PortfoliosLab logoPortfoliosLab logo

Documentation

Upgrade your plan
XAW.TO vs. VDU.TO
Performance
Return for Risk
Drawdowns
Volatility
Dividends

XAW.TO vs. VDU.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

XAW.TO (iShares Core MSCI All Country World ex Canada Index ETF) and VDU.TO (Vanguard FTSE Developed All Cap ex U.S. Index ETF) are both Global Equities funds - XAW.TO tracks the Morningstar Gbl GR CAD while VDU.TO tracks the FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, XAW.TO returned 13.22%/yr vs 10.28%/yr for VDU.TO. Their correlation of 0.82 suggests significant overlap in exposure. Both charge a 0.22% expense ratio.

Performance

XAW.TO vs. VDU.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in iShares Core MSCI All Country World ex Canada Index ETF (XAW.TO) and Vanguard FTSE Developed All Cap ex U.S. Index ETF (VDU.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Loading charts...

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XAW.TO achieves a 13.70% return, which is significantly lower than VDU.TO's 16.22% return. Over the past 10 years, XAW.TO has outperformed VDU.TO with an annualized return of 13.22%, while VDU.TO has yielded a comparatively lower 10.28% annualized return.

XAW.TO

1D
-0.37%
1M
7.13%
YTD
13.70%
6M
12.70%
1Y
30.51%
3Y*
21.73%
5Y*
13.96%
10Y*
13.22%

VDU.TO

1D
-0.45%
1M
7.62%
YTD
16.22%
6M
17.26%
1Y
33.30%
3Y*
20.33%
5Y*
11.99%
10Y*
10.28%
*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

XAW.TO vs. VDU.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

2026 (YTD)202520242023202220212020201920182017
XAW.TO
iShares Core MSCI All Country World ex Canada Index ETF		13.70%15.87%26.31%18.45%-11.84%18.38%12.37%19.82%-2.28%16.10%
VDU.TO
Vanguard FTSE Developed All Cap ex U.S. Index ETF		16.22%27.97%11.37%14.56%-9.89%10.23%7.06%15.90%-8.11%17.64%

Correlation

The correlation between XAW.TO and VDU.TO is 0.88, 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

0.88

Correlation (3Y)
Calculated over the trailing 3-year period

0.84

Correlation (5Y)
Calculated over the trailing 5-year period

0.85

Correlation (10Y)
Calculated over the trailing 10-year period

0.86

Correlation (All Time)
Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 18, 2015

0.82

The correlation between XAW.TO and VDU.TO has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.82 to 0.88 - a consistent structural relationship.

XAW.TO vs. VDU.TO - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors
XAW.TO
VDU.TO

Technology

32.6%
13.8%

Financial Services

13.7%
23.3%

Industrials

9.1%
19.2%

Consumer Cyclical

8.8%
7.5%

Communication Services

8.7%
3.4%

Healthcare

7.8%
8.2%

Consumer Defensive

4.6%
5.6%

Energy

3.3%
5.4%

Basic Materials

2.8%
7.5%

Utilities

2.2%
3.3%

Real Estate

1.4%
2.7%

Technology

XAW.TO
32.6%
VDU.TO
13.8%

Financial Services

XAW.TO
13.7%
VDU.TO
23.3%

Industrials

XAW.TO
9.1%
VDU.TO
19.2%

Consumer Cyclical

XAW.TO
8.8%
VDU.TO
7.5%

Communication Services

XAW.TO
8.7%
VDU.TO
3.4%

Healthcare

XAW.TO
7.8%
VDU.TO
8.2%

Consumer Defensive

XAW.TO
4.6%
VDU.TO
5.6%

Energy

XAW.TO
3.3%
VDU.TO
5.4%

Basic Materials

XAW.TO
2.8%
VDU.TO
7.5%

Utilities

XAW.TO
2.2%
VDU.TO
3.3%

Real Estate

XAW.TO
1.4%
VDU.TO
2.7%

Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs

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

iShares Core MSCI All Country World ex Canada Index ETF

Vanguard FTSE Developed All Cap ex U.S. Index ETF

Often compared with XAW.TO:
XAW.TO vs. XEQT.TOXAW.TO vs. VXC.TOXAW.TO vs. VEQT.TOXAW.TO vs. XUU.TOXAW.TO vs. XIC.TOXAW.TO vs. XGRO.TOXAW.TO vs. VT
Often compared with VDU.TO:
VDU.TO vs. VIU.TOVDU.TO vs. VEF.TOVDU.TO vs. ZEA.TOVDU.TO vs. XEF.TOVDU.TO vs. VIDY.TOVDU.TO vs. VFV.TOVDU.TO vs. BANK.TO

Return for Risk

XAW.TO vs. VDU.TO — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.
XAW.TO
XAW.TO Risk / Return Rank: 7676
Overall Rank
XAW.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 7575
Sharpe Ratio Rank
XAW.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 7676
Sortino Ratio Rank
XAW.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 7878
Omega Ratio Rank
XAW.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 7474
Calmar Ratio Rank
XAW.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 7777
Martin Ratio Rank
VDU.TO
VDU.TO Risk / Return Rank: 6565
Overall Rank
VDU.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 6868
Sharpe Ratio Rank
VDU.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 6767
Sortino Ratio Rank
VDU.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 6868
Omega Ratio Rank
VDU.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 5858
Calmar Ratio Rank
VDU.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 6565
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.

XAW.TO vs. VDU.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core MSCI All Country World ex Canada Index ETF (XAW.TO) and Vanguard FTSE Developed All Cap ex U.S. Index ETF (VDU.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.

XAW.TOVDU.TODifference
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility
2.50
2.28

+0.22

Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk
3.49
3.13

+0.35

Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability

1.48

1.42

+0.06

Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown

3.76

2.92

+0.84

Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown

15.15

12.06

+3.10

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

XAW.TO vs. VDU.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XAW.TO Sharpe Ratio is 2.50, which is comparable to the VDU.TO Sharpe Ratio of 2.28. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XAW.TO and VDU.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.

Loading charts...

Sharpe Ratios by Period

XAW.TOVDU.TODifference

Sharpe Ratio (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

2.50

2.28

+0.22

Sharpe Ratio (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period

1.04

0.89

+0.14

Sharpe Ratio (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period

0.88

0.70

+0.18

Sharpe Ratio (All Time)

Calculated using the full available price history

0.78

0.70

+0.09

Drawdowns

XAW.TO vs. VDU.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XAW.TO drawdown since its inception was -27.32%, smaller than the maximum VDU.TO drawdown of -29.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XAW.TO and VDU.TO.

Loading charts...

Drawdown Indicators

XAW.TOVDU.TODifference

Max Drawdown

Largest peak-to-trough decline

-27.32%

-29.19%

+1.87%

Max Drawdown (1Y)

Largest decline over 1 year

-8.16%

-11.47%

+3.31%

Max Drawdown (3Y)

Largest decline over 3 years

-16.66%

-14.02%

-2.64%

Max Drawdown (5Y)

Largest decline over 5 years

-21.02%

-24.10%

+3.08%

Max Drawdown (10Y)

Largest decline over 10 years

-27.32%

-29.19%

+1.87%

Current Drawdown

Current decline from peak

-0.37%

-0.45%

+0.08%

Average Drawdown

Average peak-to-trough decline

-3.91%

-4.66%

+0.75%

Ulcer Index

Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks

2.02%

2.77%

-0.75%

Volatility

XAW.TO vs. VDU.TO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares Core MSCI All Country World ex Canada Index ETF (XAW.TO) is 4.21%, while Vanguard FTSE Developed All Cap ex U.S. Index ETF (VDU.TO) has a volatility of 5.23%. This indicates that XAW.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VDU.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Loading charts...

Volatility by Period

XAW.TOVDU.TODifference

Volatility (1M)

Calculated over the trailing 1-month period

4.21%

5.23%

-1.02%

Volatility (6M)

Calculated over the trailing 6-month period

9.85%

12.47%

-2.62%

Volatility (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

12.25%

14.68%

-2.43%

Volatility (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized

13.56%

13.50%

+0.06%

Volatility (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized

15.12%

14.75%

+0.37%

XAW.TO vs. VDU.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both XAW.TO and VDU.TO have an expense ratio of 0.22%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

XAW.TO vs. VDU.TO - Dividend Comparison

XAW.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.17%, less than VDU.TO's 2.09% yield.

PositionTTM20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
VDU.TO
Vanguard FTSE Developed All Cap ex U.S. Index ETF		2.09%2.61%2.55%2.54%2.14%2.67%1.64%2.48%2.61%2.26%2.41%2.25%
XAW.TO
iShares Core MSCI All Country World ex Canada Index ETF		1.17%1.33%1.61%1.71%1.79%1.77%1.49%2.02%2.29%1.92%1.80%1.83%

Frequently Asked Questions

XAW.TO and VDU.TO have a correlation of 0.88, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Both ETFs have the same 0.22% expense ratio. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

XAW.TO and VDU.TO have the same expense ratio: 0.22% per year.

XAW.TO tracks Morningstar Gbl GR CAD, while VDU.TO tracks FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard.

Portfolio Optimizer

Find the right allocation for XAW.TO and VDU.TO

Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.

Open Portfolio Optimizer