VUS.TO vs. HBF.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

VUS.TO (Vanguard U.S. Total Market Index ETF (CAD-hedged)) and HBF.TO (Harvest US Equity Leaders Income ETF Class A (CAD Hedged)) are both exchange-traded funds - VUS.TO is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the CRSP US Total Market Index, while HBF.TO is a Derivative Income fund actively managed by Harvest Portfolios Group. VUS.TO is passively managed, while HBF.TO is actively managed. Over the past 10 years, VUS.TO returned 13.09%/yr vs 11.18%/yr for HBF.TO. A 0.73 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VUS.TO charges 0.17%/yr vs 0.75%/yr for HBF.TO.

Performance

VUS.TO vs. HBF.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in Vanguard U.S. Total Market Index ETF (CAD-hedged) (VUS.TO) and Harvest US Equity Leaders Income ETF Class A (CAD Hedged) (HBF.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VUS.TO achieves a 9.96% return, which is significantly higher than HBF.TO's 8.15% return. Over the past 10 years, VUS.TO has outperformed HBF.TO with an annualized return of 13.09%, while HBF.TO has yielded a comparatively lower 11.18% annualized return.

VUS.TO

• 1D: -0.73%
• 1M: 4.98%
• YTD: 9.96%
• 6M: 8.19%
• 1Y: 23.82%
• 3Y*: 19.29%
• 5Y*: 10.63%
• 10Y*: 13.09%

HBF.TO

• 1D: -1.15%
• 1M: 3.49%
• YTD: 8.15%
• 6M: 7.25%
• 1Y: 25.20%
• 3Y*: 14.19%
• 5Y*: 7.67%
• 10Y*: 11.18%

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

VUS.TO vs. HBF.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VUS.TO Vanguard U.S. Total Market Index ETF (CAD-hedged)	9.96%	13.31%	22.11%	24.21%	-20.86%	24.87%	17.67%	29.30%	-7.35%	20.26%
HBF.TO Harvest US Equity Leaders Income ETF Class A (CAD Hedged)	8.15%	15.51%	13.12%	11.23%	-14.97%	21.88%	11.41%	25.99%	-4.71%	18.27%

Correlation

The correlation between VUS.TO and HBF.TO is 0.85, 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	0.85
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.82
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.87
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.84
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 25, 2014	0.73

The correlation between VUS.TO and HBF.TO shifts across timeframes, from 0.73 (all time) to 0.87 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

VUS.TO vs. HBF.TO - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	VUS.TO	HBF.TO
Technology	31.5%	29.5%
Financial Services	12.5%	19.7%
Healthcare	10.2%	5.0%
Consumer Cyclical	10.0%	9.9%
Industrials	9.9%	5.4%
Communication Services	9.7%	10.4%
Consumer Defensive	5.0%	15.1%
Energy	4.2%	5.1%
Utilities	2.5%	-
Real Estate	2.5%	-
Basic Materials	2.2%	-

Return for Risk

VUS.TO vs. HBF.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

VUS.TO

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

HBF.TO

HBF.TO Risk / Return Rank: 74
HBF.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 76
HBF.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 79
HBF.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 75
HBF.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 66
HBF.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 72

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.

VUS.TO vs. HBF.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard U.S. Total Market Index ETF (CAD-hedged) (VUS.TO) and Harvest US Equity Leaders Income ETF Class A (CAD Hedged) (HBF.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.

	VUS.TO	HBF.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.94	2.46	-0.52
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.69	3.52	-0.82
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.35	1.44	-0.10
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.47	3.25	-0.78
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.99	13.35	-2.37
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VUS.TO vs. HBF.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VUS.TO Sharpe Ratio is 1.94, which is comparable to the HBF.TO Sharpe Ratio of 2.46. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VUS.TO and HBF.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

	VUS.TO	HBF.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.94	2.46	-0.52
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.62	0.55	+0.07
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.73	0.66	+0.06
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.80	0.50	+0.31

Drawdowns

VUS.TO vs. HBF.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VUS.TO drawdown since its inception was -36.70%, roughly equal to the maximum HBF.TO drawdown of -35.28%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VUS.TO and HBF.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	VUS.TO	HBF.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-36.70%	-35.28%	-1.42%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.68%	-7.79%	-1.89%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.21%	-15.21%	-4.00%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-26.25%	-23.69%	-2.56%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-36.70%	-35.28%	-1.42%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.73%	-1.15%	+0.42%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.33%	-6.77%	+2.44%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.17%	1.89%	+0.28%

Volatility

VUS.TO vs. HBF.TO - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard U.S. Total Market Index ETF (CAD-hedged) (VUS.TO) has a higher volatility of 3.14% compared to Harvest US Equity Leaders Income ETF Class A (CAD Hedged) (HBF.TO) at 2.65%. This indicates that VUS.TO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than HBF.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VUS.TO	HBF.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.14%	2.65%	+0.49%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.38%	7.79%	+1.59%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.34%	10.29%	+2.05%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.22%	14.07%	+3.15%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.08%	16.95%	+1.13%

VUS.TO vs. HBF.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

VUS.TO has a 0.17% expense ratio, which is lower than HBF.TO's 0.75% expense ratio.

Dividends

VUS.TO vs. HBF.TO - Dividend Comparison

VUS.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.75%, less than HBF.TO's 7.41% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
HBF.TO Harvest US Equity Leaders Income ETF Class A (CAD Hedged)	7.41%	7.27%	7.48%	7.52%	7.75%	5.62%	6.34%	6.57%	7.72%	6.86%	7.54%	7.74%
VUS.TO Vanguard U.S. Total Market Index ETF (CAD-hedged)	0.75%	0.84%	0.97%	1.07%	1.23%	0.95%	1.11%	1.39%	1.60%	1.32%	1.49%	1.59%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VUS.TO and HBF.TO in my portfolio?

VUS.TO and HBF.TO have a correlation of 0.85, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, VUS.TO or HBF.TO?

On fees, VUS.TO is cheaper at 0.17% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, VUS.TO or HBF.TO?

VUS.TO is cheaper with a 0.17% expense ratio, compared with 0.75% for HBF.TO.

What is the main difference between VUS.TO and HBF.TO?

VUS.TO is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while HBF.TO is Derivative Income. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and Harvest Portfolios Group. Their fees differ too: 0.17% for VUS.TO and 0.75% for HBF.TO.