VGG.TO vs. ZWU.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

VGG.TO (Vanguard U.S. Dividend Appreciation Index ETF) and ZWU.TO (BMO Covered Call Utilities ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VGG.TO is a Dividend fund tracking the S&P U.S. Dividend Growers Index, while ZWU.TO is a Utilities Equities fund actively managed by BMO. VGG.TO is passively managed, while ZWU.TO is actively managed. Over the past 10 years, VGG.TO returned 13.46%/yr vs 6.08%/yr for ZWU.TO. At a 0.34 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VGG.TO charges 0.30%/yr vs 0.65%/yr for ZWU.TO.

Performance

VGG.TO vs. ZWU.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in Vanguard U.S. Dividend Appreciation Index ETF (VGG.TO) and BMO Covered Call Utilities ETF (ZWU.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VGG.TO achieves a 8.57% return, which is significantly lower than ZWU.TO's 10.15% return. Over the past 10 years, VGG.TO has outperformed ZWU.TO with an annualized return of 13.46%, while ZWU.TO has yielded a comparatively lower 6.08% annualized return.

VGG.TO

• 1D: 0.23%
• 1M: 6.00%
• YTD: 8.57%
• 6M: 6.30%
• 1Y: 20.66%
• 3Y*: 17.22%
• 5Y*: 13.16%
• 10Y*: 13.46%

ZWU.TO

• 1D: -0.50%
• 1M: -0.34%
• YTD: 10.15%
• 6M: 9.37%
• 1Y: 15.17%
• 3Y*: 10.66%
• 5Y*: 6.33%
• 10Y*: 6.08%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

VGG.TO vs. ZWU.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VGG.TO Vanguard U.S. Dividend Appreciation Index ETF	8.57%	8.61%	26.49%	11.58%	-4.21%	22.23%	12.67%	23.32%	5.20%	13.99%
ZWU.TO BMO Covered Call Utilities ETF	10.15%	13.18%	10.97%	-2.79%	-3.89%	15.80%	-7.09%	23.48%	-5.73%	5.63%

Correlation

The correlation between VGG.TO and ZWU.TO is 0.14, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.14
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.28
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.36
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.40
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 13, 2013	0.34

Over the past year, the correlation between VGG.TO and ZWU.TO has dropped to 0.14 - well below their long-term average of 0.34, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

VGG.TO vs. ZWU.TO - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	VGG.TO	ZWU.TO
Technology	26.2%	-
Financial Services	20.6%	-
Healthcare	16.5%	-
Industrials	11.8%	-
Consumer Defensive	10.1%	-
Consumer Cyclical	4.7%	-
Energy	3.5%	25.8%
Basic Materials	3.5%	-
Utilities	3.2%	52.7%
Communication Services	0.5%	21.5%
Real Estate	-	-

Return for Risk

VGG.TO vs. ZWU.TO — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

VGG.TO

VGG.TO Risk / Return Rank: 59
VGG.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 59
VGG.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 61
VGG.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 58
VGG.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 58
VGG.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 60

ZWU.TO

ZWU.TO Risk / Return Rank: 58
ZWU.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 58
ZWU.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 62
ZWU.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 57
ZWU.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 63
ZWU.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 51

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.

VGG.TO vs. ZWU.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard U.S. Dividend Appreciation Index ETF (VGG.TO) and BMO Covered Call Utilities ETF (ZWU.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.

	VGG.TO	ZWU.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.03	2.01	+0.03
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.93	2.94	-0.01
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.36	1.36	+0.01
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.94	3.13	-0.20
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.93	8.85	+2.09
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VGG.TO vs. ZWU.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VGG.TO Sharpe Ratio is 2.03, which is comparable to the ZWU.TO Sharpe Ratio of 2.01. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VGG.TO and ZWU.TO, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	VGG.TO	ZWU.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.03	2.01	+0.03
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.05	0.61	+0.44
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.90	0.43	+0.47
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.98	0.42	+0.56

Drawdowns

VGG.TO vs. ZWU.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VGG.TO drawdown since its inception was -24.58%, smaller than the maximum ZWU.TO drawdown of -37.41%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VGG.TO and ZWU.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	VGG.TO	ZWU.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-24.58%	-37.41%	+12.83%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.07%	-4.86%	-2.21%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-15.56%	-12.85%	-2.71%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-18.52%	-23.36%	+4.84%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-24.58%	-37.41%	+12.83%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-2.31%	+2.31%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.93%	-5.38%	+2.45%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.89%	1.73%	+0.16%

Volatility

VGG.TO vs. ZWU.TO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard U.S. Dividend Appreciation Index ETF (VGG.TO) is 2.59%, while BMO Covered Call Utilities ETF (ZWU.TO) has a volatility of 2.81%. This indicates that VGG.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ZWU.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VGG.TO	ZWU.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.59%	2.81%	-0.22%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.86%	6.30%	+1.56%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.23%	7.59%	+2.64%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	12.63%	10.47%	+2.16%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.97%	14.18%	+0.79%

VGG.TO vs. ZWU.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

VGG.TO has a 0.30% expense ratio, which is lower than ZWU.TO's 0.65% expense ratio.

Dividends

VGG.TO vs. ZWU.TO - Dividend Comparison

VGG.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.02%, less than ZWU.TO's 7.09% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
VGG.TO Vanguard U.S. Dividend Appreciation Index ETF	1.02%	1.16%	1.23%	1.37%	1.35%	1.21%	1.25%	1.24%	1.50%	1.46%	1.63%	1.70%
ZWU.TO BMO Covered Call Utilities ETF	7.09%	7.59%	7.96%	8.54%	8.35%	7.43%	7.94%	6.29%	6.84%	6.46%	6.77%	7.57%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VGG.TO and ZWU.TO in my portfolio?

VGG.TO and ZWU.TO have a correlation of 0.14, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, VGG.TO or ZWU.TO?

On fees, VGG.TO is cheaper at 0.30% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, VGG.TO or ZWU.TO?

VGG.TO is cheaper with a 0.30% expense ratio, compared with 0.65% for ZWU.TO.

What is the main difference between VGG.TO and ZWU.TO?

VGG.TO is categorized as Dividend, while ZWU.TO is Utilities Equities. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and BMO. Their fees differ too: 0.30% for VGG.TO and 0.65% for ZWU.TO.