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VSC.TO vs. ZSDB.TO
Performance
Return for Risk
Dividends
Drawdowns
Volatility

VSC.TO vs. ZSDB.TO

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Canadian Short-Term Corporate Bond Index ETF (VSC.TO) and BMO Short-Term Discount Bond ETF (ZSDB.TO).

VSC.TO and ZSDB.TO are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. VSC.TO is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg Global Aggregate Canadian 1-5 Year Corporate Float Adjusted Index. It was launched on Nov 2, 2012. ZSDB.TO is an actively managed fund by BMO. It was launched on Jan 24, 2022.

Performance

VSC.TO vs. ZSDB.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in Vanguard Canadian Short-Term Corporate Bond Index ETF (VSC.TO) and BMO Short-Term Discount Bond ETF (ZSDB.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

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VSC.TO vs. ZSDB.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

2026 (YTD)2025202420232022
VSC.TO
Vanguard Canadian Short-Term Corporate Bond Index ETF		0.10%4.63%6.69%6.75%-3.31%
ZSDB.TO
BMO Short-Term Discount Bond ETF		0.01%2.56%6.02%5.94%-2.83%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VSC.TO achieves a 0.10% return, which is significantly higher than ZSDB.TO's 0.01% return.

VSC.TO

1D
0.00%
1M
-0.91%
YTD
0.10%
6M
0.61%
1Y
3.13%
3Y*
5.38%
5Y*
2.64%
10Y*
2.72%

ZSDB.TO

1D
0.18%
1M
-0.90%
YTD
0.01%
6M
-0.73%
1Y
0.96%
3Y*
4.44%
5Y*
—
10Y*
—
*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs

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Vanguard Canadian Short-Term Corporate Bond Index ETF

BMO Short-Term Discount Bond ETF

Often compared with VSC.TO:
VSC.TO vs. VSB.TOVSC.TO vs. TPRF.TOVSC.TO vs. ZCS.TOVSC.TO vs. VDY.TOVSC.TO vs. ITAVSC.TO vs. TSTX-U.TOVSC.TO vs. VCN.TO
Often compared with ZSDB.TO:
ZSDB.TO vs. CBIL.TOZSDB.TO vs. TCSB.TOZSDB.TO vs. TSTX-U.TOZSDB.TO vs. HBIL.TOZSDB.TO vs. ZAG.TOZSDB.TO vs. ZCN.TOZSDB.TO vs. ZEB.TO

VSC.TO vs. ZSDB.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

VSC.TO has a 0.11% expense ratio, which is higher than ZSDB.TO's 0.09% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

VSC.TO
Vanguard Canadian Short-Term Corporate Bond Index ETF
ZSDB.TO
BMO Short-Term Discount Bond ETF

Return for Risk

VSC.TO vs. ZSDB.TO — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.
VSC.TO
VSC.TO Risk / Return Rank: 7878
Overall Rank
VSC.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 8080
Sharpe Ratio Rank
VSC.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 8080
Sortino Ratio Rank
VSC.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 7878
Omega Ratio Rank
VSC.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 7676
Calmar Ratio Rank
VSC.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 7979
Martin Ratio Rank
ZSDB.TO
ZSDB.TO Risk / Return Rank: 2222
Overall Rank
ZSDB.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 2323
Sharpe Ratio Rank
ZSDB.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 1818
Sortino Ratio Rank
ZSDB.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 2222
Omega Ratio Rank
ZSDB.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 2424
Calmar Ratio Rank
ZSDB.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 2323
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.

VSC.TO vs. ZSDB.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Canadian Short-Term Corporate Bond Index ETF (VSC.TO) and BMO Short-Term Discount Bond ETF (ZSDB.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.

VSC.TOZSDB.TODifference

Sharpe ratio

Return per unit of total volatility

1.53

0.42

+1.11

Sortino ratio

Return per unit of downside risk

2.09

0.50

+1.59

Omega ratio

Gain probability vs. loss probability

1.30

1.09

+0.21

Calmar ratio

Return relative to maximum drawdown

2.05

0.55

+1.50

Martin ratio

Return relative to average drawdown

8.67

1.60

+7.08

Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VSC.TO vs. ZSDB.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VSC.TO Sharpe Ratio is 1.53, which is higher than the ZSDB.TO Sharpe Ratio of 0.42. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VSC.TO and ZSDB.TO, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

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Sharpe Ratios by Period

VSC.TOZSDB.TODifference

Sharpe Ratio (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

1.53

0.42

+1.11

Sharpe Ratio (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period

0.98

—

—

Sharpe Ratio (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period

0.53

—

—

Sharpe Ratio (All Time)

Calculated using the full available price history

0.59

1.05

-0.47

Correlation

The correlation between VSC.TO and ZSDB.TO is 0.52, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.

Dividends

VSC.TO vs. ZSDB.TO - Dividend Comparison

VSC.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.97%, more than ZSDB.TO's 1.31% yield.

TTM20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
VSC.TO
Vanguard Canadian Short-Term Corporate Bond Index ETF		3.97%3.61%3.54%3.14%2.85%2.59%2.64%2.71%2.77%2.75%2.89%3.05%
ZSDB.TO
BMO Short-Term Discount Bond ETF		1.31%1.28%1.33%1.75%1.77%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%

Drawdowns

VSC.TO vs. ZSDB.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VSC.TO drawdown since its inception was -15.87%, which is greater than ZSDB.TO's maximum drawdown of -4.88%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VSC.TO and ZSDB.TO.

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Drawdown Indicators

VSC.TOZSDB.TODifference

Max Drawdown

Largest peak-to-trough decline

-15.87%

-4.88%

-10.99%

Max Drawdown (1Y)

Largest decline over 1 year

-1.53%

-1.93%

+0.40%

Max Drawdown (5Y)

Largest decline over 5 years

-7.68%

—

—

Max Drawdown (10Y)

Largest decline over 10 years

-15.87%

—

—

Current Drawdown

Current decline from peak

-0.91%

-1.39%

+0.48%

Average Drawdown

Average peak-to-trough decline

-0.98%

-0.77%

-0.21%

Ulcer Index

Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks

0.36%

0.66%

-0.30%

Volatility

VSC.TO vs. ZSDB.TO - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard Canadian Short-Term Corporate Bond Index ETF (VSC.TO) has a higher volatility of 1.00% compared to BMO Short-Term Discount Bond ETF (ZSDB.TO) at 0.92%. This indicates that VSC.TO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ZSDB.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

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Volatility by Period

VSC.TOZSDB.TODifference

Volatility (1M)

Calculated over the trailing 1-month period

1.00%

0.92%

+0.08%

Volatility (6M)

Calculated over the trailing 6-month period

1.43%

1.98%

-0.55%

Volatility (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

1.96%

2.31%

-0.35%

Volatility (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized

2.70%

3.66%

-0.96%

Volatility (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized

5.15%

3.66%

+1.49%