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

XAD.TO vs. VFV.TO

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense Index ETF (XAD.TO) and Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF (VFV.TO).

XAD.TO and VFV.TO are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. XAD.TO is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index. It was launched on Sep 6, 2023. VFV.TO is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index. It was launched on Nov 2, 2012. Both XAD.TO and VFV.TO are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

XAD.TO vs. VFV.TO - Performance Comparison

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

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XAD.TO vs. VFV.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

2026 (YTD)202520242023
XAD.TO
iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense Index ETF		3.22%41.77%25.00%14.33%
VFV.TO
Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF		-3.12%12.18%35.23%6.18%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XAD.TO achieves a 3.22% return, which is significantly higher than VFV.TO's -3.12% return.

XAD.TO

1D
3.75%
1M
-8.51%
YTD
3.22%
6M
4.33%
1Y
38.25%
3Y*
—
5Y*
—
10Y*
—

VFV.TO

1D
2.76%
1M
-3.12%
YTD
-3.12%
6M
-1.94%
1Y
13.65%
3Y*
19.11%
5Y*
13.78%
10Y*
14.47%
*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs

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

iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense Index ETF

Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF

Often compared with XAD.TO:
XAD.TO vs. SHLDXAD.TO vs. ITAXAD.TO vs. SHLD.TOXAD.TO vs. XARXAD.TO vs. XGD.TOXAD.TO vs. QQQXAD.TO vs. XUS.TO
Often compared with VFV.TO:
VFV.TO vs. XEQT.TOVFV.TO vs. VEQT.TOVFV.TO vs. VOOVFV.TO vs. VSP.TOVFV.TO vs. QQC.TOVFV.TO vs. VCN.TOVFV.TO vs. XQQ.TO

XAD.TO vs. VFV.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

XAD.TO has a 0.44% expense ratio, which is higher than VFV.TO's 0.09% expense ratio.

XAD.TO
iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense Index ETF
VFV.TO
Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF

Return for Risk

XAD.TO vs. VFV.TO — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.
XAD.TO
XAD.TO Risk / Return Rank: 8181
Overall Rank
XAD.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 8484
Sharpe Ratio Rank
XAD.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 8585
Sortino Ratio Rank
XAD.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 8080
Omega Ratio Rank
XAD.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 8484
Calmar Ratio Rank
XAD.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 7474
Martin Ratio Rank
VFV.TO
VFV.TO Risk / Return Rank: 4848
Overall Rank
VFV.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 4545
Sharpe Ratio Rank
VFV.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 4444
Sortino Ratio Rank
VFV.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 5050
Omega Ratio Rank
VFV.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 5252
Calmar Ratio Rank
VFV.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 5151
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.

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

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

XAD.TOVFV.TODifference

Sharpe ratio

Return per unit of total volatility

1.61

0.75

+0.86

Sortino ratio

Return per unit of downside risk

2.22

1.13

+1.09

Omega ratio

Gain probability vs. loss probability

1.30

1.18

+0.12

Calmar ratio

Return relative to maximum drawdown

2.31

1.19

+1.12

Martin ratio

Return relative to average drawdown

7.38

4.51

+2.87

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

XAD.TO vs. VFV.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XAD.TO Sharpe Ratio is 1.61, which is higher than the VFV.TO Sharpe Ratio of 0.75. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XAD.TO and VFV.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

XAD.TOVFV.TODifference

Sharpe Ratio (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

1.61

0.75

+0.86

Sharpe Ratio (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period

—

0.93

—

Sharpe Ratio (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period

—

0.88

—

Sharpe Ratio (All Time)

Calculated using the full available price history

1.95

1.07

+0.88

Correlation

The correlation between XAD.TO and VFV.TO is 0.47, 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

XAD.TO vs. VFV.TO - Dividend Comparison

XAD.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.34%, less than VFV.TO's 0.96% yield.

TTM20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
XAD.TO
iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense Index ETF		0.34%0.35%0.44%0.24%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%
VFV.TO
Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF		0.96%0.92%0.99%1.20%1.31%1.06%1.33%1.55%1.68%1.50%1.66%1.63%

Drawdowns

XAD.TO vs. VFV.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XAD.TO drawdown since its inception was -16.06%, smaller than the maximum VFV.TO drawdown of -27.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XAD.TO and VFV.TO.

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Drawdown Indicators

XAD.TOVFV.TODifference

Max Drawdown

Largest peak-to-trough decline

-16.06%

-27.43%

+11.37%

Max Drawdown (1Y)

Largest decline over 1 year

-14.36%

-12.52%

-1.84%

Max Drawdown (5Y)

Largest decline over 5 years

—

-22.19%

—

Max Drawdown (10Y)

Largest decline over 10 years

—

-27.43%

—

Current Drawdown

Current decline from peak

-11.14%

-6.10%

-5.04%

Average Drawdown

Average peak-to-trough decline

-2.49%

-3.39%

+0.90%

Ulcer Index

Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks

4.58%

3.29%

+1.29%

Volatility

XAD.TO vs. VFV.TO - Volatility Comparison

iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense Index ETF (XAD.TO) has a higher volatility of 7.49% compared to Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF (VFV.TO) at 5.12%. This indicates that XAD.TO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VFV.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

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Volatility by Period

XAD.TOVFV.TODifference

Volatility (1M)

Calculated over the trailing 1-month period

7.49%

5.12%

+2.37%

Volatility (6M)

Calculated over the trailing 6-month period

15.90%

9.27%

+6.63%

Volatility (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

24.15%

18.28%

+5.87%

Volatility (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized

20.91%

14.92%

+5.99%

Volatility (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized

20.91%

16.57%

+4.34%