XAGH.TO vs. VBU.NEO

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) (XAGH.TO) and Vanguard U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF (VBU.NEO).

XAGH.TO and VBU.NEO are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. XAGH.TO is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index (CAD-Hedged). It was launched on Aug 6, 2021. VBU.NEO is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Bond Index (CAD Hedged). It was launched on Jun 30, 2014. Both XAGH.TO and VBU.NEO 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

XAGH.TO vs. VBU.NEO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) (XAGH.TO) and Vanguard U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF (VBU.NEO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

XAGH.TO vs. VBU.NEO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
XAGH.TO iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)	-0.42%	5.24%	0.01%	4.10%	-13.15%	-0.86%
VBU.NEO Vanguard U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF	-1.64%	1.31%	-2.90%	4.56%	-13.69%	-1.26%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XAGH.TO achieves a -0.42% return, which is significantly higher than VBU.NEO's -1.64% return.

XAGH.TO

• 1D: -0.12%
• 1M: -1.49%
• YTD: -0.42%
• 6M: -0.20%
• 1Y: 2.16%
• 3Y*: 2.15%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

VBU.NEO

• 1D: -0.49%
• 1M: -2.14%
• YTD: -1.64%
• 6M: -2.14%
• 1Y: -1.78%
• 3Y*: -0.62%
• 5Y*: -2.43%
• 10Y*: -0.02%

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

XAGH.TO vs. VBU.NEO - Expense Ratio Comparison

XAGH.TO has a 0.18% expense ratio, which is lower than VBU.NEO's 0.22% 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%.

VBU.NEO

Vanguard U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF

XAGH.TO

iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)

Return for Risk

XAGH.TO vs. VBU.NEO — Risk / Return Rank

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

XAGH.TO

XAGH.TO Risk / Return Rank: 24
XAGH.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 24
XAGH.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 21
XAGH.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 21
XAGH.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 29
XAGH.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 24

VBU.NEO

VBU.NEO Risk / Return Rank: 4
VBU.NEO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 6
VBU.NEO Sortino Ratio Rank: 5
VBU.NEO Omega Ratio Rank: 5
VBU.NEO Calmar Ratio Rank: 2
VBU.NEO Martin Ratio Rank: 1

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.

XAGH.TO vs. VBU.NEO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) (XAGH.TO) and Vanguard U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF (VBU.NEO). 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.

	XAGH.TO	VBU.NEO	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.45	-0.37	+0.82
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.63	-0.44	+1.07
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.08	0.94	+0.14
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.79	-0.66	+1.45
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	1.89	-1.46	+3.35
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XAGH.TO vs. VBU.NEO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XAGH.TO Sharpe Ratio is 0.45, which is higher than the VBU.NEO Sharpe Ratio of -0.37. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XAGH.TO and VBU.NEO, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	XAGH.TO	VBU.NEO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.45	-0.37	+0.82
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	-0.39	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	-0.00	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.21	0.09	-0.29

Correlation

The correlation between XAGH.TO and VBU.NEO is 0.57, 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

XAGH.TO vs. VBU.NEO - Dividend Comparison

XAGH.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.92%, while VBU.NEO has not paid dividends to shareholders.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
XAGH.TO iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged)	3.92%	3.78%	3.51%	3.05%	1.91%	0.55%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
VBU.NEO Vanguard U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.24%	2.72%	2.31%	1.83%	2.14%	2.36%	2.28%	2.20%	2.19%	2.18%

Drawdowns

XAGH.TO vs. VBU.NEO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XAGH.TO drawdown since its inception was -18.26%, smaller than the maximum VBU.NEO drawdown of -19.38%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XAGH.TO and VBU.NEO.

Drawdown Indicators

	XAGH.TO	VBU.NEO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-18.26%	-19.38%	+1.12%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.71%	-3.16%	+0.45%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-18.46%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-19.38%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-6.52%	-15.05%	+8.53%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.59%	-5.92%	-3.67%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.13%	1.44%	-0.31%

Volatility

XAGH.TO vs. VBU.NEO - Volatility Comparison

iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged) (XAGH.TO) and Vanguard U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ETF (VBU.NEO) have volatilities of 1.66% and 1.60%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XAGH.TO	VBU.NEO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.66%	1.60%	+0.06%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.84%	2.87%	-0.03%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.86%	4.86%	0.00%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	6.48%	6.25%	+0.23%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	6.48%	5.92%	+0.56%