%
3Y*
23.27%
5Y*
16.66%
10Y*
16.32%

ITA

1D
1.55%
1M
11.25%
YTD
12.90%
6M
15.01%
1Y
36.10%
3Y*
30.29%
5Y*
20.65%
10Y*
16.45%
*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

VFV.TO vs. ITA - Yearly Performance Comparison

2026 (YTD)202520242023202220212020201920182017
VFV.TO
Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF		13.00%12.18%35.23%23.23%-12.58%27.51%15.61%25.14%2.95%13.69%
ITA
iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF		12.90%41.86%25.62%11.61%16.93%9.34%-15.62%25.13%0.58%26.09%

Correlation

The correlation between VFV.TO and ITA is 0.46, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

Correlation
Correlation (1Y)
Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

0.46

Correlation (3Y)
Calculated over the trailing 3-year period

0.42

Correlation (5Y)
Calculated over the trailing 5-year period

0.48

Correlation (10Y)
Calculated over the trailing 10-year period

0.50

Correlation (All Time)
Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 8, 2012

0.52

The correlation between VFV.TO and ITA has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.42 to 0.52 - a consistent structural relationship.

VFV.TO vs. ITA - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors
VFV.TO
ITA

Technology

35.7%
0.1%

Financial Services

11.6%

-

Communication Services

11.3%

-

Consumer Cyclical

10.2%

-

Healthcare

8.5%

-

Industrials

8.3%
99.8%

Consumer Defensive

4.9%

-

Energy

3.5%

-

Utilities

2.4%

-

Real Estate

1.9%

-

Basic Materials

1.8%

-

Technology

VFV.TO
35.7%
ITA
0.1%

Financial Services

VFV.TO
11.6%
ITA

-

Communication Services

VFV.TO
11.3%
ITA

-

Consumer Cyclical

VFV.TO
10.2%
ITA

-

Healthcare

VFV.TO
8.5%
ITA

-

Industrials

VFV.TO
8.3%
ITA
99.8%

Consumer Defensive

VFV.TO
4.9%
ITA

-

Energy

VFV.TO
3.5%
ITA

-

Utilities

VFV.TO
2.4%
ITA

-

Real Estate

VFV.TO
1.9%
ITA

-

Basic Materials

VFV.TO
1.8%
ITA

-

Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs

Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.

Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF

iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF

Often compared with VFV.TO:
VFV.TO vs. XEQT.TOVFV.TO vs. VEQT.TOVFV.TO vs. VOOVFV.TO vs. QQC.TOVFV.TO vs. VSP.TOVFV.TO vs. VCN.TOVFV.TO vs. XQQ.TO
Often compared with ITA:
ITA vs. XARITA vs. PPAITA vs. SHLDITA vs. ARKXITA vs. VOOITA vs. FSDAXITA vs. DFEN

Return for Risk

VFV.TO vs. ITA — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.
VFV.TO
VFV.TO Risk / Return Rank: 8585
Overall Rank
VFV.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 9090
Sharpe Ratio Rank
VFV.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 8888
Sortino Ratio Rank
VFV.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 8989
Omega Ratio Rank
VFV.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 7979
Calmar Ratio Rank
VFV.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 7979
Martin Ratio Rank
ITA
ITA Risk / Return Rank: 4545
Overall Rank
ITA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 4848
Sharpe Ratio Rank
ITA Sortino Ratio Rank: 4949
Sortino Ratio Rank
ITA Omega Ratio Rank: 4444
Omega Ratio Rank
ITA Calmar Ratio Rank: 4646
Calmar Ratio Rank
ITA Martin Ratio Rank: 3838
Martin Ratio Rank
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.

VFV.TO vs. ITA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF (VFV.TO) and iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA). 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

VFV.TOITADifference
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility
2.66
1.62

+1.03

Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk
3.56
2.34

+1.21

Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability

1.49

1.28

+0.21

Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown

3.66

2.43

+1.23

Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown

13.81

6.14

+7.67

VFV.TO vs. ITA - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VFV.TO Sharpe Ratio is 2.66, which is higher than the ITA Sharpe Ratio of 1.62. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VFV.TO and ITA, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

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Drawdowns

VFV.TO vs. ITA - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VFV.TO drawdown since its inception was -27.43%, smaller than the maximum ITA drawdown of -47.26%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFV.TO and ITA.

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Drawdown Indicators

VFV.TOITADifference

Max Drawdown

Largest peak-to-trough decline

-27.43%

-47.26%

+19.83%

Max Drawdown (1Y)

Largest decline over 1 year

-8.62%

-14.91%

+6.29%

Max Drawdown (3Y)

Largest decline over 3 years

-19.05%

-17.29%

-1.76%

Max Drawdown (5Y)

Largest decline over 5 years

-22.19%

-17.29%

-4.90%

Max Drawdown (10Y)

Largest decline over 10 years

-27.43%

-46.69%

+19.26%

Current Drawdown

Current decline from peak

0.00%

-3.08%

+3.08%

Average Drawdown

Average peak-to-trough decline

-3.35%

-8.88%

+5.53%

Ulcer Index

Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks

2.28%

5.89%

-3.61%

Volatility

VFV.TO vs. ITA - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF (VFV.TO) is 4.71%, while iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) has a volatility of 9.26%. This indicates that VFV.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ITA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

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Volatility by Period

VFV.TOITADifference

Volatility (1M)

Calculated over the trailing 1-month period

4.71%

9.26%

-4.55%

Volatility (6M)

Calculated over the trailing 6-month period

9.36%

19.10%

-9.74%

Volatility (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

11.91%

22.39%

-10.48%

Volatility (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized

15.01%

21.34%

-6.33%

Volatility (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized

16.61%

24.04%

-7.43%

VFV.TO vs. ITA - Expense Ratio Comparison

VFV.TO has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is lower than ITA's 0.38% expense ratio.

Dividends

VFV.TO vs. ITA - Dividend Comparison

VFV.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.83%, more than ITA's 0.52% yield.

PositionTTM20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
ITA
iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF		0.52%0.55%0.85%0.93%0.95%0.82%1.07%1.54%1.13%0.91%1.07%1.04%
VFV.TO
Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF		0.83%0.92%0.99%1.20%1.31%1.06%1.33%1.55%1.69%1.51%1.65%1.63%

Frequently Asked Questions

VFV.TO and ITA have a correlation of 0.46, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

On fees, VFV.TO is cheaper at 0.09% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

VFV.TO is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.38% for ITA.

VFV.TO is categorized as S&P 500, while ITA is Aerospace & Defense. VFV.TO tracks S&P 500 Index, while ITA tracks Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.09% for VFV.TO and 0.38% for ITA.

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