XBAL.TO vs. SPLT.TO

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

XBAL.TO (iShares Core Balanced ETF Portfolio) and SPLT.TO (Brompton Split Corp. Preferred Share ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XBAL.TO is a Diversified Portfolio fund actively managed by iShares, while SPLT.TO is a Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds fund actively managed by Brompton Funds. Both are actively managed. Over the past year, XBAL.TO returned 17.97% vs 5.86% for SPLT.TO. At a 0.17 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XBAL.TO charges 0.20%/yr vs 0.50%/yr for SPLT.TO.

Performance

XBAL.TO vs. SPLT.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in iShares Core Balanced ETF Portfolio (XBAL.TO) and Brompton Split Corp. Preferred Share ETF (SPLT.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XBAL.TO achieves a 8.30% return, which is significantly higher than SPLT.TO's 3.07% return.

XBAL.TO

• 1D: 0.45%
• 1M: 4.08%
• YTD: 8.30%
• 6M: 6.25%
• 1Y: 17.97%
• 3Y*: 14.47%
• 5Y*: 8.24%
• 10Y*: 7.68%

SPLT.TO

• 1D: 0.23%
• 1M: 1.84%
• YTD: 3.07%
• 6M: 3.78%
• 1Y: 5.86%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

XBAL.TO vs. SPLT.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
XBAL.TO iShares Core Balanced ETF Portfolio	8.30%	11.87%	15.76%	5.99%
SPLT.TO Brompton Split Corp. Preferred Share ETF	3.07%	5.80%	14.11%	5.46%

Correlation

The correlation between XBAL.TO and SPLT.TO is 0.03, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.03
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 16, 2023	0.17

The correlation between XBAL.TO and SPLT.TO shifts across timeframes, from 0.03 (1 year) to 0.17 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

XBAL.TO vs. SPLT.TO - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	XBAL.TO	SPLT.TO
Technology	21.6%	-
Financial Services	20.5%	100.0%
Industrials	12.4%	-
Consumer Cyclical	8.0%	-
Energy	7.5%	-
Basic Materials	7.4%	-
Healthcare	6.6%	-
Communication Services	6.4%	-
Consumer Defensive	4.6%	-
Utilities	2.9%	-
Real Estate	2.3%	-

Return for Risk

XBAL.TO vs. SPLT.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

XBAL.TO

XBAL.TO Risk / Return Rank: 65
XBAL.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 65
XBAL.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 65
XBAL.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 67
XBAL.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 61
XBAL.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 69

SPLT.TO

SPLT.TO Risk / Return Rank: 56
SPLT.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 51
SPLT.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 53
SPLT.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 56
SPLT.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 66
SPLT.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 52

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.

XBAL.TO vs. SPLT.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core Balanced ETF Portfolio (XBAL.TO) and Brompton Split Corp. Preferred Share ETF (SPLT.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.

	XBAL.TO	SPLT.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.12	1.75	+0.37
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.94	2.53	+0.42
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.40	1.34	+0.06
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.98	3.23	-0.26
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	12.49	8.67	+3.83
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XBAL.TO vs. SPLT.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XBAL.TO Sharpe Ratio is 2.12, which is comparable to the SPLT.TO Sharpe Ratio of 1.75. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XBAL.TO and SPLT.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

	XBAL.TO	SPLT.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.12	1.75	+0.37
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.94	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.82	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.68	2.06	-1.38

Drawdowns

XBAL.TO vs. SPLT.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XBAL.TO drawdown since its inception was -28.83%, which is greater than SPLT.TO's maximum drawdown of -5.36%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XBAL.TO and SPLT.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	XBAL.TO	SPLT.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-28.83%	-5.36%	-23.47%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.06%	-1.82%	-4.24%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-9.35%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-17.12%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-20.93%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.39%	-0.51%	-2.88%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.44%	0.68%	+0.76%

Volatility

XBAL.TO vs. SPLT.TO - Volatility Comparison

iShares Core Balanced ETF Portfolio (XBAL.TO) has a higher volatility of 3.14% compared to Brompton Split Corp. Preferred Share ETF (SPLT.TO) at 0.73%. This indicates that XBAL.TO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPLT.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XBAL.TO	SPLT.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.14%	0.73%	+2.41%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.22%	2.25%	+4.97%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	8.52%	3.36%	+5.16%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	8.79%	4.67%	+4.12%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	9.37%	4.67%	+4.70%

XBAL.TO vs. SPLT.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

XBAL.TO has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is lower than SPLT.TO's 0.50% expense ratio.

Dividends

XBAL.TO vs. SPLT.TO - Dividend Comparison

XBAL.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.09%, less than SPLT.TO's 5.98% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SPLT.TO Brompton Split Corp. Preferred Share ETF	5.98%	6.01%	5.99%	3.54%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
XBAL.TO iShares Core Balanced ETF Portfolio	2.09%	2.24%	2.68%	2.40%	2.09%	1.74%	1.99%	2.26%	3.39%	2.93%	3.64%	3.29%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XBAL.TO and SPLT.TO in my portfolio?

XBAL.TO and SPLT.TO have a correlation of 0.03, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, XBAL.TO or SPLT.TO?

On fees, XBAL.TO is cheaper at 0.20% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, XBAL.TO or SPLT.TO?

XBAL.TO is cheaper with a 0.20% expense ratio, compared with 0.50% for SPLT.TO.

What is the main difference between XBAL.TO and SPLT.TO?

XBAL.TO is categorized as Diversified Portfolio, while SPLT.TO is Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Brompton Funds. Their fees differ too: 0.20% for XBAL.TO and 0.50% for SPLT.TO.