VFV.TO vs. VBAL.TO
VFV.TO (Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF) and VBAL.TO (Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio) are both exchange-traded funds - VFV.TO is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index, while VBAL.TO is a Diversified Portfolio fund actively managed by Vanguard. VFV.TO is passively managed, while VBAL.TO is actively managed. Over the past 5 years, VFV.TO returned 16.84%/yr vs 7.87%/yr for VBAL.TO. Their correlation of 0.86 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VFV.TO charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.24%/yr for VBAL.TO.
Performance
VFV.TO vs. VBAL.TO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VFV.TO achieves a 12.30% return, which is significantly higher than VBAL.TO's 8.13% return.
VFV.TO
- 1D
- -0.18%
- 1M
- 7.30%
- YTD
- 12.30%
- 6M
- 10.47%
- 1Y
- 29.48%
- 3Y*
- 23.57%
- 5Y*
- 16.84%
- 10Y*
- 16.04%
VBAL.TO
- 1D
- -0.30%
- 1M
- 4.26%
- YTD
- 8.13%
- 6M
- 6.49%
- 1Y
- 18.31%
- 3Y*
- 13.79%
- 5Y*
- 7.87%
- 10Y*
- —
VFV.TO vs. VBAL.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VFV.TO Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF | 12.30% | 12.18% | 35.23% | 23.23% | -12.58% | 27.51% | 15.62% | 25.14% | -0.10% |
VBAL.TO Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio | 8.13% | 11.88% | 14.56% | 12.43% | -11.44% | 10.16% | 10.23% | 14.85% | -2.87% |
Correlation
The correlation between VFV.TO and VBAL.TO is 0.84, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.84 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.82 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.84 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 2, 2018 | 0.86 |
The correlation between VFV.TO and VBAL.TO has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.82 to 0.86 - a consistent structural relationship.
VFV.TO vs. VBAL.TO - Sectors Allocation Comparison
Sectors
VFV.TO
VBAL.TO
Technology
Financial Services
Communication Services
Consumer Cyclical
Healthcare
Industrials
Consumer Defensive
Energy
Utilities
Real Estate
Basic Materials
Technology
VFV.TO
VBAL.TO
Financial Services
VFV.TO
VBAL.TO
Communication Services
VFV.TO
VBAL.TO
Consumer Cyclical
VFV.TO
VBAL.TO
Healthcare
VFV.TO
VBAL.TO
Industrials
VFV.TO
VBAL.TO
Consumer Defensive
VFV.TO
VBAL.TO
Energy
VFV.TO
VBAL.TO
Utilities
VFV.TO
VBAL.TO
Real Estate
VFV.TO
VBAL.TO
Basic Materials
VFV.TO
VBAL.TO
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Return for Risk
VFV.TO vs. VBAL.TO — Risk / Return Rank
VFV.TO
VBAL.TO
VFV.TO vs. VBAL.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF (VFV.TO) and Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio (VBAL.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.
| VFV.TO | VBAL.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.29 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.23 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.48 | 1.44 | +0.04 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.44 | 3.10 | +0.34 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 13.10 | 13.17 | -0.07 |
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
| VFV.TO | VBAL.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.59 | 2.30 | +0.29 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 1.14 | 0.92 | +0.22 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.97 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.14 | 0.78 | +0.36 |
Drawdowns
VFV.TO vs. VBAL.TO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VFV.TO drawdown since its inception was -27.43%, which is greater than VBAL.TO's maximum drawdown of -21.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFV.TO and VBAL.TO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VFV.TO | VBAL.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -27.43% | -21.19% | -6.24% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.62% | -5.93% | -2.69% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.05% | -9.68% | -9.37% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -22.19% | -16.45% | -5.74% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -27.43% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.18% | -0.30% | +0.12% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.35% | -3.17% | -0.18% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.26% | 1.39% | +0.87% |
Volatility
VFV.TO vs. VBAL.TO - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF (VFV.TO) has a higher volatility of 3.05% compared to Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio (VBAL.TO) at 2.73%. This indicates that VFV.TO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VBAL.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VFV.TO | VBAL.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.05% | 2.73% | +0.32% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 8.55% | 6.59% | +1.96% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.46% | 7.99% | +3.47% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.91% | 8.63% | +6.28% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.57% | 10.09% | +6.48% |
VFV.TO vs. VBAL.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison
VFV.TO has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is lower than VBAL.TO's 0.24% 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%.
Dividends
VFV.TO vs. VBAL.TO - Dividend Comparison
VFV.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.83%, less than VBAL.TO's 2.05% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VBAL.TO Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio | 2.05% | 2.21% | 2.26% | 2.32% | 2.16% | 1.91% | 1.79% | 2.20% | 1.99% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VFV.TO Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF | 0.83% | 0.92% | 0.99% | 1.20% | 1.31% | 1.06% | 1.33% | 1.55% | 1.68% | 1.50% | 1.66% | 1.63% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VFV.TO and VBAL.TO have a correlation of 0.84, 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 0.24% for VBAL.TO.
VFV.TO is categorized as S&P 500, while VBAL.TO is Diversified Portfolio. Their fees differ too: 0.09% for VFV.TO and 0.24% for VBAL.TO.
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